Commuter Profile
Name: Bob Billings
Works at: Garmin in Olathe
Lives in: Shawnee, Kan.
Commute mode: Bike
His story: How many people can say that their commute to work is a chance to enjoy the outdoors and do some much-needed peaceful reflection? Count Bob Billings among the lucky few. Three days a week, Billings indulges his love of the outdoors and pedals 14.7 miles from his Shawnee home to Garmin in Olathe, all but two miles of it along the Mill Creek Streamway Trail near Shawnee Mission Park.
Why he bikes to work: “It’s very therapeutic and it gives me a chance to think about ways to solve problems,” he says. A software engineering manager, Billings rides his single-speed converted mountain bike year-round, weather permitting (his threshold is 19 degrees). He wears a head light mounted to his helmet with duct tape and a custom-built bicycle light to help him see when it’s not quite daylight outside. The trip to work takes about 55 minutes, and he figures that he logged 3,600 miles last year commuting by bicycle.
Billings does his own bike repairs and maintenance. He stores a set of work clothes he can change into when he arrives at work. Garmin provides showers, lockers and bike racks for employees to use.
Besides the chance to be outside, Billings rides his bike so he can work in exercise during the day without it spilling over to the evenings. The biggest challenges, he says, are dealing with bad weather and a busy family schedule. With two kids ages 10 and 8, a lot of time is spent taking them to and from various extracurricular and sports activities.
Best thing about alternative commuting: It takes some effort to be a bicycle commuter, but it’s worth it for Billings, who says he notices a difference between the days he gets to work by bike and those he drives. “I show up ahead of time on days I ride my bike,” he says. “I’m usually a little late on days I drive.”