UK 
United States
In a country where everything is ‘big’ – including the distances people have to travel from one neighbourhood to the other – it’s probably not a huge surprise to learn that cycling rates in America (as a mode of commuting) are, by comparison ‘small.’
All-told, the percentage of US commuters who bike to work has hovered around the 0.54%-mark, a figure that has barely changed since 2019, and is actually lower than what it was in 2014. Moreover, where there are spikes in cycling levels, data shows pedaling to work is mostly restricted to metropolitan areas, while 77% of riders also tend to be men.
Stephen Wachter
SVP Operations and Partnerships, Google
With public health data showing governmental attempts to try and change these levels have made little impact, the gaze has naturally shifted to whether employers themselves could be catalysts for change. And several companies have recently stepped up to the plate. Audio company, Sonos has recently started paying its US employees (up to $5 per day), if they ride their bikes to work. Microsoft offers employees an annual $900 "Stay Fit" allowance, while Amazon also offers staff a similar deal – giving them up to $170 per month to cover the cost of bike-related expenses – including leasing bikes and bike-share clubs.
But it’s Google that many argue is really making big inroads – with a scheme that not only helps improve employees’ mental and physical wellbeing, but also nudges them to use bikes in a much safer way.
