Bicycle Friendly Business

Mercy General Hospital | Gold Level

Business Highlights: Mercy offers a number of perks and benefits for bike commuters including covered bike storage and bike lockers, a mentorship program for new commuters, maintenance clinics and supplies, and direct access from the hospital to a bike route system. Once employees bike commute for 6 months, or 1000 miles, they receive a free Mercy bike jersey and shorts and free lunch for every day they bike commute. Three hundred employees bike to work at least two days a week during the summer. As a bike advocate, leader and organizer in the bicycling community, Mercy has organized social rides, sponsored bike teams and maintained its own bike club. They are also expanding the annual Mercy Fall Classic bike ride. Mercy promoted Bike to Work Day with a commuter challenge, commuter breakfast, prizes, and a celebration hosted by the hospital CEO. Mercy employees who biked over 500 miles during bike month were honored with awards for their accomplishment.

Most Compelling Statistic Regarding Bicycling: Mercy General Hospital spent $60,000 annually on bike commute subsidies.  They determined that it was more economical to pay these subsidies than to add parking spots.

Most Compelling Recent Bike Related Accomplishment:
Mercy emphasizes the link between bike commuting with health and wellness.  They have developed a sports medicine program that offers healthcare services to cyclists.  They have bicycle fitting services, VO2 testing and other services available to help people use commuting by bike as an attractive way to improve their health.