Pittsburgh businesses repeatedly demonstrate that they have a role to play in bike advocacy

With more momentum behind bicycling in our city, 2012 has been a banner year in gaining the support of local businesses.  BikePGH now has 94 Business Members, TWENTY of which are Champion Business Members.   The list of BikePGH business members reflects scores of businesses and organizations in the Pittsburgh region whose leaders know that bike friendly amenities plays an important role in Pittsburgh’s future.

“BikePGH business members want the city to be more welcoming to people on bikes. It’s that simple”, says BikePGH staff member Jane Kaminski. “It shows our city values a high quality of life and people want to live in places where bicycling to work or run errands or go out at night is a real option.” Business membership is an integral part of creating a more bike friendly city. It fosters a community among businesses that see the benefits of an increase in bicycle use, whether it’s for transportation, tourism, recreation, or exercise. BikePGH Business membership enables local companies to play an active role and have a voice about a matter that’s dear to them.

Bike Friendly Employer

One of the perks provided to Business Members is Bike Friendly Employer certification, a consulting service offered by BikePGH that assists local businesses to meet bike friendly criteria. The service includes a site visit and a Bicycle Action Plan (BAP). The BAP is a review of the amenities and programs that businesses have in place and a check list of things they could be doing to enhance their facilities and culture at work to promote more bicycle use.

Since the program was launched in 2011 nearly 30 businesses in diverse sectors have qualified as Bike Friendly Employers. BikePGH makes it easy for businesses to meet the requirements by offering programs, products and services that cater to their needs, including bike rack sales, Bike Commuting forums, and Car Free Fridays, an event based program that encourages biking, walking, and transit use. Businesses employ Car Free Fridays to help meet certain goals whether they’re related to wellness initiatives or to address a parking crunch. Sustainability initiatives can plug right into the Car Free Fridays model to get employees thinking and talking with their colleagues about how they get to and from work.

BikePGH works on behalf of local businesses making our neighborhoods, business districts, and streets safe and accessible for everyone to bike and walk. In the Pittsburgh region whether one rides a bike or not, it is certain that an increasing number of employees and customers want the option. The use of bicycles is dramatically on the rise in major cities across the U.S. More and more, people want to live, work, and visit cities where they feel it’s safe to ride. It’s becoming part of the urban  experience that defines the most desirable cities.

Learn more about becoming a Business Member today.  Help us get to 100 Business Members and beyond.

Not a member of BikePGH? Join today! We need you to add your voice! Bike Pittsburgh works to protect cyclist’s rights and promote the vision of making Pittsburgh a safer and more enjoyable place to live and to ride. For more info, check out: www.bike-pgh.org/membership