Department of State, Washington, D.C.

Employees at the Department have many options when traveling in the Washington Capital region, including motor pool vehicles, organization vehicles, Department shuttles, taxis, mass transit (i.e., the Metro bus and rail system), walking, and now, loaner bicycles. The Department provides 10 bicycles free of charge to Department employees and contractors as a healthy and environmentally-friendly alternative means of transportation.

To participate in the program, which is managed by the Administration Bureau’s FM Section, participants must sign an agreement and acknowledgement of responsibility. Bicycles are stored and locked at dedicated racks in the Harry S Truman Building (HST) garage and participants check out and return the bicycles through the FM office during business hours. Outside of business hours, participants may place keys in a lockbox near dedicated racks.

The program expanded in 2010, with four of the bicycles being relocated to a Department annex building to fulfill demand outside of HST. Since its inception, 298 employees and contractors have enrolled, riding nearly 9,650 km (6,000 mi) and precluding almost five tons of CO2 that would have been generated through driving.

A sample of the bicycles offered for loan at HST

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