Matt and his trusty steed

Hopefully these images of every day commuters will inspire you to dress up (or down) and get on your bike.

Name: Matt
Workplace: f.s.c. barber

Matt works four blocks from where he lives, but bikes to work daily.

"I like to have my bike because I like to take it out during my lunch break so that I can ride further outside the neighborhood, just to explore my food options."

John and his GT Track

In the run up to Bike to Work Day, we're launching a series about commuters/cyclists and their bikes.

Name: John
Workplace: Rapha

I try to ride as much as I can. My commuter bike is out of commission at the moment. This is a GT Track bike.

I moved up here from Los Angeles about 10 months ago. Commuting there by bike is almost non-existent because you need to travel far, the roads there are dilapidated/ aren’t set up with bike lanes, and just traffic in general.

My work encourages bike commuting by providing bike storage.

Have bike, will commute.

So your company has decided to implement and promote bicycle commuting as part of its transportation policy. How do you get started?

First go to youcanbikethere.com or sfbike.org to download or request an employer toolkit.

Consider asking an employee that is already bicycle commuting to be your company’s Bicycle Coordinator. This point person can be tasked with answering questions about your company’s bicycle commuting policy and benefits, as well as updating an intra-company bicycle commuting-related list.

Next assess your company's capacity to provide secure bike parking. This can be as easy as adding bike racks to your parking garage, bike lockers, a dedicated bike room, or access to a nearby location where
bikes can be kept securely. An outdoor bike rack will also let visitors and passersby know that your company supports bicycle commuting.

Provide a shower room or establish a relationship with a nearby health club for bicycle commuters. If shower facilities are absent, a well-stocked restroom will be sufficient. Most bicycle commutes are
less than five miles in each direction and take place in the morning hours, when the air is cooler, so a face wash and change of clothes are often all that is needed.

Make closets, lockers, and/or hooks available for employees. These things make it easier to store and change clothes once employees arrive at work. Professional attire may also require shoes unsuitable
for a bike commute, so the ability to leave and hang up work appropriate attire will broadcast support of bicycle commuting.

Provide a bicycle commuting welcome kit for every new employee that makes a commitment to bicycle commuting at least twice a week. Include in the welcome kit:
• Local bike map
• Patch kit to repair tires or bike lights
• Information about the $20 monthly bicycle commuter benefit and how they can enroll
• Automatic sign-up to intra-company bicycle listerv managed by Bicycle Coordinator
• Information about resources for classes on urban skills, bike safety, or
bike maintenance

Other benefits to consider in your support of bicycle commuting:
• Provide a monthly onsite class for urban skills, bike safety, or bike maintenance
• Emergency taxi/ transportation reimbursement for bike and public transit commuters that live 5+ miles away
• Monthly bicycle commuters breakfast
• Bicycling mentorship programs (pairing new commuters with fellow bike commuting employees) to get more employees on bikes
• Bicycle loaner program• Bicycle purchase subsidy or incentive program
• Consider supporting Bike to Work Day to show the community-at-large your company's support of bicycle commuting

Referenced resources:
• 511.org
• bicycle organizations
• sfbike.org
• ebbc.org
• bikesiliconvalley.org

See you in the bike lane.