In 2015, Google added a new transportation demand management (TDM) program to increase bike commuting to their two main campuses in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, California. An initial survey of employees indicated that bike ownership and worry about maintenance were primary bicycling barriers. With this information, Google began a program that loaned high-quality electric-assisted and conventional bicycles for a period of six months at no cost to interested employees. This research evaluates the effectiveness of the program at changing travel behavior to the corporate campuses by using self-reported and smartphone-integrated travel data. The lending program at Google represents one of, if not the largest, employer-sponsored bike and e-bike lending program in North America with over 1,000 bikes in its inventory. Thus, the evaluation of this program is a critical first step for understanding how bike lending can influence travel behavior in North American suburban contexts.

In 2015, Google began a new transportation demand management program designed to increase bike commuting to their two main corporate campuses in Mountain View and Sunnyvale, CA, United States by lending conventional and electric assisted bikes to employees at no cost to them. Following the lending period, Google incentivized bike purchases, among many other program co-benefits to increase bike commuting. Using a series of bivariate and multivariable analyses, we estimate the program led to average bike commute increases of approximately 1.7–2.3 days per week, roughly a tripling of prior bike commute rates for participating employees. After the program, bike rates of participants diminished slightly, but were still greater than baseline (increase of 1.3–1.9 days per week). Furthermore, nearly all the increases in bicycling are likely attributed to decreases in single occupancy vehicle (SOV) commuting. This study offers a first look at the potential for bike lending as a transportation demand management strategy for large employers in suburban settings which can help other employers design their own programs.

The purpose of this research is to assist in recognising the factors influencing satisfaction for physical health occupational therapists working in rural New Zealand. Overseas research suggests that job satisfaction plays a key role in productivity, recruitment and retention (Eklund & Hallberg, 2000; Moore, Cruikshank & Haas, 2006). The researcher was interested as to if these themes are echoed in occupational therapy in New Zealand, and specifically if there are themes directly related to rural practice. There have been a number of studies related to role satisfaction of occupational therapists globally (Bailey, 1990a; Freda, 1992; Greensmith & Blumfield, 1989; Mills & Millsteed, 2002; Moore, Cruickshank, & Haas, 2006). However, less research has been completed specific to Occupational Therapy in New Zealand. Physical health occupational therapists are important for facilitating and maintaining independence of individuals, reducing re-admission, facilitating discharge, ensuring be flow in an acute setting, and reducing further intervention in the community (Di Monaco et al. 2008). This is particularly important given that rural dwelling individuals tend to remain at home for longer, are more geographically isolated than their city dwelling counterparts (Elliot‐Schmidt & Strong, 1997; Probst & Bhavsar, 2014). There is very little research on rural Occupational Therapy practice in New Zealand. Method: This study used quantitative qualitative methodology, through the use of a survey gathering specific data, and participant opinions. Quantitative research gives the opportunity for a large amount of data to be collected, whilst qualitative components facilitate the opportunity to develop a more detailed narrative. Therefore, components of both methods were utilised, to gather both breadth and depth of information. An online survey was designed and implemented to provide breadth of information to ensure a snapshot of the current professional climate, without the limitation of geographical barriers, whilst also allowing for a larger participant population, thus facilitating a larger body of data. This survey was kindly distributed by the OTBNZ to all New Zealand OTs who identified they were willing to participate in research. 60 therapists commenced the survey, and 32 were eligible/ elected to complete it in full. Data was analysed using the Qualtrics data analysis, where it was exported to identify themes of research. Findings: Length of time in a position, access to professional development, hours worked, and salary were all identified as significant factors in influencing the satisfaction of rural occupational therapists. The perception of satisfaction and impacting factors is likely to be different between therapists. Where one therapist may enjoy the rural travel component, another may find this is the least satisfying aspect of their role. It is likely that these factors change over time with experiences, service dynamics, and the progression of the profession. The research also raised important questions about the identity of rural practitioners and how they are identified.

Google partnered with Via to launch an on-demand microtransit called Via2G between January and March 2020. The pilot provided employees with free travel to/from two of its offices in suburban, congested Silicon Valley. While the pilot was cut short due to COVID-19, rider participation grew steadily during operation. Of trip requests, 8,636 (87.8%) resulted in a ride offer. Unfulfilled requests were primarily outside of pilot operating times or when rider demand exceeded driver supply. Most users (72%) completed at least two trips, although recurring users were less likely to complete errands on the commute and fewer had a car available for commuting compared to all surveyed Google employees. Prior to Via2G, two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents drove to work at least one day per week, while a plurality (42%) drove five days per week. Compared to non-participants, pilot users were more likely to take ride-hail (14 vs 22 percent) or the Google Bus (24 vs 30 percent) at least once a week prior to the pilot. Recommendations suggest iterations for Google or other centralized employers to consider in future microtransit programs.