In case you missed it: Party Onbici is a Transport for NSW endorsed app. You’ll find us on the Transport for NSW endorsed apps page, alongside apps for public transport, roads, active travel, maritime and more.
Transport for NSW describes us like this:
“Party Onbici makes cycling safer and more social by introducing cyclists to other cyclists commuting to work or study.”
That’s exactly what we set out to do.
What “endorsed” means
Transport for NSW reviews the apps on its list, and says each one meets “a rigorous set of standards”:
- A strong user experience with a customer focus
- Robust security and privacy protections
- Regular updates and improvements
- Responsive customer support
Those are the things we care about too. A ride buddy only helps if the app is easy to use, keeps your details safe, keeps improving and has someone on the other end when you need help.
Where it started: the Bike Riding Innovation Challenge
The story goes back to May 2021, when Transport for NSW launched the Active Transport Bike Riding Innovation Challenge.
The challenge looked for data and technology ideas to make regular bike riding from A to B easy and fun, and to tackle the things that hold people back, like confidence and safety.
Its data story lists three solutions developed through the challenge: Tern, Virtuous Cycle and Bike Party, which is what we were called back then. Transport for NSW described Bike Party as “helping to make bike riding safer and more social by connecting cyclists.”
From Bike Party to Party Onbici
The name has changed, but the idea hasn’t. A lot of people would ride more if they didn’t have to ride alone, especially on a new route or a busy road.
So Party Onbici helps you:
- Find people to ride with who are heading the same way, whether you’re commuting to work or study
- Join or organise group rides in your area
- Build confidence by riding with others
Why this matters
Plenty of people want to ride but feel unsure about it, and confidence and safety are the barriers the challenge set out to tackle. Riding with other people is one of the simplest ways to get past them.
Being endorsed by Transport for NSW tells you that the app you’re using to find those people meets the standards the state’s transport agency sets for the apps it lists.
Come for a ride
If you’re in NSW, or anywhere else, and you’ve been meaning to ride more, now’s a good time to start. Download Party Onbici, find a ride near you, and bring a friend.