Throughout August, commencing Monday, August 9, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts started giving complimentary Bluebikes rides on “Mindful Mondays” to raise awareness about the advantages of mindfulness, health, and wellness during National Wellness Month. Riders can take advantage of free rides from approximately 400 Bluebikes stations located throughout the 11 municipalities that make up the system. Blue Cross is the official sponsor of Bluebikes, a municipally owned and operated bike share.
- Weekly excursions: Riders can take advantage of free weekly excursions courtesy of Blue Cross, the title sponsor of Metro Boston’s public bike share system, in honor of National Wellness Month. On “Mindful Mondays,” residents can get free rides by downloading and opening the Bluebikes app on their mobile device, then selecting “Adventure Pass” and entering the relevant code for each Monday in August.
- Leading activities: Studies show that bicycling is one of the leading activities to help improve both mental and physical health, while mindfulness techniques can help reduce anxiety and burnout. A recent study demonstrated a 60% decrease in anxiety among participants who used a mindfulness training app, developed by Brown University, for at least a month.
- Sponsorship: “Our Bluebikes sponsorship brings unique opportunities to reinforce our commitment to building healthy communities across the Commonwealth,” said Jeff Bellows, vice president of corporate citizenship and public affairs at Blue Cross. “As we continue to feel the impact of COVID-19, many of us can benefit from mindfulness and finding some quiet time to stay present at the moment. We’re thrilled to use our Bluebikes sponsorship to provide residents the opportunity to get outside, exercise or simply clear their minds during a month that is focused on self care and whole-body wellness.”
- Champions: Blue Cross is in the fourth year of a six-year championship sponsorship with Bluebikes, which began in May 2018. Blue Cross continues to support system growth and accessibility through its collaboration with Bluebikes’ municipal owners, including station extensions, upgrades, and extra bikes. In June, the system was expanded to Salem, and the cities and Blue Cross just celebrated ten years of public bike share.
- Bike company: Bluebikes is public transportation by bike. The system is jointly owned and managed by the Cities of Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Salem, and Somerville and the Town of Brookline. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is the system’s title sponsor. Riders can find 400 stations and 4000 bikes across 11 municipalities in Metro Boston.