Rolling Billboards... the way to $$ and free gas

Misha Di Bono zips around town in her Infiniti sport-utility vehicle, breezy and unconcerned about the price of gas.

That's because she gets $500 a month -- plus free gas -- for turning her car into a rolling billboard for Jobing.com, the online recruiting company she works for.

"People used to tease me about the 'Jobing' mobile, and now they're like, 'Oh, we'll get Misha to drive,' " she said, standing next to her decal-covered car.

Jobing.com might be the most extreme example of how companies are helping employees during the current gas crunch. But with gas averaging more than $4 a gallon, more and more companies are trying to figure out incentives to help ease the pain at the pump for their employees.

But it is the Jobing.com vehicle that is most eye-popping. Company spokesman Joe Cockrell says the company started the rolling billboard cars in 2001, but only three executives took part in it.

But now, 60 percent of its 270 employees nationwide drive the cars. Watch a shift from marketing ploy to employee benefit »

"This year, for the first time, we've had a long waiting list for our wrap," Cockrell says. "It's basically a huge sticker that goes on your car and should last in theory about three to four years."

It costs the company about $3,000 to $4,000 to turn the cars into rolling billboards.

They do have rules: The car can't be older than three years, and employees must take a driving safety course and have clean driving records.

Once the cars are wrapped, employees shouldn't flip the bird at other drivers. The company did have to "unwrap" one employee's car because he got too many speeding tickets.

Cockrell says the program has proved to be a huge win-win. "These are mobile billboards, and wherever our employees go, so does that billboard."

Di Bono, who works in community relations, says she loves it, too. She says the cost of filling her tank has doubled in recent years. Now, her company pays her to drive her car.

"They pay for everything," she said. "They pay for me to go to all my appointments and anything I want to do on my own time."

She added, "You'd be a fool not to take advantage of it."