Stormcloud Brewing Company has launched a new employee commuter program to help alleviate summer traffic issues in downtown Frankfort.

Cloud Commuters is a new company-wide program designed to incentivize brewery employees to leave their cars at home. Staff who walk, bike, ride-share, or get dropped off for their shifts are tracked daily. At the end of each week, one Cloud Commuter's name is drawn and awarded a $25 gift card. Since launching the program earlier this summer, employees have used an alternative transportaton method for getting to work for more than 225 shifts.

“Our goal with Cloud Commuters is to avoid unnecessary congestion in our small coastal city,” says Stormcloud Co-Owner Rick Schmitt. “During the summer months, our downtown is overwhelmed with traffic from shoppers, diners and beachgoers. If we can keep another 20+ cars from driving and parking downtown on a daily basis, hopefully we’ve made an impact."

Stormcloud has also partnered with the Frankfort-Elberta Area School District to give employees who need to drive an alternative place to park their cars. Cloud Commuters can park at Frankfort Elementary School - six blocks from Stormcloud - and either walk or use one of three company-owned bicycles to get to and from the brewery.

“It’s a win-win for Stormcloud and for the city of Frankfort,” says Schmitt. “We know it’s working, and we plan to continue the program through Labor Day.”