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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:

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By Alexandria Santiago • 13 Feb, 2023

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How WTMA Commuters Spread Their Thankfulness...

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This past November, Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) commuters were challenged to express their gratitude for the commutes that bring them safely to-and-from the workplace.

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Preferential Carpool Parking, It’s not an Incentive—Unless It’s an Incentive

02 Aug, 2021

As a green commuter, you’ve done your part to help the environment. You found a carpool partner, coordinated schedules, made the trip in together. But what if you arrive at work and find that all of the good parking spots are taken? Many organizations have good intentions when they designate special preferred carpool parking spots in a prime location near an entrance. One carpool space reduces the need for at least one other parking spot. Promoting carpooling is a great way to reduce your parking demand and encourage commuters to share the ride. However, without the proper enforcement and program management in place, the positive impact of the preferential parking incentive can lose its effectiveness. That’s where having a partner like the Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) to manage the program can help.

Watertown Connector Shuttle In Service

03 Mar, 2021

The Watertown Connector transports passengers to and from Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. There are two services available to participating corporate and residential partners (listed below).

MBTA Service Changes with the Most Impact on Watertown

29 Dec, 2020

The MBTA Forging-Ahead service cuts were approved by the MBTA's Fiscal Management and Control Board (FMCB) on December 14, 2020. These reductions are being made based on an overall 80% drop in ridership due to the pandemic. Although these cuts are not as severe as originally proposed by the MBTA in early November, they are significant and will impact the Watertown commuter community. According to the MBTA, by focusing on the reductions to service frequency, this allows for better preparation to increase service when ridership returns, after the widespread vaccine distribution.

The Best Walking Paths & Destinations in the Watertown Area

28 Oct, 2020

Walking is something most of us do every day, it is our default transportation mode. By incorporating more regular walking habits into our routines, it can lead to some incredible physical and mental benefits. You're More Creative & Productive "A study done at Stanford showed that walking made participants more creative than their sedentary counterparts. They found that creative output increased 60 percent when a person was walking." source: Medium It's Healthier Than Running According to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology , "Calorie for calorie, walking also had a stronger impact on heart disease risk factors. The risk of first-time high blood pressure was reduced by 4.2% by running and 7.2% by walking." source: The Guardian Make Your Walk Fun! Plan multiple walks throughout your day. Take a break from the work day and go for a quick 10-minute walk Walk to an errand Create a destination Set out to just enjoy the beauty of nature

Celebrate Rideshare Month in October

28 Sep, 2020

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