StrataGist

Local Perspectives On National Trends (Southern Oregon)

As reported in mid-October by several news outlets in Northern California [1] , bike commuters can now take advantage of an earmark that was added to the U.S. Emergency Economic Stabilization Act. In January 2009, commuters who ride a bike as the primary means of getting to work will be eligible to receive up to $20 per month in tax-free payments from employers, who can write off the expenditures. Compensation defrays bike commuters' equipment, maintenance, and storage costs. The legislation was authored by Representative Earl Blumenauer (D - Oregon).

Bike Commuting

Facts & Figures:

National statistics are hard to find, but a pop quiz posted on Treehugger.com summarizes old data. In 1990, approximately 0.41% of work trips were taken by bicycle. The figure fell to 0.38% in 2000.

Several regional surveys suggest that bike commuting is on the rise. According to 2007 census data, 1.8% of commuters in Sacramento (California) rode bikes to work. Anecdotally, bike riders indicate that there are more cyclists on the street in 2008 (due to higher gas prices).

As noted on the Bike Commuter web site, New York's Department of City Planning surveyed bicyclists in the metro area and published the findings (The New York City Bike Survey, May 2007). More than 1,000 respondents completed the online survey from May - October, 2006, 76% of whom identified themselves as bike commuters. An interesting finding was included in the beginning of the report: "Bicycle commuters have been commuting by bike on average for 5.7 years." Most respondents commuted year-round (62%), and 1% use a bus to reach their final destinations.

Rogue Valley "Bus Cyclists":

In spring 2008, the Rogue Valley Transportation District (RVTD) contracted with Feedback Research Services / Feed-back.com to conduct its triennial survey with 600 bus passengers. Findings were summarized in the 2008 Passenger Survey report, which is now available as a downloadable PDF on RVTD's web site.

After reading the New York City Bike Survey report, FRS staff took another look at the raw survey data to identify bike riders.  Within the pool of 27 "bus cyclists" (4.9% of survey participants), 18 bicycled to the bus, and 22 biked from the bus. Nine riders commuted both ways for work (1.6%). Two individuals rode bicycles both ways for school, and a third cyclist transferred after departing the bus (0.5%). Others combined bicycling and bus transit for visiting (0.7%), recreation (0.4%), or appointments (0.4%). Riders on the Ashland route accounted for 47.5% of "bus cyclist" survey participants.

[According to a recent study conducted for the League of American Bicyclists, four Western states were ranked bike-friendly and included in the Top Ten. Washington was the "winner" at No. 1, followed by Arizona (3), Oregon (4), and California (7).  )"High Country News," San Francisco Chronicle, October 26, 2008.]

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[1] Contra Costa Times, Sacramento Bee, and San Francisco Chronicle (Oct. 11-12, 2008).