Fietsersbond

Bike to Work in Belgium

OBJECTIVES

• Create a comprehensive offer (a program) to support employers in promoting cycling to work and increase the “Cycle Commuting Rateâ€�.
• Offer employers reporting to follow up the Cycle Commuting Rate in their organization and benchmark it to other employers.
• Make Bike to Work financially self supporting after EU funding has stopped.

IMPLEMENTATION

• A Bike to Work Team challenge in the summer, based on the successful Bike to Work challenges in Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. Main purpose is to encourage potential cyclists to start cycling to work.
• A BTW Winter Trophy to encourage employees to continue to cycle to work after the summer.
• A loyalty program based on “Bike Pointsâ€�. Every trip to work equals one point. Points can be exchanged for gift vouchers, football or concert tickets, etc. The main objective is to motivate cyclists year-round.
• Cycling Commuting Rate Reports. The Rate is composed of the Participation Rate (the number of registered cyclists compared to the total number of employees in the organization) and the Cycling Rate (the number of days cycled compared to the total number of cyclists’ working days). The Cycle Commuting Rate = Participation Rate X Cycling Rate and gives a precise overview of the penetration of cycling within the commuting behaviour of the organization.
• Employers pay an annual fee to participate. Bike to Work is free of charge for employees.

RESULTS

• Bike to Work is a national program for employers in all 3 regions: Flanders, Brussels & Wallonia.
• Partners: employers, sponsors offer prizes (also the National Lottery); provinces actively promoting Bike to Work in their territory; Brussels Region; GRACQ, the French speaking cyclists.
• Costs: 1.5 full time staff are currently working on the program. They prospect employers and sponsors, manage the challenges and are the single point of contact for the employers and the cyclists. Before starting, the project had to be set up (work out the concept, discuss it with a few employers, design the website and the applications going with it etc.) Estimate: 120 man days.

CONCLUSIONS

• The program concept works. The combination of a challenge/campaign with a loyalty program and with extensive reporting works. Employers are willing to pay for it as it gives added value.
• It takes time and effort to build it up and to convince employers to participate (negotiations can take months). Initial funding is needed to set up the project.
• Ability to measure results is crucial.
• Outlook: increase the service offering within the framework of Bike to Work with educational programs, bike pooling etc.