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Commute Tips
for
Employers
Employers can
help ease
traffic
congestion and
provide a
valuable benefit
to their
employees at the
same time! By
implementing
programs that
encourage their
employees to
commute to work
by alternative
transportation
or offers
alternative work
hours, everyone
benefits! Here
are some great
ideas to
consider at your
workplace:
TheBus BONUS!
Program:
This program
takes advantage
of tax benefits
(click
here
to find out
more) that are
available for
certain
transportation
options.
Employers can
purchase the
BONUS! vouchers and
either give
them, free of
charge, to their
employees or
"sell" them, via
payroll
deduction, to
employees at
face value or at
a discount.
BONUS! vouchers
(up to $115 per
month for 2008) are
exempt from
payroll taxes,
so both the
employer and
employee save
money! The
BONUS! vouchers
come in various
denominations
and can be used
for the purchase
of monthly
passes or
subscriptions at
TheBus,
Vanpool Hawaii,
or the
LOTMA Commuter
Express.
Parking Cash
Out:
This option
works especially
well in
locations that
have monthly
fees for
employee parking
or have a
parking supply
shortage. The
employer may
offer employees
the option of
cashing out the
value of
employer
provided
parking.
Employees forego
the parking and
either receive
the taxable cash
value of the
parking space,
or a tax-free
transit or
vanpool benefit,
up to $115 per
month.
Compressed
Workweeks:
A popular way to
reduce commute
trips is to work
longer, yet
fewer days each
week. Benefits
include longer
service hours,
improved morale,
and enhanced
recruitment and
retention. There
are several
possible
schedules,
including:
-
9/80 -
Employees
work the
required
80 hours
of work in
a two-week
period in
nine
working
days
instead of
ten. Eight
of the
days are
nine hour
days, one
day is
eight
hours
(usually
Friday),
and one
day is off
(usually
the second
Friday).
-
4/40 -
Employees
work the
forty hour
work week
in four
ten-hour
days,
instead
five
eight-hour
days.
-
3/36 -
Employees
work
thirty-six
hours a
week in
three
twelve
hour
shifts.
Telecommute:
Employees who
are
self-motivated,
perform work
that doesn't
require a lot of
face-to-face
interaction, and
are managed by
results-oriented
managers may be
ideal candidates
for
telecommuting.
Telecommuting
can be done
every day, once
a week, once a
month or
anything in
between!
In House Carpool
Matching
Assistance:
If you work for
a large
employer, it may
make sense to
provide carpool
matching
assistance among
your staff. In
general, people
feel more
comfortable
about carpooling
with others who
work for the
same
organization.
Alternatively,
be sure to
promote the free
regional carpool
matching
services offered
by
LOTMA (for
Leeward, Central
and North Shore
Oahu residents)
and the
State
Department of
Transportation
(for the rest of
the state of Hawaii).
Preferred
Carpool Parking:
Encourage
carpooling and
vanpooling by
providing
preferred
parking spaces
for eligible
carpool and
vanpool
participants.
This can be an
inexpensive, yet
effective way to
reward and
encourage
ridesharing!
Emergency Ride
Home Program:
One of the
primary concerns
people report
about leaving
their car at
home is a
concern about
being stranded
at work if they
have an
unplanned
personal
emergency. This
concern can be
easily minimized
with an
Emergency Ride
Home Program
that offers a
free ride home
to eligible
commuters in the
event of a
personal
emergency. Did
you know that
LOTMA offers a
free
Emergency Ride
Home Program
to eligible
Leeward, Central
and North Shore
Oahu residents
and employees?
Secure Bicycle
Storage:
Don't forget to
provide bicycle
parking
facilities (such
as bike racks, a
secure storage
closet or room,
or even a
special secure
bicycle cage) at
the workplace to
encourage
bicycle
commuting.
Bicycles are
often overlooked
as a commute
mode but are
actually a
quick,
efficient,
inexpensive,
healthy and fun
transportation
option.
Employer Links
and Resources:
Association for
Commuter
Transportation
-
Professional
association
specializing in
commute options
and solutions
EPA's Best
Workplaces for
Commuters
-
Lots of support
and resource
materials here.
Everything you
need to start a
workplace
commuter
program. Be sure
to visit the
Commuter Benefit
Briefs
page for details
about tax
programs and
more!
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