Get Yer Free Gas Here!

It seems employers are offering to pony up some dough for those employees with long commutes. Before, if a company offered such a program, it usually consisted of allowing you to contribute pre-tax dollars to an account for public transportation. But let's be honest—unless you live in NYC or perhaps San Francisco, you'd probably rather drive than use public transportation.

However, with gas prices almost to $4 a gallon, some employers are finding creative ways to honor employee loyalty and take the sting out of the cost of commuting. New Belgium Brewing Co. in Ft. Collins, CO offers its employees who've reached their one-year mark a new bike to ride to work. They even installed showers to allow those who commute by bike to get cleaned up when they arrive. Not bad, but what if you've got a long commute? According to experts, the average commute is about 30 miles...on a bike? We don't think so. There's also a joke about drinking and riding in here somewhere...

Other employers have set up programs where once an employees with clean driving records are eligible to have their car wrapped in the company's advertising. If the employee chooses the wrap program, they get free gas. Jobing.com is
one such company that offers this program. In addition to the free gas, participants also receive a $500 monthly stipend in addition to their paychecks and other benefits. The benefit of advertising and building employee loyalty is worth the
money to Jobing.com.

So—riding a bike or a advertising your company have become the new company car. Are either of these appealing options for saving money? What kind of programs does your company offer? [Forbes]