Commuting is one of the main sources of everyday travel and, in many cases, it depends on private vehicles. To help shift this dynamic, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) promotes Biciempresa, a sustainable mobility program aimed at companies and professionals across the metropolitan area. Its approach is highly practical: instead of “convincing through theory,” it lets people try cycling in real-life conditions for a limited period, reducing barriers such as the upfront cost or lack of experience.
Biciempresa works as an in-kind subsidy, meaning it does not provide money directly; instead, it offers the temporary, free-of-charge loan of bicycles (electric and non-electric) so company staff can use them for their usual journeys. The main goal is to make it easier to switch from cars or motorbikes to cycling, and also to encourage intermodality (combining cycling with public transport)—an especially useful option in metropolitan areas where commutes can be mixed. In this sense, the program also indirectly promotes resources such as Bicibox, the secure bike-parking system typically located near train stations and other transport hubs.
At SCT-STRAW, we are grateful to be able to benefit from this subsidy, giving our team the chance to try alternative ways of commuting at zero cost, with the option to purchase the bicycle at the end of the subsidy period.