Bellingham-based Sanitary Service Company Inc. cleans up with BizCycle Silver

BizCycle offers a warm congratulations to Sanitary Service Company, Inc (SSC). on a Silver level rating for bicycle-friendly best practices. The recycling and waste management facility in Bellingham earned 26 of 50 possible credits.

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Sanitary Services collects used bikes to find new homes in their Recycle Your Cycle program. Photo from the Sanitary Services Facebook Page.

Out of 85 employees, nine percent bike to work. Since the company began measuring in 2006, bicycling rates have increased steadily. Sanitary Service proves that it doesn’t take much to incentivize cycling. The company holds a quarterly drawing for a $50 gift card for bike commuters and offers the federal incentive program for bicycling to work.

Rodd Pemble aims to increase bicycling to an ambitious 18 percent of employees in three years. Currently, most bicyclists work in the company office, whereas SSC's truck drivers tend to live further from work and start their days with early shifts that make bicycling a less attractive commute option.

After undergoing BizCycle certification, Rodd identified some strategies to change that disparity including possible shower installation at the shop where drivers come and go, studying parking demand and increasing the incentives for first time bike commuters.

Using the company’s resources to promote bicycling in the Bellingham community, SSC operates a Recycle Your Cycle program where people can drop off bikes that are still usable. The bikes are donated to non-profits in town to get them back on the road.

The program gained Sanitary Service a programming and messaging innovation credit. They also earned a planning and policy innovation credit for having “Bike-Friendly Vehicle Stickers” and “Look Twice for Bikes” window clings on every truck. Read more about this program and other bike-friendly happenings at SSC in a recent Bikenomics feature on the company.

Congrats to Sanitary Service Company and keep up the innovative work promoting bicycling from the waste management sector!

Interested in applying for BizCycle on behalf of your bike-friendly workplace? Applications are due Friday, September 20. Email bizcycle@cascadebicycleclub.org or visit http://bizcycle.cascade.org to learn more.

ALSO READ: Bikenomics: A Sanitary Service company that loves cycling