Urs Walter
Tiefbauamt der Stadt Zürich
8023 Zürich
Switzerland
+41 44 412 26 62
The company-bikes of Zurich - efficient and popular vehicles
In city traffic bicycles are the most efficient and fastest vehicles on shorter distances. Several departments of the municipality already knew company bikes for years. But quite a few of these vehicles were poorly maintained or the use of them was often too complicated. Therefore the city council decided to centralize the purchase, coordination and maintenance of the bicycles.
By providing attractive bicycles to the administration employees, the city of Zurich wants to achieve different objectives:
· To motivate employees using a bicycle for business-related trips
· Economy of time
· To substitute car (business) trips by bike trips
· Workplace health promotion
· To set a good example by promoting sustainable means of transport
Attractive bicycles invites to a ride
The company bikes in the colour of the city (blue/white) give an attractive public image. It is a comfortable city bike with eight gears, which has been developed especially for the city of Zurich. The fat tyres offer an adequate suspension and help to avoid accidents due to tram rails. The lights switch on automatically in the dark. The employees were involved in the evaluation of the bicycles with test drives.
Easy access for a quick ride
Experiences in the past showed that the more complicated it is to get access to a bicycle the less they are used. Therefore the company bikes of Zurich are available anytime for business-related trips, neither reservation nor registration is needed! The parking facility, a custom-build dock, can be opened with the personal office key.
One of the most important aspects is the maintenance. The bikes are periodically controlled and repaired if necessary. That grants the roadworthiness of the bikes. With tachometers on every bike the driven kilometres get statistically evaluated.
In case of a malfunction on the trip, a so called «bike doctor» can be phoned (the number is applied on every frame). He picks up the bicycle, repairs it and brings it back to its place.
Popular bicycles
In an opinion poll up to 90% of the employees gave a positive feedback. This result was the basis for the purchase of more bicycles. Until today 110 company bikes are rolling through the streets of Zurich. And maybe they motivate some employees to use their own bicycles more often - with positive effects on their health.
Zurich, 15.5.2007