Modern Vespa

This question is for those of you whose employer has a carpool incentive program.

Does your program include anything for riding a bike? My company is saying that the incentive is only for carpoolers and that motorcycles, etc. are not part of the program.

Now I don't use a parking space, I park off to the side where there is no parking, so the company is saving money on me already, and of course it pissed them off when I parked in a regular spot in protest

I just want to hear what other people are facing out there.

My company is the same way. Apparently, here the program is State supported and their rules would rather give $40 a month to 2 people riding in a hummer (husband and wife, too) than $20 to me per month even though I collectively use less gas.

I get free parking in the parking garage for motorcycles.

My parking is free too, but my company is paying $115 to carpoolers and I thought I'd argue that bikes should get something too...

They do have an incentive program for actual carpoolers, not solo riders on bikes. I think that's fair. The most my employer's done is paint a designated motorcycle parking area (under shady trees, no less) next to our building. I'm happy to have that. I hate parking next to cars.

I get to park in the garage for $25 a month. Cars pay $150/month but there is a 6 year waiting list for cars. No, that's not an exageration.

Most folks who choose to drive pay to park across the street. I think it is $180/month for a car, $60/month for a motorcycle or scooter.

Folks who take the bus, the train, or the streetcar get monthly passes for free.

IKEA has a great carpool/public transit situation but doesn't apply to scooters/motorcycles.

Maybe if you ride 2 up it'll qualify. $115 ain't nothing to sneeze at! That's like what 6 months of gas in 1 month of "carpooling"

Again, I'd gladly let my employer pay me to ride my scooter or motorcycle into work, but I don't think it's realistic. Where does the State and/or employer draw the line between bikes that actually have a positive effect on traffic congestion, pollution or gas consumption? After all, that's the point of the carpool incentive programs. Are they going to create a list of motorcycles that are eligible (<500cc? <1000 cc? 4-stroke or clean 2-stroke etc.?) and those that aren't (bikes that get less than 40mpg? 50mpg? Goldwings, Fat Boys or Hayabusas?)?

Like I said, I'd gladly take their money to ride, but I think it's going to be hard to enforce different kinds of eligible bikes if the program stays true to its cause/purpose.

So I guess my company is like other companies in not including bikes in the policy...


And you're right, $115 is like 5 months of riding around

I'm pretty lucky if we scooterists and the MC riders can keep utility trucks from parking on our little concrete slab... I have access to a free parking structure but then I have to take up a full car slot since there's no MC parking.

I get Ted's issue about where you draw the line. I don't expect anything from the company except enablement to ride to work. But, wow, would that little stipend go a long way!

I would love to carpool. Is it even legal to ride 4-up on a scooter?

What?

Is that like 5 months of operating costs, or 5 months of gasoline? Or five months of fast food trips on the Vespa? Can you even go through a fast-food window on a Vespa? That would be awesome! Tacos rule!

I get what you mean about having to allow all bikes to take part of such a program even if they get the same gas mileage as a car and can see why that makes it difficult to allow bikes the same privaledges as carpoolers.


But they don't want me to park in a spot, and they don't have a designated motorcycle area, but perhaps I could convince a co-worker to ride to work with me

See, I'd be inclined to give the incentive to a bike even if its fuel economy is as bad as that of a car. Fuel economy is not REALLY why companies give the incentives. Congestion and the resulting lost worker productivity are the motivations for the businesses in question. And even Hayabusas and Fat Boys can park two to a space and filter through traffic...okay, maybe not the Fat Boy.