Member Since: 1985
Website: www.twowheeltransit.com
What did a business consultant and pediatrician have in common that led them to become partners of Two Wheel Transit? And what are they doing to keep the Spokane region moving forward?
After 25 years of business consulting, Geoff Forshag, CPA, partnered with Bruce Abbotts, M.D., to purchase Two Wheel Transit 18 months ago. Both avid cyclists, their combined experience and drive to keep our community healthy and sustainable is the “hub” of their business.
With 100 models of bikes with name brands like Trek and Gary Fisher, they carry 29,000 items in the store. One differentiator for Two Wheel Transit is its custom bike fit studio, combined with the highly experienced and well-trained team.
When it comes to cycling, “It’s all about the fit,” said Forshag. His business partner has more than 20 years experience in anatomy and physiology as a physician. Abbotts has made bike adjustments for amateur athletes on the verge of giving up who are now back on the road competing. Whether an avid cyclist or not, “the fit” is critical to keeping the body healthy and free from causing injury down the road. “One millimeter adjustment can make all the difference,” said Forshag.
So what about those 24,000 people who commute to work in downtown Spokane on a daily basis? Biking to work is without a doubt a healthy, sustainable alternative. Forshag and Abbotts recently announced a Business Bike Purchase Program designed to help employers provide a benefit to their most valuable asset – their people. “We’ve designed our purchase program to help companies increase participation in bike commuting, and get their employees on quality bikes adjusted and fit to their riding styles,” said Forshag.
This is how it works: Employers work with Two Wheel Transit to come up with a strategy to purchase bikes for their employees (and families, if they so choose). The employer receives a discount due to increased volume, and then employees make no interest payment plans through payroll deductions. “It’s really up to the employer,” says Forshag.
This low-cost program covers a breadth of benefits… 1) maintaining healthier, more productive employees; 2) reduction of absenteeism; 3) decreased commuter costs for employees, especially if driving by car at $4 a gallon; 4) increased morale; 5) reduction of green house gases; and 6) reduced traffic congestion.
And let’s not forget to accommodate those bike commuters. Providing a locker, a shower, indoor bike parking, flex scheduling (so they don’t commute during rush hour or severe weather), or encouraging employees to get started by promoting Bike to Work Week Spokane, are all examples of how businesses play a role to keep our community active and healthy through bike commuting.
Another way area businesses can assist is in advocating for bike lanes. As Abbott explained, many of the bike lanes end abruptly, and connectivity is of critical importance.
With a partially completed pedestrian bike path along the completed portion of the North Spokane Corridor, bike racks on Spokane Transit Authority buses, bike racks provided by local businesses through the Downtown Spokane Partnership, and innovative services and partnerships offered through businesses like Two Wheel Transit, our region is poised to expand the connectivity for bike commuters – all of which makes good economic sense for our region.
