The Bicycle Commuter Benefit Act of 2008

2014’s National Bike Month may be behind us but efforts to promote and increase bicycle mode share in Central Oklahoma aren’t limited to May. In fact, employers and employees alike can work together to make bicycle commuting a part of their corporate culture – and see the benefits thereof – thanks to a commuter benefit allowed by the U.S. Tax Code. The Bicycle Commuter Benefit Act is an opportunity to reduce healthcare costs, enhance recruitment, decrease transportation emissions and support healthy, active employees. The bicycle commuter reimbursement can be a first step towards a pro-bike corporate culture or an opportunity to expand an existing employee wellness program. A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion found the annual cost of obesity to employers can range from $175 to $2,485 per employee and the cost of obesity at an employer with 1,000 employees is estimated to be as much as $285,000 per year. Another 2005 study, this time published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that obese workers are more likely to report lost productivity than normal-weight workers, costing U.S. employers an estimated $24.29 billion in lost productivity. A 2011 study determined 86% of American […]