Bike Commuter Benefit?

[hencio]

With bike to work day next Friday, it reminds me to send my regular email to HR/benefits to inquire about getting the $20 per month bike benefit for the commuters at our office. I’ve tried the past couple years with no luck. They say they are not against the benefit, but the company we use to administer FSA, parking and transit does not do offer the bike benefit. Since they don’t have the manpower to the administer of the benefit for a minority of bike commuters, they have balked. Wondering if others have had the same issue or have been successful in bringing the benefit to their office.

Thanks

Rick

[consularrider]

We’re still waiting on my LAB bronze level “Bicycle Friendly Business” government agency to implement this. We were told early last fall it was in the works, but no news since then.

[CCrew]

@hencio 3543 wrote:

Wondering if others have had the same issue or have been successful in bringing the benefit to their office.

Has been an epic fail trying to get it at my office.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

We have it at my office. SHPS is the administrator. We have about 1000 employees and probably 20 who are bike commuters (a guess). I They started offering it this year, to my surprise. Not bad for the Western Suburbs.

[hencio]

Ah, maybe I’ll see if I can get them to apply some pressure to the benefits administrator.

[hencio]

After 3 year of nice emails to HR, they have finally agreed to do implement the bike benefit program in my office. Great news on a great bike commuting day!

[consularrider]

Yep, the State Department finally implemented it this month as well. I’ve just bought some replacement tires and pedals for my commuter and will submit my first claim shortly. Have to see how this works.

[hencio]

My issue now is that I need to empty the extra money I had in a transit account prior to biking regularly. I’ll have to put it in a smart trip. Apparently they won’t allow to have a separate transit account and get the benefit.

[consularrider]

Yep, I withdrew from the Metro subsidy program in December when State announced their bike reimbursement program. It had been over two years since I downloaded anything onto my Metro card and the account was inactive, but I had to complete the formalities anyway.

[WillStewart]

@hencio 14046 wrote:

After 3 year of nice emails to HR, they have finally agreed to do implement the bike benefit program in my office. Great news on a great bike commuting day!

A great example of what persistence can do – kudos!

Is there anyone else who would like to see something similar at their office?

[eminva]

@WillStewart 14079 wrote:

Is there anyone else who would like to see something similar at their office?

Yes. I’m only in year one of my three year crusade, though.

Liz

[dasgeh]

@WillStewart 14079 wrote:

Is there anyone else who would like to see something similar at their office?

Me too, though I’m at the beginning of my journey.

[pfunkallstar]

My HR department was actually super responsive. Now it is just a matter of the poor woman down in accounting having enough $20 bills on the first of every month.

[Stivnik]

We have just begun to offer this benefit at Marriott HQ. We earned an Honorable Mention LAB designation last year and we plan on improving this year. We are trying to grow our commuter base – only a handful of year-round riders – but we still need people to commit.

One interesting thing we did was upgrade our bike racks this year. We tore out the employee gas pumps and installed brand new Park-a-Bike racks and bike lockers. Poetic justice? You tell me.
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