BNSF celebrates 25 years of leadership training by building and donating 1,110 bikes to Fort Worth area students

Date
Dec 11, 2025

FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec.11, 2025 – In celebration of the 25th anniversary of its People Leader Training (PLT) program, BNSF Railway partnered with several Fort Worth area school districts and early childhood learning centers as well as nonprofit Bikes for Goodness Sake to gift 1,110 brand new bicycles to local students. 

The two-day training event, which concluded in mid-November at BNSF’s Fort Worth headquarters, is part of a program taken by all full-time exempt employees throughout the year. BNSF leaders worked side-by-side with students in grades first through fourth, teaching teamwork, leadership, and compassion, while assembling bikes that would ultimately be gifted as a surprise to the children who helped build them.

Community Partnerships

  • Fort Worth ISD provided students ages 5 through 10 for more than 100 sessions, coordinated through its Family Action Center led by Director Dr. Carlos Walker.

  • Northwest ISD contributed students for more than 30 sessions.

  • Other participating districts included Eagle Mountain-Saginaw, Keller, and Grapevine-Colleyville ISDs.

“Our People Leader Training program has always been about strengthening our culture through service, teamwork, and connection,” said BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer. “For our 25th anniversary, we wanted to do something extraordinary that truly embodied our values and gave back to the communities where we live and work. Watching our employees and students build these bikes together has been a rewarding experience, connecting our purpose while leading change and growth with real impact.”

Since its inception in 2000, BNSF’s People Leader Training program has helped grow leadership capability and reinforce the company’s core Leadership Model: Create a Compelling Vision, Model the Way, Lead More and Manage Less, Communicate Consistently, and Make Development a Priority. Each year, BNSF leaders, from executives to individual contributors, participate in PLT. The addition of this year’s bike-build events brought those principles to life, connecting leadership development with hands-on community impact. 

Community Voices

  • Dr. Carlos Walker, Director of Fort Worth ISD’s Family Action Center: 

    “This project has been an incredible bridge between corporate leadership and community impact. Our students not only received bikes, but they also gained confidence, connection, and the understanding that great leaders give back. We’re deeply grateful to BNSF and Bikes for Goodness Sake for making our children part of something so inspiring.”

  • Kandle Pierce, Northwest ISD Community Relations Coordinator: 

    “Our students didn’t just receive a gift; they were part of building it. They learned that leadership means lifting others up and that even small hands can build big things when you work together.”

  • Mark Smith, CEO of Bikes for Goodness Sake: 

    “What BNSF and these school districts accomplished is extraordinary: 1,110 bikes, 1,110 smiles, and countless lessons in leadership, service, and goodness that will ripple through these communities for years to come.”


Contact:
Kendall Kirkham Sloan
Director, External Communications
Media@BNSF.com