In Oregon’s epic battle of nerds versus jocks, the nerds are winning.
The gearheads, the nurses and the bureaucrats are on their tail, though.
With six weekdays left in the BTA’s annual Bike Commute Challenge, Intel employees have logged 16,117 miles of biking to lead the contest in total travel, while Nike employees are in second place across the region with 14,529.
Close behind are Daimler Trucks North America (13,880 miles), Oregon Health and Science University (13,679) and the City of Portland (13,348).
Of course, there are lots of ways to “win” the Bike Commute Challenge (as the nerds would no doubt point out if they weren’t in the lead). For example, you can count by total number of bike trips:
- City of Portland (1346)
- OHSU (1267)
- Intel (1165)
- Multnomah County (1086)
- Nike (981)
Or by the number of new bike commuters recruited for this year’s challenge:
- Daimler (47)
- OHSU (39)
- Providence Health and Services (34)
- Multnomah County (26)
- Widen+Kennedy (26)
Or by the percentage of participants at each organization that are new to bike commuting (among the 500 biggest organizations):
- HFG (10 riders, five new)
- New Seasons Market – Progress Ridge (nine riders, four new)
- Salem Health (29 riders, 12 new)
- InsideTrack (27 riders, 11 new)
- Integral Consulting (10 riders, 4 new)
- Capital Pacific Bank (10 riders, 4 new)
Or even by the average number of trips per rider (among the 500 biggest organizations)
- ELS Language Centers (10.2, nine riders)
- Saint Mary’s Academy (9.1, 13 riders)
- Bicycle Transportation Alliance (9, 21 riders)
- Willamette Week (8.8, eight riders)
- Portland Mercury (8.3, eight riders)
The challenge, organized every September by the BTA, is a great excuse to get on a bike during Portland’s most beautiful riding weather (usually, anyway) and learn your best route to work. This year’s has been especially fun, with Intel throwing down the westside gauntlet against Nike, the Trail Blazers’ official mascot getting into the action and Congressman Earl Blumenauer competing remotely from D.C.
Last week, when Daimler Trucks North America’s CEO announced a major expansion of the truck design and manufacturing firm’s North Portland headquarters (a $150 million upgrade that’s likely to include a big investment in bike parking, among many other things) he called out the success of Daimler’s Bike Commute Challenge team as one of the ways Daimler employees are able to enjoy the good life in Portland.
Here’s to that — and to ten more days of logging trips for fun and prizes.