Need a new Arizona license plate? Why not a share the road one through Rob Dollar, Uphill into the Wind?

The Rob Dollar Foundation has been out there working its magic for more than six years, making life for cyclists and motorists a better place.

It’s all for safety – on both sides whether it’s through literature, signage, messaging, or a license plate.

It’s all about “improving cycling safety on our roadways.”

It’s important, crucial – in fact – to get everyone involved because safety is priority.

In 2018, the Rob Dollar Foundation partnered with non-profit, Uphill Into the Wind, to bring Arizona the first “Share the Road” specialty license plate. The campaign has gone well but could get better and perhaps get a rebirth.

Profits from the sales of the license plate go towards hosting free safety classes in the community and a scholarship.

“We need to make other cyclists, walkers and runners and everybody realize the benefits of getting the plate and what it’s doing,” said Kathy Griffiths, President of Uphill Into the Wind. “But in order for us to do the things we want to do, we need to have more plates on the road so more funds can come in.”

The Rob Dollar Foundation was created after Rob was struck and killed by a drunk driver in 2017.

Griffiths and John Dollar, Rob’s father, want to continue to get the word out – and want more plates sold to help to that end.

“People still aren’t aware of it,” John said.

There are 101 specialty license plates out there, according to ADOT.

Dollar said the Foundation’s plate ranks about 46^th with about 1,2500 out there. They can do better, he said.

“First and foremost, the people that cyclists should know that there’s a share the road license plate out there,” he said. “If you’re an Arizona resident. That’s first and foremost.

Of course, we would like to attract those that don’t cycle, families that ride bikes, people that run and things like that,” he said.

He’d like to take the revenue from the plate from $10,000 to $100,000. He knows it can happen.

“That kind of money can help us do some of the things we’re trying to do,” he said. “We need more sales to help us.”

The money is used for purchasing helmets, a scholarship, for donating money to other nonprofits, to help to support police force’s pay, among other things.

“There’s a lot of stuff we’d like to help with but we don’t have the money,” he said.

He’d like to start larger-scale initiatives, but more money is needed.

It’s a catch 22.

So, the Foundation and Uphill into the Wind are as visible as they can be at events. It isn’t unusual to see them at Perimeter Bicycling events, just as they were at Tour de Scottsdale.

Rob’s ‘favorite ride was El Tour de Tucson,” John said. “We love having a presence there and the Tour de Scottsdale is following along where El Tour de Tucson is. We want to be part of it.”

While at Tour de Scottsdale, the Rob Dollar Foundation met with a number of people at the Expo “but once again a lot of people didn’t know anything about the license plate, but we were able to talk to a lot of good people. It thought it was a fabulous event.”

How is Uphill into the Wind involved? They are partners and were involved to get the license plate approved.

“We both benefit from the funds raised from the license plate,” she said.

Each nonprofit can use their monies as they choose. Uphill recently has recently partnered with the Phoenix Fire Department to hand out sunglasses to kids at an event.

They’ve recently put rechargeable headlights and tail lights on their loner bicycles.

“We still have a lot of ideas,” Griffiths said.

All they are looking for is help and perhaps the purchase of a nice, new license plate.

For more information, please visit Home | robdollarfoundation or Uphill Into The Wind – Putting Bodies on Bikes for Your Cause