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Environment Agency employees take the lead with ‘bike to work Fridays'
The environment agency's new employee policy on commuting by bicycle or public transportation on Fridays might actually stick.
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Utility and lighting poles jut out of the middle of a bicycle lane along Jl. Asia Africa near the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex in Central Jakarta, as seen on July 31, 2018. The Jakarta Environment Agency has issued an internal policy that requires its employees to commute by bicycle or public transportation on Fridays. (kompas.com/Nursita Sari)
T
he Jakarta Environment Agency has recently issued a policy that requires its employees to commute by bicycle or public transportation on Fridays.
Yogi, who works at the agency, expressed his support for the new policy, which aimed to curb air pollution and traffic congestion in the capital.
“After the policy came into force, I cycled 12 kilometers from my house in Cibubur to Cililitan, both in East Jakarta. However, I just look at it as extra exercise, since the agency [already] requires all employees to exercise on Friday mornings at the office anyway,” he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Yogi said the policy could help reduce air pollution and traffic jams while encouraging the agency's employees to exercise more.
Even though the Jakarta administration had just started expanding bicycle lanes in the capital last month, Yogi said, he was able to reach his office in around same time it took him by car.
“It took me 40 minutes to commute by bicycle, but I spend the same amount of time commuting by car, since I usually get stuck in morning traffic,” he said, adding that he liked to try alternative routes when cycling to work.
The agency has installed shower facilities to accommodate employees who commute by bicycle.
