Biking
Biking is a healthy, environmentally friendly form of commuting to work. Biking programs involve employees biking all the way to their place of business, or combining biking with another form of transit (such as Metrorail or bus).
Employees may elect to bicycle full-time or part-time. Some people bike to work only on "casual days," while others plan ahead and take or wear business clothes.
Examples of biking programs include:
- Participating in the tax-free $20 per month bicycle commuting benefit, which was enabled on January 1, 2009, as an extension of the transportation fringe benefit.
- Adding bike racks and/or lockers if your building does not already have bicycle storage areas. For greater efficiency, racks and lockers may be placed in areas that can't be used for offices or vehicle parking. If racks or lockers can't be installed, allow employees to store bicycles in their offices during the workday.
- Offering parking "cash out"—an employee may give up an employer-paid parking space in exchange for the value of that space in taxable income.
- Adding shower and changing facilities to your building, or request that it be done by your property manager. (As an alternative, provide discounted employee membership to a health club located close to your building to provide access to their shower facilities.)
What are the benefits of biking programs?
A bicycle commuting program can help with employee issues such as health care costs, high turnover rates, low morale, decreased productivity, absenteeism, and monthly parking costs. When employers support biking to work, they provide a service that is highly valued by employees, cost-effective, beneficial for the environment, and important for the future success of their company.
Employees who exercise regularly have lower health care costs and less absenteeism.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) report that physical activity saves employers 6—32% in health care costs per year. Physically fit people are also absent an average of two fewer days per year than people who are not physically fit. Commuting by bicycle combines the need to travel to work with the desire for exercise.
Commuting to work by bicycle can lead to higher productivity and reduced turnover.
A study by HHS states that employers who implement programs or encourage physical activity in employees see an increase in productivity by 2—52%. Employees who bike to work arrive less stressed and more alert than those who drive alone. Happier employees tend to stay with their employers longer, reducing the high costs associated with losing and recruiting staff.
Biking can help reduce parking costs.
Reducing the demand for parking (when employees bike to work) can help lower the cost of employer-paid parking. The cost of providing bicycle parking or storage facilities is also much lower than that for vehicle parking. The square footage necessary for one vehicle parking space can provide enough room to park 12 bicycles.
How Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) can help.
ATP makes it easy and convenient for you to establish and administer a biking program by providing the following services:
- Helping you organize a bike-to-work day
- Providing information on biking programs and answering any questions
- Explaining biking choices including closest trails and bike lanes
- Helping you to design the best biking program for your company’s needs
- Sponsoring a workshop or seminar to explain biking programs, safety, and riding rules and laws
- Connecting you with biking resources, local events, and opportunities for promoting biking via BIKEArlington, Arlington County's own program dedicated to promoting biking as not only a form of exercise but also as a safe, viable option for commuting and getting around town.
How can I encourage employee participation?
There are numerous ways to get the word out and encourage employee participation in a biking program, including the following actions:
- Appointing an employee knowledgeable about bicycling as the Bike Coordinator for your work site
- Holding a bike-to-work day or bicycling class
- Stocking information about bicycle commuting at your work site
- Providing bicycle racks and storage
- Providing lockers and showers
- Sending out e-mail notifications and reminders
- Including information packets with paychecks
- Including an article in your company newsletter
- Providing information on your company's intranet, website, or in new-hire packets.
Additional Information
Employees who want to bike to public transit have options. Bicycles are allowed on Metrorail, VRE (collapsible bicycles), and Maryland MTA light rail, with certain restrictions. Many regional bus systems allow bikes to be carried on special racks. Most transit stations have secure bicycle parking facilities, and many park-and-ride lots offer racks or lockers. A free Commuter Mentoring service of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) even helps people plan individual bicycle commuting routes.
For more information, contact Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP) at 703.247.9299 (TDD: 711), solutions@transpartners.com, or request ATP's services by filling out this form.
