Bicycle Friendly Businesses: Healthier, Happier, Faster

Last week, the League of American Bicyclists announced 114 businesses, agencies and organizations that have joined the growing list of Bicycle Friendly Businesses (BFBs) around the country. The review process for BFB recognition includes a comprehensive online application, as well as surveys distributed to employees and local bike advocates, and concludes with a feedback report for each applicant.

In addition to covering important topics like bike parking, bicycle commuter incentives, and employee bike clubs, we ask every BFB applicant to “briefly describe the most positive outcome of your company’s support for bicycling.”

In honor of National Bike to Work Week this week, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite responses to this question from Spring 2018 BFB applicants.  Read on to find out why your company should support bicycling, too!

“The most positive outcome of Lexmark’s support for bicycling has been the creation of a community of Lexmark employees who encourage each other in their bicycling efforts resulting in an increase in the number of individuals who bike on our trail at lunch as well as bike to work.”  

— Lexmark International, Inc., Gold BFB, 4,000 employees, Lexington, KY

Lexmark employees on a lunch ride.

“At OHSU’s largest campus, the bike to work rate is three times the city average (18% v 6%), despite also being located on the highest elevation hill in the city. A large number of employees and students thus have a commute that is healthier, happier, in some cases faster than a commute by car.” 

— OHSU, Platinum BFB, 13,000 employees, Portland, OR

“The organization has been instrumental in establishing a culture that welcomes bicycling and advocates for more bike-friendliness in the district (and in the city as a whole). A lot of Central Avenue’s redesign has been bike-centric thanks to the demand the district and its business members helped create. It’s driven a lot of business on Central Avenue, it creates that culture so more like-minded businesses and small independently-owned businesses are setting up shop on Central. Business visitors know it’s more bike-able and easily accessible. I think it’s really been an economic driver for the city. And it supports the St. Pete healthy initiative.”

— EDGE Business District Association, Bronze BFB, 1 employee, St. Petersburg, FL

“Through encouragement, education and discount gear purchases, two employees have moved up to hardcore, year-round commuters.” 

— Planet Bike, Platinum BFB, 7 employees, Madison, WI

Students who received bike locks from Planet Bike.

“In a survey conducted in late 2015, staff expressed their reasons for enjoying their bike commute to work; an astounding number of people responded about the positive effects of their daily habit. Externally, we see the positive outcome of the work we do everyday, through public surveys and meetings, economic and health impact studies, and more and more cities embracing bicycles as transportation.” 

— Alta Planning + Design, Los Angeles Office, Gold BFB, 16 employees, Los Angeles, CA

Learn how the Bicycle Friendly Business program can help your business or organization to become more bicycle-friendly at https://bikeleague.org/business. For #BiketoWorkWeek, we’re offering 20% off the BFB application fee. Submissions must be finalized by Sunday night (5/20 at midnight ET). Use the discount code BTWW2018. Apply at apply.bikeleague.org. 

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