Work promoting public transport/walking/cycling

Cabaal

I think I came across this idea on some US forum (maybe it slashdot) but has anyone heard about work offering its employee's benefits if they walk, cycle or get the bus to work rather then their car.

There's obvious benefits to this for the employer such as saving money on the amount of parking spaces the company must provide to its employee's.

surely this is something Irish employers should think about anyone have any suggestions how this could be promoted to employers?

Gandhi

The college my wife works for (University of Pennsylvania) does this a certain amount. They buy her monthly train pass for her, though she pays for it directly from her paycheck. It comes out pre-tax, so she does get a certain benefit from it. Also, it is delivered directly to her office so there is convenience factor. They also have absolute sh*te parking, which is the biggest encouragement to walk/ cycle/ take the train.

I worked for a company in London where they gave me an interest free loan to buy a yearly tube pass, which worked out saving me a lot of money. I think there was a tax benefit, but it was a while ago, so I can't remember.

Greenman

Here in Flemish Belgium I get 3 euros a day tax free for cycling to work, you get 15 cents a KM.

Works out at around 550 euro per year tax free.

We have showers and 2 lovely cycle sheds.

When you clock in there is a little bike symbol and you press it before putting your badge on the reader. From time to time they do a control ie on people who pretend they cycle but don't, that dosen't seem to be an issue.

Very happy with and cycle everyday without fail!!!

Cabaal

Certainly interesting, I think if more Irish companies did this more people would walk/bus/cycle to work, 15c per km is not really is not going to break the bank when you compare how much money is spent on parking spaces.

You could properly average that *most* people who will take part in the scheme would come from no fuirther then 3-1km away (certainly where I work anyway)

jman0

I could see benefits like: discounted bicycles from local stores.

Maybe offer less parking spaces for cars and more for bikes.

GG66

I'm nearly sure that if your company buys your monthly bus pass for you it's taken out pre-tax from your wages. So you save a little. I know a company I worked for 5 yrs ago offered it to me. Same may apply to dart.

RTE offer a mileage allowance for employees who use bicycles or at least they did. I found a reference to it on this page (scroll down to second heading) it seems to be some time ago as allowance is in pence per mile

http://www.hpv.on.ca/bicycle.htm

This is an excerpt

Last November after a three year campaign of attrition, the Bicycle Allowance policy was formally implemented by RTE. Anyone using a bike for a work-related trips gets 50p a mile. A twenty mile round trip is the maximum permissible and the cyclist is obliged to deep his bicycle in good working order, with fully functioning front and rear lights. The cyclist also has to wear a helmet.

It seems to relate to travel related to work so wouldn't cover to and from trips..

frost

CIE do this. I used to have the cost of a monthly and later an annual Irish Rail ticket deducted from my salary PRE-tax, which reduced my tax as well as reducing my employer's tax. Approved by Revenue etc.

Details here:

http://www.dublinbus.ie/fares_and_tickets/taxsaver_commuter_tickets.asp

air

Greenman wrote:

Here in Flemish Belgium I get 3 euros a day tax free for cycling to work, you get 15 cents a KM.

:eek: Bring it on, that'd net me about 2.5K per year!
Is it for both legs or one way?
How do they stop lads doing their winter training on the way to work

Cabaal

air wrote:

:eek: Bring it on, that'd net me about 2.5K per year!
Is it for both legs or one way?
How do they stop lads doing their winter training on the way to work

I suppose work could simply work out how far it is from your house to work and pay you by that

air

That'd suit me just fine, I'd say theres about as much chance of it being introduced in Ireland though..