Bicycle Network: Workplace

Ambassadors made the commitment to:

Make National Ride2Work Day on 17 October 2012 a date on the company calendar and promote it well in advance through the intranet and staff newsletter.

Organise a celebratory breakfast or encourage attendance at one of the community breakfasts to be held around Australia.

Other initiatives can include:

• Setting a target for participation at all worksites
• Awarding prizes for the site with the highest percentage of participants
• Inviting other work contacts and friends to promote the event in their own organisation
• Promoting the event through professional associations

Ambassadors are listed on the Ride2Work website and may also receive the opportunity to speak to the local media about what they do to support bike commuting in their workplace.

Please contact us if you wish to be a Workplace Ambassador or nominate somebody in your office.

Workplace Ambassador

Brian Ritchie, Curator, Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) - Hobart

Brian Ritchie rode a lot as a kid, but fell away from cycling as an adult. He took up regular riding again on September 12, 2001 as a personal response to the events of Sept 11. Brian found that not only was riding a political action, but it was enjoyable.

He now rides his bamboo-framed bike everywhere, including between MONA FOMA events. It’s fast and efficient and he doesn’t have to look for a park. And he rides right into some venues. Who is going to argue with the festival director? Brian regularly rides between MONA and central Hobart, and is a spokesperson for the Art Bikes Scheme that enables people to get between galleries on bikes.

(And yes, he also used to play bass for The Violent Femmes, in case you were wondering if he is that Brian Ritchie).

Philip Wilcox, Company Secretary, SMEC Holdings Limited

Philip rides the 40km round trip commute a few times a week.  However, his bike doesn't live at home, it lives at work, "...so I can also ride to the pool and back during lunch times."

He thinks Ride2Work is a good initiative to add weight to lobby government for better facilities on the roads and increase other vehicle awareness/tolerance of bikes.  He first got into it through other work colleagues.  "As I'm now over 40, my joints can't handle running as much.  So I turned to riding and swimming as low impact exercise alternatives.  My reckoning is that over the course of about 18 months I've lost 13 kgs mainly due to riding to work (swimming doesn't take weight off anywhere near as quickly). "

"One of my main concerns was that riding to work would encroach upon my precious work/life balance (I have three children).  However, I've found that riding takes about the same time as it does to drive in peak hour traffic - and I remain fit without having to take extra time away from my work or my family".

SMEC Holdings has around 15 regular riders and has secure under building bike parking, showers, and free company-sponsored riding shirts.  A group from the company now enters the Sydney-Wollongong ride every year.

Tim Anderson, Managing Director of Madman Entertainment

Tim Anderson, Managing Director of Madman Entertainment is an avid Ride2Work advocate. After being nominated by an employee in a previous Ride2Work Day, he thought it was ‘a cool idea’ and this year Madman are planning their own Ride2Work events. Both Managing Directors ride to work, but Tim can also frequently be seen riding his kids off on their Ride2School on his convertible quad tandem – currently set up as a triple. Presently, a third of their 90 employees ride, making use of their indoor and outdoor bike racks, showers and lockers. They even have a stocked tool kit, pump and tyre patches. Bikes are also frequently seen sharing their open plan office floorspace. The cherry on that cake is an Expobar Ruggero dual group coffee machine installed – perfect for making a bike rider feel at home. While still finalizing the festivities for Ride2Work Day, a team breakfast is planned, in addition to free company-sponsored bike gear and the potential of a bike service expert providing some tuition. When asked why he’d recommend people get involved, Tim was quick to answer, “Let me think?! Fitness, fresh air, environmental impact, saving money. POW!”

Rob Dunbar, Managing Director of Australian Marine Technologies (AMT)

Port Melbourne’s Australian Marine Technologies (AMT) has 15 of its 35 employees as regular bicycle commuters, lead by their Managing Director Rob Dunbar.

Rob says they first got involved in Ride2Work when they first heard of it, many years ago. “Riding is not just a healthy thing to do, but we find it has a range of spin-offs, such as team building, creating common interests and reducing the number of cars in our company carpark”.

All staff are actively encouraged to try the occasional ride for their commute, as Port Melbourne is quite a bike-friendly destination from all directions. On Ride2Work Day, they’ll be having an office breakfast – not just for those riding on the day – but to also promote the benefits of riding.
 

2012 Workplace Ambassadors

Can you find your Workplace Ambassador on this list below?

New South Wales

Western Australia

South Australia

Tasmania

Queensland

 Victoria

 ACT/Federal