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Q:
Why promote commuter benefits?
A:
Commuting to and from
work is a primary cause of increased traffic congestion and
air quality problems in many areas across the United States.
Reducing the number of cars commuting during rush hour can
reduce traffic and improve air quality. In fact, if
half of all employees worked for "Best Workplace for Commuters"
employers, 15 million cars would be removed from the road
daily.
Q:
Are there any government incentives offered to businesses
for starting a carpool or vanpool program?
A:
Yes. Through the
Best Workplaces for Commuters program, the EPA and DOT provide
a number of benefits, including:
- Public recognition and employee
recruiting--EPA and the US Department of Transportation
(DOT) provide credible, third-party public recognition to
employers meeting the National Standard of Excellence, helping
these employers gain recognition as commuter friendly and
environmentally responsible.
- Commuter Benefits Seminar--the
American Management Association, in cooperation with the
EPA, DOT, and the Association for Commuter Transportation,
developed a one-day seminar designed to help employee benefit
managers create, implement, and integrate a commuter benefits
program into their organization.
- Technical briefs and assistance--EPA
and DOT are developing commuter benefit briefs that answer
commuter benefit implementation and management questions.
DOT offers expertise in transportation choices and advanced
transportation information systems and services using its
network of relationships with state transportation offices
and transit companies.
- Comparative
benchmarking--as employers report their results, EPA will
compile this information and give it back to those companies
in very useful ways. EPA will provide information that allows
an employer to see how they are doing compared to others
in their region or industry or the program as a whole.
Q:
What are the requirements to become a Best Workplaces
for Commuters® Employer?
A:
To qualify as a Best Workplaces for Commuters employer,
a company must offer one primary benefit such as tax-free
transit or vanpool passes, telecommuting, or parking cash-out
(enabling workers to trade free parking for its cash equivalent).
Most organizations must also offer three secondary benefits,
choosing from options such as shuttles to and from transit
stations (provided directly by the employer or contracted
through a service), ridesharing or carpool matching, preferred
or reduced-cost parking for carpools and vanpools, and compressed
work schedules. Finally, Best Workplaces for Commuters employers
must offer a guaranteed ride home, which provides participants
with a ride at no charge if they need emergency transport
home due to special circumstances.
Q:
Why work for a Best Workplaces for Commuters Employer?
A:
Best Workplaces for Commuters employers are among a select
group that provides their employees with an excellent package
of commuter benefits. The package of benefits they agree
to provide represents the National Standard of Excellence
for commuter benefits. The benefits can include a wide variety
of commuting choices, choices that make commuting less stressful
and less costly for employees. For example, many employers
offer benefits packages that are the equivalent of receiving
more than $1,000 in additional salary at significantly less
than that in actual cost to the employee. Best Workplaces
for Commuters employers demonstrate that they care about the
welfare of their employees, not only on the job, but getting
to and from it as well.
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