The New Zealand advertising agency, Make Collective, is offering its workers a cash incentive to ride bikes to work instead of cars. The company is based in Christchurch, and offers workers approximately $5 to bike to and from work.

If workers keep using this form of transportation for more than six months, the amount they receive is increased to $10 per day. Developers hope the program will make an impact on the health of employees and the surrounding area.

“For a while I had been thinking it would be great to incentivize cycling in some way. I’m a really keen cyclist (and) cash is clearly the most obvious incentive,” said Tim Chesney, director of Make Collective to MSN. “My gut instinct is that it could be something really good for the workplace. I know for myself, I show up feeling a lot more energized, my blood is already flowing.”

According to MSN, Chesney was concerned the program would not succeed because there were no showers at the Make Collective office. Solving the issue, Chesney said that the employees were eventually allowed a shower-only membership at the gym across the street from the agency. Increased participation in the program suggests that the initiative is finding its niche.

“Recovering once I get to work is the hardest part, but I need to ride more for health anyway,” said Elliot Gilmore, developer at Make Collective, to online newspaper, Stuff. “Plus, I find if you have a gym membership, you kind of think, ‘oh, yeah, I could go tomorrow.”

The incentive’s impact is spreading past just helping workers improve or maintain their health. It also encourages participants to engage with their natural surroundings more.

“It’s been great so far, I mean, I get to ride through Hagley Park and see people feeding the ducks, reading books and stuff, which is quite different to just waiting for the lights to change while driving,” said Gilmore.

The program could serve as inspiration for other cities throughout the world. Guilford students seem encouraged by this idea of biking to work and earning extra money along the way.

“I would love it on beautiful days,” said junior Kelly Williams. “Especially when you’re a college student and don’t have the time to exercise. The pay is encouraging, but it’s beneficial, too.”

Sophomore Carolyn O’Halloran also liked that the idea solves two problems at once.

“It’s a double whammy,” said O’Halloran. “It’s difficult to get into fitness when you’re so busy.”

Cycling to and from work has an effect on more than just the riders themselves. Riders need bike routes, as taking a busy street could be dangerous. This means that Christchurch will need to continue to invest in cycling routes, something that benefits the entire city. Cycling is popular in the city, and Gulf News reports that Christchurch has more cyclists than any other city in New Zealand. In fact, the area boasts 13 major cycling routes throughout the city.

The initiative is part of why the city continues to spend millions of dollars investing in cycling routes for riders like those from Make Collective.

“Safe cycle ways are a key part of making Christchurch a healthy, happy and vibrant city of people rather than traffic,” said New Zealand Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter to Gulf News.

With improved health for bike riders, better paychecks and more civic investment, this program is providing a sunnier ride for its participants.