department of parks and recreation
Bicycle Friendly Businesses
What is a Bicycle Friendly Business?
In 2008, the League of American Bicyclists created a designation for businesses
that support bicycles in the workplace. A BFB is a corporation, organization, association,
government agency, or nonprofit that actively promotes bicycling for transportation,
recreation, exercise, and sport. A BFB practices social responsibility by weaving
bicycling into the business culture and giving employees the opportunity to be active
stewards of their personal and environmental health through bicycling.
How do you become a Bicycle Friendly Business?
The League of American Bicyclists established a BFB Program that lays out how to obtain the designation.
The program evaluates applicants’ efforts to promote bicycling in four primary areas:
Engineering, Education, Encouragement, and Evaluation. If your company has or can
develop some of the below criteria, you are on your way!
Engineering: Safe cycling access, bike racks for employees and
visitors, showers and lockers for commuters and lunchtime riders, signs for bicycle
safety.
Education: Education programs including bicycling safety, inclusion
of bicycles in the company policy or handbook, mentoring for new commuters, equipment
tutorials.
Encouragement: Group rides, team or club sponsorship, incentives
for commuting, loaner bikes for errands and short trips, promoting Bike Month or
Bike to Work Day.
Evaluation: An assessment of what’s in place and what goals to
aim for in the future, in-house bike coordinators, target ridership numbers, bike
team events, charity ride goals, budget or funds for bicycling efforts.
Is Your Business Bicycle Friendly?
To see if your business is on the right track, take the short quiz on the League’s
website. If your business scores 5 points or higher out of 15, you should apply!
If not, talk to the League of American Bicyclists about how to become more bicycle
friendly. Or, contact one of Greenville’s local Bicycle Friendly Businesses to ask
them about their experience.
Take the quiz!
Greenville's Bicycle-Friendly Businesses
Greenville is proud home to four Bicycle Friendly Businesses,
one of which is South Carolina’s only Platinum recipient.
Help Greenville continue its Bicycle Friendly Community initiative by applying
for BFB designation.