Commuting - Employer Incentive To Commute By Bicycle

I would like to see employers, offer their employees, a monetary bonus once or twice a year, to bicycle to work for one week. Most companies recognize the value of healthy employees. Giving people an incentive to ride would be a win/win for everyone. The employer gets employees who will receive valuable exercise. They will also get recognition from the general community, and other businesses for being progressive, and reducing traffic congestion. Employee's would not only recieve a cash bonus from their employer, but they would save additionally by parking their cars for a week. The bonus might entice some people to ride who otherwise choose not to, because no one else does. If the idea took off, I'm sure the community would make improvements of new or extended bike paths, or bike lanes for cyclists, as more, and more businesses followed suit.


Ok, so it'll never happen....a guy can dream can't he?

On Tour,

Check this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=44862

I would like to see employers, offer their employees, a monetary bonus once or twice a year, to bicycle to work for one week. Most companies recognize the value of healthy employees.

Unfortunately, the reverse is likely to happen, simply because people still have this perception of cycling as a "dangerous" activity. Perhaps if cyclists were more pro-active in eliminating this perception, it might be a chance.

Monetary benefits I think would be appropriate. Tax credits from the federal government. Saves our trade deficit and overcrowded highways. To their advantage...As to employers..I would be happy with bike friendly facilities. Like shower facilities, personal lockers, and a spot to safely secure your bike.

Unfortunately, the reverse is likely to happen, simply because people still have this perception of cycling as a "dangerous" activity.

But cycling is a dangerous activity, at least as long as the roads are designed for automobiles and the perception of the public is that cyclists are obstructions, intruding into their space.

I'ld love to start riding to work everyday, but I'm not willing to take the risk of riding at 5:00 am alongside of people half-awake, drinking their coffee, not looking for me.

Artie

Edit: Just think how cool it would be, and how many of our countries pollution and energy problems would be allieviated if they just built cycle-specific roads.
I'ld ride almost everywhere. :D

I've been To Jacksonville..I recall how crowded the roads were. Not designed for cyclists. I like to think some parts of the country are somewhat more bike friendly and our bike commuting goals are more realistic.

How true . . . its ironic, we've got the great weather, but not the "conditions" for commuter cycling.
(Although, many, with more perserverance than I, do.)

I agree, my company pays for employees parking costs, it strikes me as unfair that I don't get the same $, or for that matter those who take transit. I've always said if I was in charge of a company every employee would get $100 a month 'transportation expense', if they want to waste it on parking, fine, if they want to save it and ride, even better.

My company is promoting a 'healthy lifestyle' to reduce their medical benefit costs. Part of that effort is to refund $250 of our benefit premiums if we undertake certain 'healthy' activities, including getting regular exercise. While cycling to work is not required, cycling is one of the activities that qualifies. So, in a sense, you could say that I get paid a bonus to ride my bike.

Calibrate, I hadn't seen that yet, thanks. Sounds like some places are actually doing this.

Well, it's not a law yet so contact your representative and urge them to support the Bicycle Commuter Act. Also, it appears LAB has the bill number wrong. I find the bill listed as H.R. 1052. I can't find a similar bill in the Senate so please urge your senators to consider introducing legislation for this.

Just saw this on the LAB website. Apparently, the Bicycle Commuter Act is in danger of getting cut from the transportation bill:

There is growing pressure in Congress to downsize the bill-which would effectively downsize bicycling-by cutting into programs like Safe Routes to School, the Bicycle Commuter Act, and efforts to "complete the streets" and increase safety funding for bicycling and walking. In a February 23 article in Roll Call, Representative Don Young (R-AK) and Representative James Oberstar (D-MN) wrote, "Opposition to this approach is stiff, and we will likely pass a transportation bill that costs less and does less."

Please call or email your senators or representative and urge them to keep this bill intact.

Hi,

Just thought I'd mention that my employer, here in the UK, gives an incentive in the form of a £200 interest free loan each year to go towards bike purchase for commuting & of the 600+ people who work at my particular site I think I'm the only one who ever takes advantage of it as there are only ever 6 or 7 bikes, at most and thats only on the few warm dry days we get, in the nice lockable bike shed that my employer also provides and none of the other bikes looks like it's worth £50 let alone £200.. the car park on the other hand is overflowing with cars. The irony is that they will also give you a £1000 interest free loan to cover parking fees each year if you have to drive to work and need to pay for parking :)

I think the best incentive to cycle commute is to make it increasingly more difficult & expensive to use a car, giving people free money to bike commute won't work as most commuters just aint' 'ard enough :D

Cheers

FlakMonkey

But cycling is a dangerous activity, at least as long as the roads are designed for automobiles and the perception of the public is that cyclists are obstructions, intruding into their space.

I'm not going to harp on this too much now, but if you check one of the other threads dealing with this, you'll find that it is actually the safest way to travel to work, apart from walking, which just isn't practical. If cycling was anywhere near as dangerous as some make it out to be, there is no way I would have survived 120,000km of it. Again, if people wish to focus on the "dangers" of cycling, perhaps they might consider focusing on the dangers of driving to work, too.