In an era when environmental concerns are mounting and economic pressures are squeezing both businesses and individuals, employers have a unique opportunity positively impact the lives of their employees and their communities by encouraging bike commuting and active transport in general. Car use, with its associated emissions and infrastructure requirements, places a hefty burden on our ecology and economy.
Recently, a Redditor on the r/bikecommuting subreddit asked, "If you were a company founder and got to drive the culture and environment, what are some good ways you could incentivize people bicycling to work?" The responses were enlightening, drawing from real-world experiences and successful precedents set by forward-thinking companies.
Surprisingly, the most effective strategies aren't as drastic as banning cars or buying everyone a bike. Instead, the community highlighted simpler, more practical approaches. Here's a ranked list of what Redditors believe will be most effective at encouraging bike use in companies.
Top Strategies for Encouraging Bike Commuting*
1. Secure Bike Parking and Showers (373 upvotes, 14 mentions)
2. Rewards for Biking or Using Transit (409 upvotes, 17 mentions)
3. Shower, Change Room, Lockers (363 upvotes, 13 mentions)
4. Tool/Shop Room/ Bike Mechanic on Site (302 upvotes, 15 mentions)
5. Stipend for Bike Stuff (295 upvotes, 12 mentions)
6. Disincentives for Car Use/Parking (171 upvotes, 11 mentions)
7. Bike Lease or Purchase Programs (119 upvotes, 11 mentions)
*responses will have changed since the writing of this article. We encourage you to visit the discussion yourself.
Work, where THe first and Last Mile begin and end
Two of the clear frontrunners - secure parking and shower/changing facilities - are relatively low-cost investments that can yield significant returns in employee satisfaction and increased bike commuting rates.
A single 20-foot by 20-foot room can store several dozen bikes securely (but less than two American cars). A good fraction of cyclists today know how to work on their bikes so stocking bike storage rooms with basic tools might not be a bad idea. An air pump and basic tire removing tools should be provided, since, like with a car, dealing with flats is a skill most people have.
One of the most commonly mentioned barriers to bike use is “arriving sweaty.” Providing employees who exercised on their commute with a place to freshen up and store their fitness clothes demonstrates a serious commitment to employee health and comfort. The beneficiaries may not just be cyclists, but also people who want to take a lunch jog for example.
If employers implemented just these basic facilities, they'd likely do more for the planet than years of office recycling programs or switching to energy-efficient lighting. These amenities serve as the crucial first and last mile of a bike commuter's journey, bridging the gap between city bike lanes and the workplace. By taking this simple step, companies not only support their employees but also contribute to broader environmental and community benefits in a tangible, immediate way that employees can see and use daily.
Financial Incentives and Programs
For employers willing to go even further, financial incentives can be powerful motivators. Four of the seven suggestions we list here are direct financial incentives of one form or another. These range from small gear stipends to more substantial bike purchase subsidies. Many of the comments from Redditors made reference to financial incentives offered at current or past jobs. Not surprisingly, Redditors on r/bikecommuning were understandably excited about the idea of free or highly subsidized bikes.
For example, companies have implemented innovative programs to help employees acquire bikes through lease-to-own schemes or direct subsidies. Various platforms and services have emerged to facilitate these programs, such as Ridepanda, Lease-a-Bike, and NewPedal, among others. These services help employers set up and manage bike, e-bike and scooter programs (collectively: micro-mobility programs) for their employees, offering everything from bike selection to maintenance support.
It’s worth mentioning that governments can and often do incentivize bike adoption. In the UK, the Cycle to Work scheme has been successful in encouraging bike commuting. This government-backed initiative allows employees to save money on bikes and equipment through "salary sacrifice arrangements", effectively providing tax benefits for cycling to work. If you're curious about how such programs work content marketing article from across the pond might be a good read.
Similar programs exist in other countries too, such as the JobRad leasing model in Germany, which allows employees to lease bikes through their employers at discounted rates. Back here in the US, California is due to release its E-bike incentive program sometime this summer (2024).
Programs like these are likely to work best in regions where biking and scooter use is feasible. Seattle, Washington DC, and Oakland come to mind. Small towns with lots of well connected side-streets like mid-sized towns such as Bloomington, Indiana and Mobile, AL might be good places to deploy such incentive programs (after all, bike infrastructure is really car infrastructure meant to keep cyclists alive. Slow streets are just as good as most bike infrastructure). Conversely, stroaded-out towns like Columbus, OH and even Pittsburgh, PA might result in low adoption due to limited applicability. That said, Pittsburg has been improving as of late.
A free bike is not always an ideal bike, however. CDOT launched a bike giveaway program in 2022. The 2024 report on CDOT’s 2022 bicycle giveaway shows that bike recipients rode “60% of respondents now drive less than before they received the bicycle”, but that the length and type of trip may be more limited “...because of the style of bike that was distributed (all Bike Chicago bicycles are single-speed and the first bikes distributed were cruiser bikes with coaster brakes), it was somewhat less viable to travel long distances in general.”
Chicago, having been leveled by glaciers and receding lake waters, is relatively flat, so one can understand the choice of a single-speed bike. While not mentioned in the report, single-speed bikes’ ease of operation could potentially increase adoption rates among commuters. Either way, the takeaway is clear: helping citizens and employees acquire a bike decreases car use, freeing the streets for more important uses while also decreasing emissions.
Cash for Active Transport, Green for Growth
Among the various financial incentives discussed, the idea of compensating employees who don't use parking spaces, known as parking cash-out, gained significant traction among r/bikecommuting members. This concept aims to reduce car dependence by offering financial incentives for alternative transportation.
One Redditor suggested: "Pay me for the parking spot I don't use. I wish my work would give everyone $5000/year and charge $20/day market rate for parking. That way drivers still get basically free parking. People riding the bus can use that money for paying fares."
While the various permutations of a cash incentive to not park a car at work or to take transit were met with enthusiasm, Redditors worried about backlash from car users. This reflects the geographic plurality of the group – some members who join r/bikecommuting may live in areas where biking is still seen as odd or even threatening while others live in relative bike utopias.
Clearly popular among r/bikecommuting members, parking cash-out policies are actually a well-known and increasingly popular strategy to increase carpooling, transit and bike use. Research has consistently shown that parking cash-out programs can be highly effective. Seattle Children's Hospital, for instance, reduced solo driving commutes from 73% in 1995 to just 38% in 2005, with a goal of 30% by 2030. They achieved this by eliminating monthly parking, transitioning to variable daily parking rates ($3.25 - $11.50), and offering a $4.50 daily commute bonus for employees who don't drive alone.
Local jurisdictions often play a crucial role in motivating companies to adopt these policies. California, Rhode Island, and Washington, D.C. have laws requiring or encouraging such programs. Cities like San Francisco, New York, and even Berkeley, CA have implemented pre-tax benefit programs to further incentivize sustainable commuting.
Companies don't need to wait for legal mandates to act. Forward-thinking employers like Seattle Children's Hospital and Google have voluntarily adopted similar initiatives, recognizing that parking lots represent valuable real estate that currently costs money to maintain. By implementing cash-out policies, they can repurpose this land for more productive uses like additional workspace or green areas, turning a cost center into a potential revenue generator. Moreover, as Seattle Children's experience shows, these policies can significantly reduce an organization's environmental impact, aligning with broader sustainability goals and potentially reducing costs associated with parking infrastructure.
The key to successful implementation seems to lie in creating inclusive policies that benefit all forms of sustainable commuting, not just cycling. This approach could help mitigate concerns about fairness and reduce potential backlash from employees who drive.
An Often Overlooked Challenge: The Learning Curve of Utilitarian Cycling
While Redditors provided many valuable insights, they overlooked an important aspect of encouraging bike commuting: the learning curve associated with using a bike for daily tasks. Unlike many enthusiasts on the r/bikecommuting subreddit, most people don't have the know-how to work on their own bikes nor do they have the time to figure out the intricacies of equipping a bike with the right gear. Bikes in the US are incredibly diverse offering and not offering various, fiddling ways to attach racks, bags, lights and other accessories.
For instance, if you want to carry groceries, tools, or a child on a bike, it can only be done if you equip the bike properly. When done right, the trip is often made easier and more efficient than using a car. After all, it's overkill to transport a week's worth of groceries with a car since the groceries might weigh 20-30 pounds and the car a few tons! But without the right equipment and know-how, it can be challenging to safely and comfortably carry those same groceries on a bike. Similarly, transporting a hot cup of coffee to work is a simple task in a car (since the invention of cup holders), but requires specific gear and techniques to do so safely and without spilling on a bike.
A bike incentive program, whether a corporate one like Ridepanda or a grassroots initiative organized by a small startup, needs to recognize that most people are not bike wizzes (nor should they be). Many people will need help learning to "bike-to-get-it-done," even if they know how to ride a bike for leisure or as competitive racers. By acknowledging and addressing this learning curve, bike incentive program managers can make their bike commuting initiatives more inclusive and effective, helping a broader range of employees make the switch to two wheels.
A large majority of the posts this writer sees on r/bikecommuting are requests to deal with mechanical, equipment and logistical challenges. It's worth noting that one reason redditors in r/bikecommuting didn't mention technical assistance as a key incentive employers could deploy is that r/bikecommuting exists precisely to meet that goal. An online community is great, but real-world physical help, on site at the job, can't be beat.
Bike Commuting's Achilles heel: Location, Location, Location
While much of the subreddit discussion focused on incentives and facilities, one Redditor, u/Thesorus, highlighted a critical aspect of encouraging active transport that received less attention: "Move the company offices near safe bike infrastructure." This suggestion, though less frequently mentioned in the comments, does bear some analysis because it has significant implications for the success of any bike commuting initiative.
This idea aligns with real-world examples like the Goodwill + Cook Medical partnership on 38th and Sheridan in Indianapolis. One consideration in choosing the site was the upcoming construction of IndyGo’s Purple Line rapid transit route. This decision not only makes the facility more accessible to employees using public transit but also potentially increases the viability of bike commuting for many workers.
However, this approach isn't without challenges. No American city has truly great transit options. (Just look at the transit options in Queens, the borough of New York City.) As a result, locations close to existing transit or bike routes are few and often more expensive due to their desirability. This can create a catch-22 for companies looking to encourage sustainable commuting. The relative sparseness of transit coverage also limits the effectiveness of cash-out policies discussed earlier.
Some tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Apple have addressed this issue by chartering their own bus fleets to move employees around the San Francisco Bay Area. We thank them for reducing traffic on already congested roads, providing a private form of mass transit. However, it's exclusive to employees of these powerful companies, highlighting the need for more comprehensive public transit solutions. Check out this excellent essay on this very issue.
By considering location and transit accessibility in their facility planning, as suggested by our insightful Redditor, companies can play a significant role in making active commuting a viable option for more employees. This approach, combined with the incentives and facilities discussed earlier, could create a powerful synergy in promoting sustainable transportation.
Concluding Remarks
r/Bikecommuting redditors made it patently clear: Employers have numerous options to encourage bike commuting, from simple solutions like indoor bike parking and showers to more complex initiatives like cash-out programs. While the effectiveness of these strategies varies across different urban landscapes, even small, low-cost changes can have significant impacts.
Another thing that is clear is that cyclists are a good group to drive change -any group so willing to go against the grain, often putting their bodies and lives on the line, is a group that can change things. This is why programs meant to encourage active transport should take the needs of cyclists and scooter users seriously.
Sure, the interplay between company initiatives and municipal policies is crucial. In bike-friendly cities, minor employer incentives can lead to major shifts in commuting habits. Conversely, in areas with poor cycling infrastructure, even generous programs may struggle. The most effective alternative to driving is transit, but by nature it’s more costly to improve, in the short term at least. Cities can rapidly improve their micro-mobility infrastructure with sufficient political will. Bollards, jersey breaks, paint, curb cuts and a bit of concrete go a long way -- just ask Jersey City. That said, why does all change have to be spurred by municipalities and state governments?
Collective action amplifies impact. Employers in shared business parks or in geographically proximate locations can collaborate on larger-scale projects, while employees from diverse companies can advocate together for shared bike storage facilities, showers, and shared transport options (mass transit). These partnerships create a critical mass of support, influencing local policies and implementing comprehensive sustainable transportation solutions. Promoting bike commuting becomes a community-wide opportunity for positive change. What we need is replicable systems which businesses can copy or adopt (this is probably fertile ground for a software platform).
These sorts of movements often grow geometrically. To grow, however, they need a seed -a first crystal to kick off the change. As an individual, your own habits and choices have the power to change the world. And for those in decision-making positions within companies, you have an enormous opportunity to drive positive change. You’re like a seed crystal and a catalyst at the same time. So whether you're an employee considering biking to work or a CEO contemplating company-wide initiatives, know that your choices matter and can contribute to a more sustainable, healthier future for all.
Select References:
Shoup, D. C. (1997). Evaluating the effects of cashing out employer-paid parking: Eight case studies. Transport Policy, 4(4), 201-216. Tscharaktschiew, S., & Reimann, F. (2021). On employer-paid parking and parking (cash-out) policy: A formal synthesis of different perspectives. Transport Policy, 110, 499-516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.07.002
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