Facebook: A Platinum Bicycle Friendly Business in California

This Summer, Facebook earned the Bicycle Friendly Business designation for a third location, when Facebook ATX (Silver) joined Facebook Seattle (Gold) and Facebook HQ (Platinum). We invited the company to share more about their three bicycle-friendly workplaces on the League blog, starting with the Platinum-level headquarters in Menlo Park, below. Stay tuned to hear more about the Seattle and Austin over the next week! And if you’re inspired to get your company to become a BFB, the next deadline to apply for Bicycle Friendly Business status is October 10 — apply today!  – League Staff

It’s hard to believe that Facebook’s Platinum-Level bike program can be traced (literally) back to a square on the architectural plans for Facebook’s then big new campus, marked “Bike Shop?” (yes, with a question mark). This space eventually became The Hub, a free full-service bike shop and transportation center right in the middle of Facebook’s Menlo Park, CA Headquarters. Initially The Hub served as central location for transportation staff plus things bike, helmed by Bikes Make Life Better, but quickly spawned new bike programs, events, and eventually new satellite bike shops as Facebook expanded.

In 2014, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Facebook the prestigious Platinum-Level Bicycle Friendly Business designation. The company continues to encourage, support, and integrate biking into daily corporate life. The social network’s latest and most exciting bike offerings include:

• New campus bike shops: As Facebook has expanded, so too has its shops. There are now 4 bike shops on campus, including a semi-mobile shop that’s moved to different locations as the campus expands.
• Bike Ambassadors: Ever-focused on making social connections, Facebook now has a team of Bike Ambassadors with the sole assignment of getting more employees to use bikes. The Ambassadors, most of whom are League Certified Instructors, recently developed an Adult Learn to Ride curriculum and began the first classes on campus this summer. They’re helping employees who’ve never ridden a bike to become full-fledged riders!
• A “Mobile Concierge”: The newest member of Facebook’s bike team is an electric cargo bike and attached trailer that “pops up” into an info booth, complete with counter space and an umbrella. Bike Ambassadors take the MC around Facebook’s enormous campus, spreading bikevangelism.

The latest and greatest things are fun to talk about, but Facebook’s more established bike programs really work the hardest to win bike converts—things like:

• A large fleet of company bikes to get around campus during the business day
• Another big fleet of loaner bikes to give mobility to the 1,000+ Interns who work at Facebook every year
• Regular social and fitness rides
• Support for bike racers, charity riders, and triathletes
• Secure bike parking throughout campus, including interior and exterior bike racks and secure bike shelters
• Showers, lockers and towel service in every building
• Safe cycling workshops and rides
• Hands-on repair classes
• Discounts on bikes and gear
• On-site free bike repair and support
• Internal bike community and communication platform
• Support for improving bike lane networks and the Bay Trail, helping all bike commuters in the area
• Annual Bike to Work Day celebrations with braded swag for participants
• Monthly no-drop commute rides from various Bay Area locations
• Periodic bike fairs
• Bike clothing and gear giveaways

Facebook’s program was always worth liking. But over the past year, the company has invested in its bike community in some truly novel ways!

By Anna Walters, for Bikes Make Life Better

Need help developing bike programs at your company? Bikes Make Life Better is dedicated to helping large organizations use bikes for healthy sustainable transportation. They’ve helped companies like Salesforce, Airbnb, Stripe, Pembroke Real Estate, LinkedIn and many others shift to bikes.