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London startup: ‘Bike miles’ system rewards cycling to work

By | November 22, 2011, 9:03 PM PST

In the same way that frequent flyers get rewards for air travel, shouldn’t cyclists get rewards for making a sustainable trip to work?

A London cleantech startup, PleaseCycle, thinks so. The company created a digital hub to help employers encourage more bicycle commuting using a “bike miles” reward system. Employees track the miles they commute on bike using Twitter or a mobile app and use the miles to redeem anything from retail discounts to days off.

“We believe that one day every business worth their salt will have a Cycle Hub,” said PleaseCycle’s 23-year-old co-founder Ry Morgan in a statement. “The technology seamlessly allows companies to instill game-mechanics into their sustainability agenda, tracking the carbon saved and offering achievements to staff. Clients are already using the Hub to incentivise employees with everything from extra holiday time to discounted cycle equipment through our retail partners. We are essentially creating an Air Miles for bikes.”

Since its beta launch earlier this month, over 5,000 miles have been logged using the system. During that time, staff at the U.K. company Reckitt Benckiser tested out the program and logged miles equivalent to three lengths of Britain, with a savings of four London-Paris flights worth of carbon.

But it’s not just good for the environment and a benefit to cyclists, it’s a benefit to employee health and productivity, which in turn is good for business.

What do you think? Would the “bike miles” get your office to bike to work more?

Photo: SlipStreamJC/Flickr

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Tyler Falk

About Tyler Falk

Tyler Falk is a contributing editor for SmartPlanet.

Tyler Falk

Tyler Falk

Contributing Editor

Tyler Falk freelance journalist based in Washington, D.C. Previously, he was with Smart Growth America and Grist. He holds a degree from Goshen College.

Follow him on Twitter.

Tyler Falk

Tyler Falk

Tyler does not have financial holdings that would influence how or what he covers.

He writes for SmartPlanet and is not an employee of CBS.

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+1 Vote
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so best
ok.trop cool et je reviendrai la prochaine fois.
veste diesel
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Posted by skyjones
22nd Nov 2011
+1 Vote
+ -
Depends on the length of your commute....
This is great for those that live close enough to their place of employment, but there are many that commute 45 minutes to a couple of hours to work. Explain why you are four hours late to work because you rode your bike today!
Posted by MD1987
Updated - 23rd Nov 2011
+1 Vote
+ -
Choices
Everyone has a choice about where they live and the commute they have to work. For those who have decided to live close enough to work to utilize this unique program, this is a great opportunity to get rewarded for making a socially responsible decision to bike to work. Most people who bike to work in Portland, and probably in most other US cities, do so for ethical and environmental reasons and they don't need any incentive to perform. But for those who need the incentive of this program, it sounds like a good plan.
Posted by dcr100@...
23rd Nov 2011
+1 Vote
+ -
Cycle wear.
'What do you think? Would the ???bike miles??? get your office to bike to work more?'
......................Not under one of those hats I'm afraid!
Posted by Terotech
24th Nov 2011
+1 Vote
+ -
Biking to work incentives!
This is a great Idea! My work gives incentives on other things such as carpooling, and staying fit through Healthyroads.com, why not this? This is definetly on my next agenda to promote at my work! Thanks! happy
Posted by latrailbiker
24th Nov 2011
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