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 the following incentives:

• Special Edition employee-only t-shirt for completing 8 trips. A new shirt for each challenge.
• Prize raffle for all participants completing 8 or more trips.
• Paid Time Off rewards for completion of event participation goals.
• 2 full days off for riders commuting 100% of trips
• 1.5 days off for riders commuting 75% of trips
• 1 full day off for riders commuting 50% of trips

That means riders commuting both months at 100% will receive 4 days of paid time off in addition to their allotted vacation time!

The financial impact of this program is significant. Each challenge alone results in thousands of dollars paid by Chris to his employees. His return? Happy, healthy employees and victories in the 2006 & 2007 BTA Bike Commute Challenges. But this isn’t about money or awards. It’s about influencing change.

Think about the businesses you support in cycling. What are their commitments? Do the dollars you spend on your bike support just another advertising campaign? Your dollar is your vote and candidates are elected accordingly. Our business is focused on community from efforts in sustainable domestic manufacturing to the support of bicycle policy initiatives and even racing. We start by supporting our closest customers, our own employees, and we thank you for supporting us as we strive to do even more.