BikePGH’s Bike Friendly Employer program brings national recognition to eight Pittsburgh businesses

Pittsburgh, PA — 2014 will be a transformative year for bikes in Pittsburgh. With our city’s inclusion in the Green Lanes Project 2.0, and a mayor who is quickly becoming a national celebrity for championing bike-friendly policies and infrastructure, Pittsburgh will surely be in a great place to launch its bike sharing program in the spring of 2015. Local businesses are also beginning to invest in bicycling to  improve employee health, step-up their sustainability practices, and attract talented workers – and they’re also being recognized nationally for their efforts.

Allegheny County’s Medal Examiner’s Office receives BikePGH’s Bike Friendly Employer certification and a Bronze-level Bike Friendly Business award from the League of American Bicyclists

Last week the League of American Bicyclists announced its spring 2014 round of nationally certified Bike Friendly Businesses. Pittsburgh had eight of its BikePGH-certified Bike Friendly Employers included in the announcement. Congratulations to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office, evolveEA, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., OTB Bicycle Café, OTB at the North Park Boathouse, Golden Triangle Bike Rental, and Oakland Planning and Development (BikePGH also rose in the ranks from a silver to gold BFB, but we’re not here to talk about us).

These businesses have all gained national certification as the final step in their involvement with BikePGH’s Bike Friendly Employer program. Our service guides Pittsburgh businesses through the steps of implementing the engineering, education, encouragement and evaluation that it takes to form a bike friendly workplace culture.

“The word is getting out that bikes mean business.” says Scott Bricker, Executive Director of BikePGH, “Investments in biking bring about happier, more energized employees who miss fewer days of work on average than their non-bike commuting colleagues. Making it easier for one’s employees to ride to work can lower insurance costs and increase productivity which is a winning formula for any company.”

Over the history of this relatively new program, BikePGH’s Bike Friendly Employer program has consulted with 58 businesses. The program has brought local certification to 41 businesses, and has worked with the League of American Bicyclists to bring national recognition to 28 companies.

Earning Gold Certification
Bike Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville with its six employees moved from Silver to Gold (but come on, if we couldn’t get to gold that would be pretty sad)

Earning Silver Certification
OTB Bicycle Cafe in Pittsburgh in the South Side with its 24 employees moved up from a Bronze to a Silver BFB
OTB at the North Park Boathouse and its 46 employees

Earning Bronze Certification
evolve environment::architecture in Friendship with its nine employees
Pennsylvania Brewing Co. in the North Shore and its 50 employees
Oakland Planning and Development Corporation in Oakland with 20 employees
Golden Triangle Bike Rental in Downtown with its 8 employees
Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office in the Strip District and its 91 employees