Business FAQ & Resources

Read through these Resources and FAQs to learn more about the program and how to apply.
General FAQs
When bicycling is infused in an office or corporate culture, great things happen. People who are encouraged to commute by bike to and from work, run errands by bike, take a spin at lunchtime, or bike in their leisure time perform better at their jobs because they’re energized and alert.
Studies have shown that people who lead an active lifestyle have significantly lower costs for health care. Since employers typically pay a significant portion of health care costs, it benefits employers and the employees to promote healthy living. A healthy workforce also reduces the rate of absenteeism.
Businesses that promote bicycling are recognized for being green and socially responsible. They are conscious of their carbon footprint, aware of their impact on the environment, and are willing to think and act creatively in order to improve the quality of life for employees, their families and the greater community. A Bicycle Friendly Business attracts and retains employees, because people want to be part of a positive environment.
The Bicycle Friendly Business program also provides technical assistance on how to become more bicycle friendly. The program offers great resources to help improve a business’s bicycling accessibility, promotion and awareness within the workplace.
The Bicycle Friendly America℠ resource page contains several reports on the benefits of cycling, design guides, case studies and other useful information to aid your application process and bicycle-friendly efforts.
Applicant FAQs
The next application deadline is February 11, 2021.
See the full schedule of deadlines and award announcements here.
Yes. All businesses pay an application fee based on the number of employees at the applying location of the business (only one location is allowed per application).
The application fee is only due at the time of a new or renewal application submission; There are no other fees between application cycles for existing BFBs.
Corporate Sponsors and Business Members of the League apply to the Bicycle Friendly Business program for free (limit one free application per year per business membership). Learn more about Corporate Membership giving levels and additional benefits here.
Number of Employees at Applying Location | Application Fee |
1-49 employees or Non-profit/Government (of any size) | $50 |
50-499 employees | $100 |
500-999 employees | $250 |
1,000 or more employees | $500 |
The Bicycle Friendly Business program welcomes applications from any business, corporation, organization, association, government agency, or nonprofit group located in the United States with two or more employees.
Businesses with only one employee or that are entirely volunteer-run (no paid employees) may receive exceptions ONLY if they have a permanent physical location and 2 or more customers, volunteers, or guests visiting their business on a daily basis.
Individuals and small businesses that work out of a home office or private residence are not eligible for the BFB designation.
We encourage applications from large and small businesses with single or multiple locations, however, only one location may be considered per application. Businesses with multiple locations may submit separate applications for each location.
A campus with more than one building in the same area may apply as a single location.
Review the Getting Started page to learn more about the application process.
To complete the most comprehensive application, the applicant should be aware of all aspects of the business's bicycle-related activities and efforts. We encourage the applicant to consult workplace cyclists to help advise on the business's true environment for cycling.
Please be certain that the leaders of the business (for example the CEO, CFO, CSR) are consulted before applying.
New and renewing applicants fill out the same application form.
Applications that are not submitted on or before the application deadline will be automatically transferred to the next application cycle so that you can pick up right where you left off to apply in the next round. You will receive an email notification when the new application round opens (normally within a few days of the previous deadline) to let you know your application is available again.
Please note that any questions that were changed or added may not transfer data correctly, so it is important to double check all of your answers before submitting an application that was started in a previous round.
If you submitted an application in a previous round and are now reapplying, you can contact us at bfa@bikeleague.org for a PDF of your previously submitted application.
Applicants that fall just short of a designation receive an Honorable Mention. The names of applicants that do not receive any recognition (below Honorable Mention) are not published. All applicants that do not achieve BFB status (Honorable Mention or no award) still receive a detailed feedback report that can be used to work towards a designation the next time the business applies, and their next BFB application fee will be waived.
Feedback reports for Honorable Mention and No Designation BFB applicants will include a discount code to waive the applicant's next BFB Application Fee.
The BFB designation is given on a four-year basis, after which time the business must reapply to maintain or improve their status. Businesses will be reminded to reapply through email. If your business has significantly improved sooner than four years, we welcome your application in pursuit of a higher designation before the expected renewal date. Businesses that do not maintain their cycling environment over the years may also lose their BFB status.
A committee of specialists reviews each application and considers feedback from cyclists in the workplace and local bicycle advocates in order to determine an organization’s level of recognition. Qualifying organizations are then awarded Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze status. Learn more about the crtieria for each award level here.
The League of American Bicyclists recognizes each designated Bicycle Friendly Business with an award letter, certificate, and a national press announcement. Awardees will also be profiled on the League website and in annual publications of winners.
An important part of the BFB designation is the official presentation of the award to the business. The following steps are usually involved in setting up an award ceremony:
- Choose a date and location.
- The League will identify a representative to present the award – the representative may be a League staff person or board member, the head of a local club, a member of the bike industry, or other appropriate person. If you have a preference, please let the League staff know. The League will provide talking points for the presentation.
- The League can assist you in developing a press release for your business’s announcement of the award ceremony. Most businesses use their communications department to distribute the press release.
Resources for Building a Bicycle Friendly Business
- Consult APBP's bike parking guidelines to provide a safe place for employees and customers to park their bike
- List of bike parking manufacturers
- A thorough review of bike parking costs and considerations
- Dero's Bike Parking Guide
- Bike parking in parking garages - Best Practice on access/egress issues, a study from Cincinnati
- Recommendations on End-of-trip facilities for bicycle riders, from the Queensland Transport
- Workplace Cycle Facilities Factsheet, from TravelSmart (Government of Western Australia)
- Shower Facilities at Work: A Win-Win for Employers & Employees, from Cascade Business News
- Learn more about Bikes and Businesses from the San Francisco Bicycling Coalition
- A study on the Economic Value of Active Transportation
- A study of the economic impact on local business when adding bike lanes to a commercial area
- A study of business and user perceptions of bike sharing in Washington DC
- Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business
- NYDOT: The Economic Benefits of Sustainable Streets
- QBP study on the business benefits of bicycling
- 5 Reasons for businesses to become bike friendly
- A study on the striking health benefits of biking to work
- The health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use: health impact assessment study
- Are you a Twin Cities business? Find out how you can become part of the Dero ZAP program, an encouragement and tracking system that can save you money and provide incentive to your employees.
- Federal Government Guide to Encouraging Bicycling in DC Area Agencies
- Information on the Bicycle Commuter Benefit
- Encourage customers to bike to your business with the Bicycle Benefits program for customers program
- Do the Health Benefits of Bicycling Outweigh Risks? a study from the National Institutes of Health
- The Association Between Commuter Cycling and Sickness Absence, an abstract from National Institutes of Health
- Example of Meredith Corporation's Bicycle Commuter Benefit Guidelines
- Example of Meredith Corporation's Employee Commuter Tracking Log
- A list of businesses that offer the Bicycle Commuter Benefit
- As an employer there are many ways you can support and promote safe cycling
- Promote cycling by offering incentives like the National Institutes of Health Bike Program
- More resources for encouraging employees to bike to work
- Information on and materials for Bike Month and Bike to Work Day
- 5 Companies that Absolutely Crush Bike to Work Day, Bicycling Magazine
- Commuter Connections, a Washington DC area Bike to Work Day resource
- League resources for teaching bike safety
- Brochures and video clips to download on bike safety
- Bicycle Commuter Program Handbook for Employers
- Sample bicycling resources for employers and employees from Commuter Connections in Washington DC
- Reasons employees should ride to work
- Bicycle Commuter Mentor Program in Charlotte, NC
- Information on Spokane, WA's Bike Buddy Program
- Read about how one workplace made strides being bicycle-friendly
- Specialized Inc.'s case study on Boosting Your Bike Program - a great example of growing a bicycle friendly workplace
- Best Workplaces for Commuters' Guide to Employer Commuter Surveying
- Bicycle Commuting Data resources and infographics
- Bike & Park's goal-setting guide for commuters
- 2014 American Bicyclist Magazine article on large corporations becoming bicycle-friendly
- Case studies on bike friendly business districts
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Employees and Advocates
The League has developed a promotional BFA toolkit specifically for bicycle advocates -- visit the Advocate Tools page for more information.