Stratos

A legislative mandate provides the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and promote alternative transportation nationwide

Seattle, Wash. – March 23, 2010 – Stratos Product Development, LLC announces its participation in the development of the Dero ZAP, a bicycle commuter tracking device.

The Bicycle Commuter Act, signed into law on October 3, 2008, allows employers to give employees who commute by bike a monthly tax-free stipend of up to $20. With the support of Stratos Product Development, the Dero Bike Rack Company developed a system to provide employers with an accurate way to count, track and report those commuters.

“As a Seattle-based company, we recognize the value of eco-friendly commuting,” Sean MacLeod, President, Stratos Product Development, said. “Dero’s vision, combined with the talent of our team of hardware and software experts, resulted in a product that takes the next step in encouraging alternative transportation in an urban environment.”

The Dero ZAP is a solar-powered, wireless, radio frequency identification system (RFID) that records the number of times a commuter arrives by bike, then transmits the data wirelessly to a central website that administrators can access to create reports for payroll.

The program promotes health and exercise for employees via a web portal that reports miles biked, calories burned and pounds of CO2 saved, and allows employers to reimburse bicycle commuters with a tax-free monthly stipend to help cover costs associated with riding to work.

“The technology is similar to the ‘Fast Pass’ RFID tags used on toll roads and high-occupancy vehicle lanes, only this technology is used to reduce the number of cars on the road, improve commuter health, and make workers more productive, alert and happy,” said Mike Anderson, product manager for Dero ZAP.

Stratos’s role in the development of the ZAP system included all of the software design including development and integration, the sourcing and selection of Off-The-Shelf (OTS) components as applicable and hardware design for a custom motherboard and power supply. Stratos also provided mechanical design and support for system mounting and enclosure.

Released on January 1, 2010, the Dero ZAP provides a reliable, tamperproof and easy way for companies, universities, government institutions and other organizations to accurately count, track and issue a report on bike commuter trips.

Dero has partnered with Boltage (formerly Freiker), a non-profit based in Colorado, to expand this bicycle commuter counting program to K-12 schools across the United States. Boltage is using the Dero ZAP hardware to give kids incentive to ride or walk to school. Kids that walk or bike the most are awarded prizes and special events as rewards for participating in their own health and helping the environment. Dero donates 15 percent of all sales to Boltage, supporting the development of early healthy habits in kids.

There are currently Dero ZAP units in Colorado, Oregon, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas and Ontario, Canada. As of March 17, 2010, Dero ZAP has counted:

• 2,006 bike commutes
• 10,421 miles biked
• 323,036 calories burned
• 7,220 pounds of CO2 reduced

About Stratos Product Development, LLC

Stratos Product Development, LLC is a comprehensive product development consulting firm. Our seasoned professional staff provides strategy, research, design, engineering, verification, regulatory and manufacturing services to clients across a diverse range of market segments. Since our inception, we have been solving complex problems for companies like Microsoft, Abbott Laboratories, Nike, Cardinal Health and Apple. Our collaborative approach enables us to reduce time-to-market, anticipate problems and create compelling solutions for unmet needs in the marketplace.

Founded in 1987, Stratos’s consultative, systems-based approach to product development and robust project management process have been the key to our clients’ success. We partner with clients worldwide, from start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Our experience has shaped Stratos’s core business philosophy of Creativity, Adaptability, Responsiveness, and Excellence (CARE). For more information, visit www.stratos.com.

About Dero Bike Rack Co.

Dero Bike Rack Co. was one of the first to make functional but artistic bicycle parking racks. In 1995, its founders believed they could build a successful bike parking business if their products were:

a) High quality and functional with newer bike locks (U-locks) so that users know their bikes are secure when locked up, and

b) Aesthetically attractive so that architects and planners would integrate them as a visible part of their designs.

They were right. Dero bike racks are now shipped everywhere across North America as well as to several countries around the globe. www.dero.com

A legislative mandate provides the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and promote alternative transportation nationwide.