Employees Choose Bicycles Over Cars

08.11.08

With gas prices skyrocketing, the bicycle is gaining more popularity as a commuter vehicle. Several employees at ThoughtForm are embracing the trend.

Take Tom Reay, a digital composition specialist at the firm. He recently started commuting by bike from his home on the North Side to ThoughtForm’s office located on the South Side.

Aided by the development of the Great Allegheny Passage trail, Reay’s route has very limited exposure to downtown traffic. “The addition of the Hot Metal pedestrian bridge is especially helpful,” he points out. “The bridge connects directly to the trail, which runs right in front of our office," located at Rivertech Office Works on South Water Street.

Reay is not the only bicycle commuter at ThoughtForm. Jonathan Hill, marketing communications manager and a veteran cyclist, chooses his bicycle over his car at least one day a week. Hill pedals from his Shadyside home through Oakland and across the Hot Metal Bridge to get to work. On the way home, though, he gets a little more exercise.

“Going home, I usually like to take the long way,” Hill explains. “I take the Eliza Furnace Trail downtown. Then I ride through the Strip District and up the bike lane on Liberty Avenue, eventually coming to Shadyside.”

Designer Matthew Speakman, who lives on 12th Street on the South Side, has a more utilitarian commute. “It takes me about eight minutes to bike to work,” says Speakman, “and I try to do it two to five times a week.”

While safety is a primary concern for any cyclist sharing the road with automobiles, none of these commuters report any close calls. Hill is an advocate of biking defensively. Speakman is cautious too. “Assume that everyone is going to run you over. Be aware of everything on your route,” he says. Hill adds, “While most cyclists are experienced commuters, some are still rather new, and drivers should be patient for all riders on the road.”

Next up for ThoughtForm’s commuters: extending their weekday riding into a weekend excursion. In September, Reay plans a Saturday trip to the Laurel Highlands for some off-road trail riding and camaraderie among his bike-riding co-workers.

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About ThoughtForm Inc.

Founded in 1980 as Agnew Moyer Smith, ThoughtForm brings value to thoughts, ideas and knowledge by giving them a visual form with the power to communicate. The firm offers five design solutions—branding, interactive media, print, packaging and environments—to clients around the world in a wide range of industries. The firm’s work has been published in many books, presented at the renowned TED Conference and featured on Alexander Haig’s World Business Review and monthly in Harvard Business Review.

For more information, contact:
Jonathan Hill
jhill@thoughtformdesign.com
412.488.8600