A Detroiter's Quest to Convert the City's Transportation System
Mark "Marco" Speeks, a Detroit native and cycling enthusiast, is on a mission to revolutionize the city's transportation system. He believes that bicycles can be a practical and life-changing option for many residents, particularly in low-income households.
Speeks, who has been cycling year-round, including in frigid Michigan winters, says that there's no bad weather, only bad clothing. He encourages others to trade in their cars for bikes, citing the numerous health benefits and cost savings.
The numbers are stark: a third of Detroiters don't own a car, and most drivers devote 40% of their income to transportation costs. Speeks argues that biking can be a game-changer for these households, allowing them to access essential services and amenities without breaking the bank.
Speeks' initiative, Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Association (MTMCA), aims to promote awareness and guidelines for proper cycling. The organization offers bike donations, education, and advocacy to support cyclists of all levels.
One of MTMCA's most successful programs is Bikes 4 Employees, which provides bicycles and accessories to professionals in the downtown area. Participants pay a small weekly fee, and receive around $1,800 in value per year.
Speeks also plans to develop "bike buses," a safety and logistics effort to benefit Detroit Community Schools District. The program would utilize bike lanes and provide support for students from pre-school through college.
As Speeks urges people to ride bikes in the bike lanes, he emphasizes that normalizing cycling as a means of transportation is key. He believes that MTMCA can make a significant impact on the city's transportation system and create a more sustainable future for all residents.
"We need advocates," Speeks says. "We are the experts. We have the relationships and we know how to communicate with the city."
With his tireless efforts, Speeks is helping to change the way Detroiters think about transportation. By promoting cycling as a viable option, he hopes to create a healthier, more affordable, and more sustainable city for everyone.
Mark "Marco" Speeks, a Detroit native and cycling enthusiast, is on a mission to revolutionize the city's transportation system. He believes that bicycles can be a practical and life-changing option for many residents, particularly in low-income households.
Speeks, who has been cycling year-round, including in frigid Michigan winters, says that there's no bad weather, only bad clothing. He encourages others to trade in their cars for bikes, citing the numerous health benefits and cost savings.
The numbers are stark: a third of Detroiters don't own a car, and most drivers devote 40% of their income to transportation costs. Speeks argues that biking can be a game-changer for these households, allowing them to access essential services and amenities without breaking the bank.
Speeks' initiative, Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Association (MTMCA), aims to promote awareness and guidelines for proper cycling. The organization offers bike donations, education, and advocacy to support cyclists of all levels.
One of MTMCA's most successful programs is Bikes 4 Employees, which provides bicycles and accessories to professionals in the downtown area. Participants pay a small weekly fee, and receive around $1,800 in value per year.
Speeks also plans to develop "bike buses," a safety and logistics effort to benefit Detroit Community Schools District. The program would utilize bike lanes and provide support for students from pre-school through college.
As Speeks urges people to ride bikes in the bike lanes, he emphasizes that normalizing cycling as a means of transportation is key. He believes that MTMCA can make a significant impact on the city's transportation system and create a more sustainable future for all residents.
"We need advocates," Speeks says. "We are the experts. We have the relationships and we know how to communicate with the city."
With his tireless efforts, Speeks is helping to change the way Detroiters think about transportation. By promoting cycling as a viable option, he hopes to create a healthier, more affordable, and more sustainable city for everyone.
I'm all for it! We need more people like Marco speaking up about the importance of cycling in our cities. It's not just about personal health benefits, but also about reducing traffic congestion and making transportation more accessible to low-income households. Bike buses? That's a genius idea! 
. And those "bike buses" for the schools district? Game-changer 
. Can you imagine riding to school with your friends, feeling the wind in your hair, and not having to worry about parking (well, as much as possible) 
. Detroit's getting a whole lot greener and I couldn't be more stoked 
!
. And he's not just talking about it being good for low-income households either, but for everyone.
. It's not just about the bikes themselves, but about creating a community around cycling.
– it's like a subscription service for adults who want to ride bikes without breaking the bank. And the bike buses thing? That's so cool 
! I can see how that would help kids get to school safely and on time.
. We need more people like him advocating for change and making it easier for others to join in. Fingers crossed MTMCA can make a real impact and help create a healthier, more sustainable Detroit 
i'm low-key obsessed w/ this initiative, btw. normalizing cycling as transportation is key, u feel? 
! Who wouldn't want to ditch their car and ride a bike all the time? I mean, sure, it can be a bit chilly in Michigan winter, but as he said, there's no bad weather, just bad clothing 
. And yeah, having access to affordable transportation is super important, especially for low-income households.
. It's all about creating a supportive community where people feel comfortable riding their bikes in the city. And the "bike buses" idea? Genius! I can see how it could make a big difference for kids going to school.
. I mean, have you seen the numbers? Like, 40% of people's income goes towards transportation costs? That's crazy! 
And he's like "let's just ditch the cars and ride bikes already!" 
And bike buses for the community schools district? That's like, next level advocacy 
. I think we should all be cheering on Marco Speeks and his MTMCA organization. They're not just talking about sustainability, they're making it happen 
! I mean, who needs cars when you can ride a bike, right? He's onto something big with the Bikes 4 Employees program, it's like a win-win for people who can't afford transportation costs. And bike buses for schools? Genius! My only concern is how they're gonna deal with all the potholes in Detroit... but I guess that's a whole other story 
! He's all about normalizing cycling as a means of transportation and creating a sustainable future for all residents 
. I'm trying to read an article about this dude Marco who's trying to make Detroit more bike-friendly, but all I can see are ads and random threads on my screen 
. Can't they just keep the noise to a minimum? It's hard enough to focus on one thing when there's so much extra stuff competing for our attention. And btw, how many "experts" do we really need here? I mean, I'm not saying Marco isn't passionate about this stuff, but can't we just have a clean and simple discussion forum without all the extra fluff? 
I gotta say, this guy Marco Speeks is onto something 
. We need more of these cyclists making waves in our cities 
. It's crazy how many Detroiters are stuck with no cars and breaking the bank on transportation costs 
.
. It's time we start valuing our health and wallets over car ownership 
. Marco Speeks is the real MVP 
. Can't we just have a decent, zoomable map like they do on Google Maps or something? It's 2025 and we're still stuck with this ancient UI. And don't even get me started on the search bar - it's like they took a random word from a dictionary and slapped it on there 
.
Bikes 4 Employees sounds like an amazing program, providing value for pennies on the dollar.
It's a game-changer, right? And I love how he's normalizing cycling as a means of transport - we should all be riding bikes more often! 
Major Taylor Michigan Cycling Association is doing some amazing work too. Let's get behind this movement and make our city a healthier, more sustainable place to live. We need more people like Marco who are passionate about making a difference 
! He's right, biking is all about embracing the weather, not letting it dictate our lives 
.
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. It's all about normalizing cycling and making it accessible to everyone, regardless of income or social status