Bicycle commuting catching on with employers across region


[B' Spokes: Note this is for the DC region, here in good old Baltimore we have 0.7% bike commuters vs. their 2.17% [for 2010, DC has 3.1%] or DC has 3 [4.4] times the number of cyclists that we do. Support for cycling in the Baltimore area is dismal compared to what is being done just 40 miles away.]
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By: Liz Essley, Washington Examiner

As Charmaine Rupolt biked through last week's snow squall, she didn't think it was time to trade up to a car. She thought she'd just like to have some goggles.

"I'm a die-hard," said the 53-year-old legal secretary, who bikes seven miles from her Maryland home to work in D.C. every day. "If people can be out walking in it, I can probably be out riding in it."

Rupolt isn't the only die-hard out there. Bike commuting is on the rise in D.C. and the surrounding areas, supported by more and more trails, bike lanes, bike racks and employers who encourage biking with financial incentives and by providing bike storage and shower facilities in the workplace.

Census data show that the number of bike commuters grew 86 percent from 2000 to 2009. Events like Bike to Work Day grew from 500 participants in 2001 to 11,000 in 2011.

"I think bicycling is definitely on the rise," said Nicholas Ramfos, director of Commuter Connections for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

But it's still a small percentage -- only 2.17 percent of Washington-area residents bike to work, according to Census Bureau data.

"The car is still pretty much king," Ramfos said. "But that doesn't mean [biking] is not going to have potential. It definitely does. There's a lot of support behind it. There are a lot of elected officials and jurisdictions looking to do everything they can to promote bicycle and pedestrian activities."

In addition to the proliferation of bike lanes and other bike-friendly amenities offered by local governments, more private employers are hopping on the bike bandwagon.

"It's much more in the public mind now and in the mind of employers. We've seen an increase in the interest and participation [in biking incentive programs]," said Chris Eatough, manager of Arlington County's BikeArlington program.

Calvert Investments, a financial firm based in Bethesda, is one such employer. The company offers employees a one-time $500 subsidy toward the cost of a bike. It's part of the company's mission of sustainability, a spokeswoman said. Calvert also gives a 100 percent subsidy for employees who take public transit.

That kind of incentive is fueling interest in biking, which fans say is easier on the pocketbook, less stressful and more environmentally friendly than driving.

"As bicycling grows, the accommodations get better. As those get better, more people are induced to bike, and that's a great spiral for us," said Shane Farthing, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.



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Read more at the Washington Examiner: <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/01/bicycle-commuting-catching-employers-across-region/2119481">http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/01/bicycle-commuting-catching-employers-across-region/2119481</a>;

by B' Spokes

Like most people I live a hectic life and who has the time for much exercise? Thanks to xtracycle now I do. By using my bike for daily activities I can get things done and get an hour plus work out in 15 minutes extra of my time, not a bad deal and beats taking the extra time going to the gym. In case you are still having trouble being motivated; the National Center of Disease Control says that inactivity is the #2 killer in the United States just behind smoking. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_nutrition/ ) Get out there and start living life! I can carry home a full shopping cart of groceries, car pool two kids or just get lost in the great outdoors camping for a week. Well I got go, another outing this weekend.
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