Making a Bike-Friendly Workplace
Why have a Bike-Friendly Workplace?
Everyone knows biking is good for you and good for the planet. Incorporating biking to work and during the workday has its advantages on the business side of things too. Studies have repeatedly shown people who bike are healthier (and therefore take fewer sick days), arrive to work less stressed, and are more productive.
Need even more reasons? Below are just a few more of the benefits of biking for your commute:
Avoids unhealthy traffic congestion
Helps to improve air quality
Saves on gas
Avoids parking costs
Increases your physical activity
Reduces your stress
Be a member of the bike commuting community
Feel the thrill you get from bike riding
5 Ways to Build a Better Bike-Friendly Workplace
Making a more bike-friendly workplace can be as simple or as robust as you like. Check out the below suggestions of ways the Watertown TMA can help you to build a bike-friendly workplace.
Bike Parking
One of the first hurdles to any bike commuter will be, “but where will I put my bike?” By having a secure place for bicycles to “park”, employees are more inclined to give biking a try. Options for bicycle parking can be a simple bike rack outside, a bike cage added to a parking space or even an indoor bike room. Remember, for every bicycle in use is one less car on the road and in your parking lot.
Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program
If the first question is, “where will I put my bike?”, then undoubtedly the next would be “what would I do in an emergency if I don’t have my car?” ERH programs ensure that if there is an emergency during the workweek, green commuters will not be left stranded at work. These programs typically offer free or subsidized transportation on the very rare occasions a commuter needs them.
For Watertown TMA member commuters, in the event of an emergency, transportation is provided by Lyft™, taxi, or Enterprise Rent-A-Car® — usually within thirty minutes — and at no cost to the participant. To get started, register/login to eCommuter.org. Then, enroll in the ERH program. You will be able to update, modify or delete your profile at any time. Information on program guidelines and uses is available for download after enrollment.
Promote Biking During the Workday Too
Bike-friendly workplaces assists with eliminating car traffic during the AM and PM commute times, but it can also mean eliminating car trips during the workday. Offering bicycles on-site for mid-day lunch outings and errands is a great way to make biking easy and accessible. Some organizations offer bikes in-house, and some prefer to leave the bike maintenance and upkeep to someone else. Bluebikes is a public bike-share system that has a built-in network throughout Watertown, MA, and the surrounding communities. Watertown TMA can assist businesses interested in getting a station at their location.
Coordinate Bike Group Rides
Some companies organize a group bike ride to work every year. These types of events typically start from a centralized location and cyclists meet and bike the rest of the way into work. Check out nearby park-n-ride lots and Park&Pedal locations—they are perfect starting points!
Facilitate Bike Partners
For day-to-day commuting, the eCommuter.org Bike Buddy Program is a service provided by Watertown TMA that matches bicycle commuters with one another. Share a ride with a neighbor, coworker, or another bicyclist, and learn what it takes to ride on urban and suburban streets safely. The more riders there are in a group, the safer the ride. The goal of the Bike Buddy Program is to encourage more people to try bicycle commuting and increase the number of trips made by bicycle in and around Watertown, MA.
More Biking Resources
Whether biking for work or pleasure, the following links will help to keep you rolling: