Chairman Crowley and Congressman Paulsen Re-Introduce Bike to Work Act

Chairman Crowley and Congressman Paulsen Re-Introduce Bike to Work Act

(Washington, DC) – House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Congressman Erik Paulsen (R-MN) announced today the reintroduction of the Bike to Work Act, bipartisan legislation that would amend the Internal Revenue Code to allow workers to use their pre-tax commuter benefits for bike share programs.

“The Bike to Work Act is a commonsense measure that would give workers the ability to use their commuter benefits for an affordable and environmentally-friendly form of transportation. This added incentive will promote greater usage of bike share systems and ensure that the programs expand their reach to even more corners of our cities,” said Chairman Crowley. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Paulsen to ensure that programs like Citi Bike continue to grow for communities that have long been underserved by viable transportation options.”

“As an avid biker myself, I am thrilled to bring forth this bipartisan initiative in tandem with Congressman Crowley that makes biking more accessible for commuters,” said Congressman Paulsen. “Bike-sharing programs are increasingly popular, including in Minnesota, and putting them on equal footing in the tax code with other forms of transportation will allow commuters to use their benefits in a way that is convenient and flexible to their needs.”

Originally introduced in the 113th Congress, the bill gives commuters the option to pair bike share with other forms of transit, greatly expanding mobility and improving access to existing transit systems.

“For millions of Americans, the last mile–the stretch from a transit station to a workplace–is a challenging component of their daily commute,” said PeopleForBikes President Tim Blumenthal. “The Bike to Work Act will help many of these people to take full advantage of the growing number of bike-share systems to pedal between the bus or rail stop and their place of employment. This will reduce road congestion and air pollution while also providing important health and community benefits.”

“Bicycling is the fastest growing form of transportation in New York City, and bike share has become a very real link in the public transit network for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers” said Paul Steely White, Transportation Alternatives Executive Director. “It’s time for the IRS to recognize bike share as the popular commuting option that it is and work with Representative Crowley and Congress to pass his bill. There’s no better recognition of becoming mainstream than being written into the tax code.”

“Bike sharing is a healthy, convenient, and increasingly popular transportation option for commuters across the country. As our state has seen firsthand, bike sharing not only improves connections to bus and rail, it transforms the way people get around their city. Making it even easier and more affordable for more Americans to choose bike sharing will have clear benefits for communities, employers, and employees alike,” said Jessica Treat, Executive Director of St. Paul Smart Trips & Transit for Livable Communities, the largest transportation advocacy non-profit in Minnesota.

“Bike share is a flexible, modern transit option for cities that complements and extends the reach of traditional transit,” said Jay Walder, President & CEO of Motivate, the nation’s largest bike share operator. “Last year over a half million unique individuals used our bike share programs across the nation. This bill would make it more affordable and accessible for even more Americans to take advantage of this healthy and convenient form of transit.”

The Bike to Work Act has broad support from a variety of organizations, including: The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), the League of American Bicyclists, Motivate, PeopleForBikes, Bike Walk Action, St. Paul Smart Trips & Transit for Livable Communities, and Transportation Alternatives.