Bike Commuter’s Fantasy
Most of us would be thrilled to have a shower at the office.
Imagine having a locker room, secure bike parking, free emergency taxi service, bus passes. That would be great! How ’bout a free bike (with fenders, lights, rack & helmet thrown in), and free classes on bike handling and roadside maintenance. Need a car at work? Well, there are Zip Cars available too.
But it’s not a fantasy.
That’s the program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. They’re hoping to encourage 10% of their employees to commute to work by bike. There are plenty of other commuting options, too.
Commute Program
- Transit, ferry, Sounder train and vanpool subsidy
- Carpool, bicycle and walking commute bonuses
- Reserved priority HOV parking
- Discounted carpool and vanpool parking
- Internal ridematch service
- Covered bicycle parking
- Showers and lockers
- Bike repair station
- Telework and compressed workweeks
- Onsite Flexcar
The hospital’s commuting program is used by 62% of its employees (only 38% drive to work alone). When you factor in the cost of a parking space, all these alternative transportation subsidies should actually save the hospital money. Bike commuter Gretchen Anderson, says:
“Basically, Children’s buys back a parking space from us for using alternate commute modes.”
Listen to a radio report here.
Read more about Children’s employee transportation coordinator, Stephanie Innis here.
