The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transportation Alternatives today announced the first Bike Friendly Business Competition in New York City. With support from the Department of Small Business Services and members of the City Council, the competition seeks to recognize businesses that take steps to encourage employees to bike to work as well as those businesses that provide proper safety equipment and training to their delivery workers, and whose workers generally ride respectfully and obey the traffic rules. The competition is part of Bike Month NYC and will include two categories of winners: businesses that promote commuting by bike and businesses that promote the safety of their working cyclists.

"Many businesses in New York are already seeing the health and environmental benefits of encouraging their employees to bike to work," said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. "By working with Transportation Alternatives, SBS and City Council Members we hope to draw attention to those businesses that facilitate commuting by bicycle as well as those businesses that act responsibly by providing safety gear for their delivery people as well as training them to follow the traffic rules."

"Businesses that make it easy for their employees to bike to work and those that use bicycles for business really show their commitment to a more livable city," said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "Providing indoor bike parking, changing space and other amenities helps more people commute by bike, and safe and courteous bicycle delivery helps get business done in a very environmentally-friendly way. This all equals less traffic, cleaner air, quieter streets, healthier (and happier) New Yorkers and a more livable city."

While the City adds bike lanes, provides free bike helmets and installs more bike parking, city businesses play an important role in promoting biking and bike safety. Studies have shown that more New Yorkers would commute to work by bike if facilities were provided for parking as well as showering and changing. Businesses that utilize bicycle delivery people or messengers have already come to the conclusion that bicycling is the most efficient means of doing business, but they must provide proper safety gear and training to their employees.

"It's great to have these efforts encouraging biking as a viable form of commuting," said City Council Transportation Committee Chairman John Liu. "It's healthy, environmentally friendly, cheap, and reduces traffic congestion. So let's hope more and more New Yorkers take to their two-wheelers and let's support the businesses that promote bicycling within their work force."

"Businesses that encourage their employees to bike to work as well as invest in equipment and education on bike safety should be recognized for their contribution to cleaner air, safer streets and a better quality of life for all New Yorkers," said Councilwoman Gail Brewer.

The Bike Friendly Business awards will be given to businesses in two categories:

Categories of awards:

• Bicycle Friendly Workplaces: Commuting Cyclists
  Companies that promote bicycling for commuting via policies, practices and infrastructure including but not limited to:
  • Indoor bike parking
  • Allowing employees to store their bikes near their desks
  
  
  
• Bicycle-friendly Workplaces: Working Cyclists
  Companies that use cyclists for all or part of their business operations and promote the safety, health and well-being of working cyclists and encourage working cyclists via policies and practices including but not limited to:
  • Providing employees with a bicycle helmet
  • Providing employees with upper body apparel with the business' name and operator's identification number
  • Holding a training class or providing training materials on the rules of the road – including the fact that cyclists must ride in the streets and not on the sidewalks

To see city bike safety regulations follow this link: nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/biketips.shtml

Nominate a Business:

Nomination forms available on BikeMonthNYC.org, with links from DOT website, http://www.nyc.gov/dot.

Timeline:

• April 28th: Announce contest / open nomination forms
• May 14th: Deadline for Nominations
• End of May: Awards ceremony