Firms promote cycling to work

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. companies whose employees ride their bikes to work can soon take advantage of a tax credit included in congressional bailout legislation.

The measure, which goes into effect next month, provides a tax credit of up to $20 a month for each employee who cycles to work instead of driving, USA Today reported Monday.

Bill Nesper of the League of American Bicyclists says many firms offer financial incentives to employees to leave their cars at home and bicycle to work.

"There are companies who have done it for a long time but in general we are definitely seeing a lot of companies we would have never expected," Nesper told the newspaper.

Last April, Clif Bar food company of Berkeley, Calif., offered its employees $500 to buy or repair a bike if they pledged to use it a minimum of two times per month.

USA Today says other companies offering incentives to bikers include New Resource in San Francisco and Discovery Communications in Silver Spring, Md.