83 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses help build a more Bicycle Friendly America

An ice cream shop in Spearfish, South Dakota, and Los Alamos National Laboratory are teaming up to improve the lives of thousands of Americans. Together with 81 other businesses, Leones’ Creamery and LANL are members of the Spring 2019 class of Bicycle Friendly Businesses, a certification awarded by the League of American Bicyclists to companies and organizations that recognize the value of building a more Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. 

At Leones’ Creamery, a Worksman Ice Cream Bike is part of the business

“The League has awarded more than 1,200 Bicycle Friendly Businesses, and we’ve seen a wide range of reasons companies find value bicycling, whether it’s to encourage healthy habits among employees, increase workplace sustainability, or make their place of business more accessible to more people,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “In this latest round of awards, it’s encouraging to see the diversity of residential buildings, state departments of transportation, bike shops, and even an aquarium coming together around this idea that unites us: making biking better.”

This round of Bicycle Friendly Business awards recognizes 83 new and renewing businesses, including three earning a top-tier Platinum designation. The Boise Bicycle Project maintained its high standard and renewed at the Platinum-level, while Fort Collins Bike Co-Op upgraded from a Silver-level award and Gresham Smith upgraded from a prior Gold-level award. Three businesses also achieved Honorable Mentions in recognition of their efforts to welcome bicyclists. For businesses, universities, and communities across the country, the Bicycle Friendly America program sets thresholds for each award level and encourages applicants to consistently improve and progress towards being even more welcoming to bicyclists. 

In Tampa, Florida, a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community, 13 companies earned Bicycle Friendly Business awards, including the Tampa office of engineering firm AECOM and the Florida Aquarium. In the much smaller but also Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, seven businesses earned awards including PioneerCare, a health care provider for seniors that is working with biking and walking advocacy organization Pedal Fergus Falls to bring a trishaw and Cycling Without Age program to its guests and residents. 

The HQ of new Silver-level BFB Caltrans got a bike repair station in 2018, bike commuters represent at the upgraded Platinum-level Gresham Smith office in Louisville, Ky., where “bikes saved the office”, and residents at new Silver-level Ten at Clarendon have access to free shared bikes and a wash room in the building’s bike facilities.

“It is inspiring to see how local bike advocates and business leaders are working together to weave bicycling into the fabric of the community,” said Nesper. “Whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a small family-owned shop, businesses are seeing the benefits of bicycling and finding ways to pass along those benefits to their employees, neighbors, and customers.” 

Over the next several months, we’ll highlight more of these companies and organizations on our blog, particularly in the hopes of inspiring more innovative and creative ways for places to help build a more Bicycle Friendly America. If your community, university, or business is interested in applying for the next round of awards, the deadline is October 10, 2019.

Find a complete breakdown of the Spring 2019 round of the 83 Bicycle Friendly Business awards, three Honorable Mentions, and all 1,226 active Bicycle Friendly Businesses on the League’s website: bikeleague.org/business 

About the Bicycle Friendly Business℠ program

Funded through a partnership of the League of American Bicyclists and Dero Bike Racks, the Bicycle Friendly Business program is one of four core elements of a larger campaign to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. The League and its members also protect and promote bicyclists’ rights and safety via their Bicycle Friendly Community, Bicycle Friendly State and Bicycle Friendly University programs. Learn more at bikeleague.org/BFA.

About the League of American Bicyclists 

The League of American Bicyclists leads the national movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. With a history dating to 1880, the League is committed to engaging diverse communities and building a powerful, unified voice for change around protecting and promoting bicyclists’ rights. Learn more at www.bikeleague.org.