Employers
There are a number of commuting programs available to help employers solve transportation issues. Whether your goal is to free up additional customer parking, allow more flexibility in employee scheduling, or boost the potential pool of new employees for recruitment, using a TDM strategy can lead to the desired results.
Vanpool/Public Transit Programs and Subsidies
Vanpools and public transit programs are two of the most economically viable ways for employers to provide transportation assistance. Because of tax incentives designed to promote the use of these transportation modes, subsidies given by the employer are considered pre-tax dollars and can be deducted from FICA (payroll) taxes. Click here to learn more about the tax incentives.
Flexible Work Scheduling
You can extend office hours and reduce the amount of time your employees spend in traffic by offering flexible work scheduling. Instead of your entire staff working the typical 8:00 to 5:00 shift Monday through Friday, allow certain employees to begin/leave work a half-hour early, or begin/leave work a half-hour late. Another option is a compressed work schedule, i.e. four, 10-hour days.
Teleworking
The Telework America Study conducted by Noel Hodson found that employees are happier, more productive, and less likely to look for another job if they are given the option of teleworking. Technological increases over the last half decade have also made it easier than ever for employees to telework.
Worktrip Planning
Your business can expend its recruitment pool by offering transportation services to potential employees that live in outlying areas. Sometimes, factors like a high cost of living make it difficult for businesses to find the proper employees near a worksite. To remedy this problem, the employer will arrange a shuttle to bring employees from neighboring locations.
Parking Cash Out and Preferential Parking
The cost of building and maintaining parking spaces makes the reduction of employee parking essential in maximizing returns from land space. You can encourage employees to leave their cars at home by offering cash in lieu of a parking spot. By designating certain parking spaces exclusively for carpools/vanpools, employees have an additional incentive to use high-occupancy transportation, reducing the number of employee vehicles.
Proximate Commuting
Do you run a business or organization that has multiple office locations in the Big Bend region? If so, it may be beneficial to transfer employees to locations that are closest to their homes. This practice, called Proximate Commuting, will shorten the time and distance employees spend commuting to work.
