The delivery trike used by the Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery. The bakery was honored by Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Transportation Alternatives as a Bike Friendly Business. The bakery saved 350 gallons of gas per year by delivering baked goods to its satellite store with the specially-outfitted bicycle. (Wiley Norvell / Transportation Alternatives)

NEW YORK, NY July 31, 2008 —More than 50 companies applied, but it was the Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery that won the first Bike Friendly Business award today. General Manager Sarah Weeks-Dima says that her company's use of a bike delivery system between its shops in the East and West Villages is a model for using alternative transportation in the business plan.

WEEKS-DIMA: We really started setting the bar very high for how other small businesses can operate in the city, doing it with a small carbon footprint and doing it in a way that makes a very large difference in the minds of customers as well as staff members.

REPORTER: Weeks-Dima said her company saves 350 gallons of gas per year with its signature green tricycle outfitted for delivering baked goods.

The Bike Friendly Business award is a new form of recognition by the bicycle advocacy group Transportation Alternatives and the city's Department of Transportation. This year's winners are the bakery for its use of biking in its business and Credit-Suisse for its support of employees who commute to work on bike.