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Background
Southern California may be #1 in smog and traffic, but we’re also at the forefront of innovations and efforts to battle those challenges.
Thousands of work sites throughout the region offer rideshare programs to their employees. The goal of these programs is to reduce the number of cars traveling to the work site by encouraging use of alternatives including carpooling, vanpooling, public bus, commuter rail, walking, bicycling and telecommuting.
Many employers started promoting rideshare programs 30 years ago to help their workers deal with high gas prices. The first programs consisted primarily of “ridematching”—that is, matching people with carpools and vanpools. Since then, helping employees find rides remains important but is now one of many strategies a work place might have to reduce the number of solo drivers traveling to and from work.
Following are some that are the “bread and butter” of workplace rideshare programs:
Services
- Employer Representative/Employee Transportation Coordinator
Selecting a representative at the work site to develop and/or run a commuter assistance program
- Ridematching
Helping employees find carpool partners, vanpools, or personalized itineraries to ride the bus or rail to work
- Pass Sales
Selling transit passes, tokens, etc., either at full or discounted rate
Commuter Benefits
- Subsidies
Paying for all or a portion of transit passes or parking costs for carpoolers and vanpoolers
- Incentives
Offering incentives, often in the form of cash bonuses, gifts or time off with pay for employees who share the ride
- Preferential Parking
Designating convenient parking spaces for carpoolers and vanpoolers
- Tax Breaks
Allowing employees to set aside rideshare commute expenses as pre-tax income through a Commuter Choice program
Special Programs/Strategies
- Vanpooling
Leasing and/or forming vanpools for employees’ commutes
- Bicycling
Providing bike lockers, racks and/or changing/shower facilities to encourage bicycling to work
- Flexible Schedules
Offering flex-time work schedules and/or compressed work weeks to reduce commutes
- Guaranteed Ride Home
Providing taxi and/or rental car rides for ridesharers who need to get home in case of an emergency
- Telecommuting
Allowing some or all employees to work at home occasionally or on a regular basis
Marketing and Promotion of Ridesharing
- Rideshare Information Dissemination
Letting employees know about alternatives to driving alone by distributing bus and rail schedules, carpool/vanpool information, etc.
- Marketing Outreach
Promoting ridesharing via events, contests, posters, newsletters and other marketing strategies
Disincentives
- Parking charge
Charging a fee for parking at the site to encourage non-driving alternatives as well as provide an incentive to save money by carpooling or vanpooling
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