Bicycle Commuting and the Community Oriented Employer

Why Implement a Bicycle Commute Program?

Employee Health. Bicycle commuting enables office workers to fit regular exercise into their busy, but often sedentary, work routines. People who exercise, including those who do it on the way to work, are healthier and more energetic. This translates to employer cost savings: Greater productivity, less sick leave time, fewer workman's compensation claims, and lower overall health care costs.

Employee Morale. Employees who arrive at work by bicycle are more alert and relaxed, having exercised during their commute. They avoid the stress of driving through rush-hour congestion and delays, and don't need to worry about finding parking. Bicycle commuters will recognize and appreciate employer support for their transportation and exercise mode.

Reduced Traffic Congestion. Bicycling enhances the transportation system upon which all businesses depend. Increasing the number of trips made by bicycle expands the carrying capacity of our existing infrastructure, and lessens the demand for costly roadway expansions. Cyclists can easily maneuver through and around snarled traffic, covering short distances in equal or less time than car drivers, and arriving at work on time more often.

Zero Pollution. Bicycles are 100% non-polluting since they are powered by people and not fossil fuels. Every trip made by a bike instead of a car reduces the burden of low-level ozone, nitrous oxides, carbon dioxide, soot and noise on our environment and our health. Since short (0-5 miles) car-trips are the most polluting type of trip, encouraging employees who live within five miles of work to commute by bicycle can make a huge difference in everyone's quality of life.

Good Corporate Citizenship. Support for bicycle commuting promotes your company's public image as a community-oriented and environmentally responsible employer. It says to the public that your company is concerned about pollution, traffic congestion, energy use, overall public health, and the well-being of your employees.

Getting Started

Launching a successful bicycle commute program that's tailored to your business may seem daunting at first, but it is as easy as 1,2,3...

Appoint an on-site Bicycle Commuting Coordinator.

This is the individual responsible for planning and carrying out project goals, and for acting as a liaison between project participants and company administration. Choose a person whose other job responsibilities provide a logical tie-in to employee bicycle commuting promotions, such as your company's human services, community relations, wellness or employee transportation coordinator. It is helpful if this individual is a cyclist, but even more importantly, they should have enthusiasm, autonomy, and time to develop the program.

Assess current commuter habits and bicycle commuting potential at your business.

Begin by taking inventory of facilities and programs that already exist at or near your business related to bicycle commuting. Are showers, lockers, changing facilities, and/or bicycle parking already provided on site? Is there already an employee wellness program to which a bicycle commuting component could be added?

Conduct an Employee Transportation Survey.

This will help you learn about your employee's demographics (how far away do they live?) transportation habits and preferences (who bicycle commutes or would like to try?), and determine what facilities, incentives, or types of education would encourage more employees at your business to bicycle. Why worry about installing showers if your employees tell you that what they really want is more secure bicycle parking?

Methods for survey distribution/collection:

Distribute at payday, in employee paycheck envelopes or at payroll window.
Set up a table in the employee lunchroom.
Post on company website.
Distribute via company-wide e-mail or newsletter.
Offer freebies or incentives for completing and returning surveys

Establish a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC)

The BAC's purpose is to assist the Bicycle Commuting Coordinator in developing ideas, implementing and evaluating strategies, maximizing participation and sustaining interest in your bicycle commute program. Its mission should be sanctioned by company administration. Composition of your BAC should be representative of your company, containing cyclists and other interested persons. BAC members can provide one-on-one assistance to novice bicycle commuters by answering their questions, assisting with route finding, even accompanying them on their first bicycle ride to work. Your BAC can also be a liaison to public entities' issues that affect bicycle access to your company, but are beyond the company's direct control, such as necessary road improvement projects and bike route maintenance.

Education

Employees may be hesitant to try bicycle commuting because they feel they don't know enough about how to do it. They may need help finding a comfortable bike route to work, or they may want to learn more about buying and maintaining a bike, dressing, carrying gear and navigating traffic effectively. To the novice, bicycle commuting may seem complex and mysterious. In fact, it's as easy as, well, riding a bike! Here are some ways to provide information about bicycle commuting:

Schedule a brown bag workshop series.
No doubt, there are seasoned bicycle commuters at your business who would be happy to share their expertise for an hour. Local bike shops might be willing to send an employee to talk about buying or maintaining a bike, and many individuals are willing to lead workshop sessions as well. Provide door prizes and encourage a sense of camaraderie among regular attendees.

Sponsor an Effective Cycling Course.
Effective Cycling is a national curriculum that teaches bicyclists how to be safe, predictable and effective roadway users. The core course consists of nine hours of classroom and on-bike instruction, taught by nationally certified instructors. Additional courses are available on bicycle commuting and children's cycling. For a list of upcoming Street Skills Classes Click Here

Coordinate a Bike Buddy Program.
First, identify a handful of experienced bicycle commuters at your business who would be willing to spend a little time mentoring a novice. Note where they live. Some members of your BAC might also be willing to serve as Bike Buddies. Then advertise that hands-on help is available to new bike commuters if they'd like it. Try and match Bike Buddies with new commuters who live in the same part of town. Their job is to provide new bicycle commuters with information, advice and moral support. They can even offer to meet new commuters before work and accompany them on their first ride.

Incentives and Promotional Activities
A successful bicycle commuting program has the commitment of the top management and is promoted on a regular basis. By backing up their endorsement with financial or other incentives, employers can demonstrate that their commitment is sincere, and that they regard bicycling as a legitimate and professionally acceptable mode of transportation.

There are many ways of promoting bicycle commuting at your business. Consider the following list to be a springboard, and let your imagination run wild!

Giveaways

• Offer a free "starter kit" to bicycle commute program recruits. Include such items as a patch kit, reflective stickers, water bottle, bike map, and a copy of the Bicycle Commuter's Handbook.
• Hold monthly prize drawings for program participants, perhaps in conjunction with brown-bag workshops.
• Have t-shirts made featuring your company logo and a bike-friendly design or slogan. Then give these away to bicycle action committee members, or bicycle commute program participants.
• Offer free or subsidized tune-ups at a local bicycle shop.

Special Events

• Participate in the citywide Bike to Work Week event. Appoint a worksite coordinator to handle registration. Offer free food, prizes, or on-site bicycle adjustments to employees who participate.
• Implement a commuter challenge contest with other area businesses.
• Hold a "Pedal with the CEO" day.
• Stage a bike rodeo for employee's children.
• Sponsor recreational rides and fitness races.
  Subsidize an Effective Cycling class.

Acknowledgements

• Recognize bicycle commuters in your company newsletter or on a bulletin board display.
• Give awards to "dedicated bicycle commuters" who ride more than 50% of the workdays in a specified period.

Other Programs and Incentives

• Provide discounts or subsidies on the purchase of bicycles, helmets, or other commuting equipment.
• Provide financing or payroll deduction for bicycle purchases.
• Offer cash back to cyclists who agree not to use employee parking spaces.
• Provide travel reimbursement (.10/mile) to bicyclists.
• Allow employees to earn .25 hour vacation time per day of bicycle commuting.
• Offer flextime or a fifteen-minute grace period for bicycle commuters.

Program Maintenance

If you determine what it might take to get your employees to commute by bicycle, install the necessary facilities, distribute information on bicycle commuting, sponsor incentive programs and stage promotional events, then you will have gotten your bicycle commute program off to a great start. However, your work is not quite finished. How will you maintain employee interest in bicycle commuting? How will you monitor progress? Here are a few final suggestions.

• Publish program updates on a regular basis in company publications.
• Continue to meet with your Bicycle Action Committee on a regular basis.
• Stay in contact with new bicycle commuters. A published interview or commuter profile could be an interesting way to draw attention to the program.
• Conduct a follow-up survey at the conclusion of the bicycling season (fall) to measure the success of the program and obtain feedback for improvement.

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