May is celebrated as national bike month in the United States. In many parts of the country the weather makes a change for the better and weary commuters are eager to get out of their cars and onto bikes. In recent times, workplaces have begun to support commuting programs for employees with special incentives for riders. The bike industry, as you’d imagine, takes an active position with efforts made in community support, media outreach, and even an inter-industry company challenge during May.
Several cities, though, have chosen other months to host commuting advocacy efforts and challenges. Among them is our hometown of Portland, Oregon. Each September, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance hosts the Bike Commute Challenge and the city already known for its bicycle culture turns it up a notch.
Here at Chris King we’ve decided to actively participate in both efforts. And Chris supports employees who dedicate themselves to this purpose like no other employer does. Let’s start with the infrastructure we have in place year-round:
Secure, indoor parking for every employee as well as a dedicated entry way for bikes.
Contemporary locker room facilities for men and women with private shower stalls and changing areas.
Full size lockers for every employee. These lockers were salvaged from an older building and reconfigured with our own custom designed ventilation system. Air is constantly circulated and drawn from the lockers to keep clothes and towels dry and smelling fresh.
Loaner bicycles, locks and lights available for checkout by any employee.
Route mapping advice and instruction from our commuting coordinator.
One-on-one meetings with all new hires to discuss transportation options and commuting strategies.
For each of the Challenge months in which we participate, (May & September), our employees are supported with incentives.
That means riders commuting both months at 100% will receive 4 days of paid time off in addition to their allotted vacation time! By the end of September 2008, Chris King will have awarded over 425 days off since the inception of the program in 2004. Additionally, the prize raffle, with two $500 awards towards bike purchases have resulted in the transformation of contest only participants into regular daily commuters.
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