(Photo: BTA)
For the second year in a row, local publication Portland Afoot has released a ranking of the top local employers for low-car commuters — that is, people who get to work primarily via transit, by foot, or by bike.
Atop the list is a three-way tie for first between downtown law firm Stoel Rives, Metro and the Lloyd Transportation Management Association (both are based in the Lloyd District). Rounding out the top-tier of employers were: SERA, an architecture firm; Elemental Technologies, a video software developer; Bonneville Power Administration; Ecova, an energy consulting firm; Multnomah County; Interface Engineering, a mechanical engineering firm; and Beth Allen Law.
To score the companies, Portland Afoot gave points in seven different categories. Out of a possible 250 points, 100 points were awarded if the companies provided free TriMet passes. The other high-scoring category was based on whether or not the companies gave away free auto parking to employees. Highest points were given to companies that gave cash rewards to employees for not needing an auto parking spot and/or if they charged full price for those that did. Other categories companies scored points for included Bike Commute Challenge participation, availability of secure bike storage, access to shared vehicles, and allowing flexible hours for telecommuters.
How does your company rank?
You can view the full list and read more about how the companies were scored here.
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Well, where are BTA, Cycle Oregon, a multitude of bike shops and sport gear makers?
Way to go, TMA!
Of the thousands of employers in the Portland area, only 25 were covered in the article. It appears they started with a list of employers who buy passes from Tri-Met for their employees.
My employer provides a monthly cash allowance that may be spent on transit passes, bike repairs, shoes, parking, or whatever. We also get free covered, secure bike parking and can telecommute. But we wouldn’t score well if we had been included because the points are awarded for giving out Tri-Met passes, not for giving out cash to buy passes.
The company I work for does not even make the list. They also pay below living wage and are not flexible with hours. So I can understand why.
How does an employer even know about this list. My employer gives either a free TriMet pass or a bike/walking stipend to employees. We have a key-carded bike locker (with about 42 bikes hanging in it right now) and bike fixing equipment. Jive isn’t even on the list.
Never mind. I see that there’s a survey to fill out. Just did it.
Jive’s bike locker (on a medium participation day).
How many of those places have bike valet though? OHSU will always be number one in my book.
Well, OHSU is very proud to make the ranking 😉 Transit passes are pretty hard to compare across employers. For example, OHSU (not TriMet) subsidizes $1.7 million of employee passes to make the price tag more affordable. The total bus program comes to 26% of the budget (a larger slice of the pie than parking operations, facilities, etc.). And that doesn’t include OHSU’s Streetcar sponsorship or chief financing of the tram, both of which result in a free transit ride for employees in NW, downtown, and South Waterfront. I’m sure many other employers have similarly unique arrangements (such as if a small company is located on the Free [for now] Rail Zone and all employees live near the zone).
Anyway, BikePortland is the only comment board that I think would be interested in those kind of gritty details. Kudos to the other employers and I’m sure as more participate in the survey, more will earn accolades (my understanding is it actually went out to a few hundred employers).
Glad to see that KOIN picked up the story and that it was “Positively Portland” and no bike vs car retoric
http://www.koinlocal6.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=3418565
Wow, Stoel Rives is much improved. When I worked there (2001-2005) they had no bike parking at all.