Develop an Employee Transportation Program
No matter whom you hire, one of first issues new employees face is, “How will I get to work?” Here are some factors that play a role in their answer:
- distance from home to work
- availability of a vehicle
- cost of gasoline and insurance
- availability and cost of parking at work
- vehicle needs for other family members
More Affordable Commutes for Workers
As an employer, you have the ability to make these often costly commute decisions more affordable for your employees and your organization. By partnering with RideShare and offering commuter options, your company can:
- support affordable commute practices for your employees.
- provide a useful, measurable benefit at minimal cost.
- practice sustainability and help reduce harmful emissions like greenhouse gases and smog.
Getting to Work Has Financial and Environmental Impacts
Transportation is expensive for many families in the metro area. Gas prices fluctuate at an unpredictable rate. One recent national study* found that housing and transportation costs combined eat up 48 percent or more of household income in Greater Kansas City.
Depending on the length of the commute, workers in the metro area can spend thousands of dollars a year driving to work. Even occasional use of transportation alternatives can lead to major savings for your employees.
Employees’ transportation habits impact the larger community as well:
- Transportation is the second largest contributor of harmful CO2 emissions across all energy sectors in the country. And 60 percent of these emissions come from personal vehicles.
- Cars and trucks also account for 30 percent of local ozone-forming emissions that cause smog and contribute to health conditions such as asthma.
If the Kansas City region’s air quality gets worse due to increasing traffic congestion and tougher federal pollution standards, we could be faced with limits on growth, and stricter emission controls.
*Center for Neighborhood Technology Housing + Transportation Affordability Index
Incentives Can Help Get your Program Moving
Case studies of employers across the U.S. show that offering incentives along with commuter options improves participation in these programs. Examples of incentives include:
- preferential parking for carpools and vanpools
- subsidized monthly bus passes
- cash awards or gift certificates
- extra time off
- recognition within the company
FOR EMPLOYERS
WE'RE WORKING WITH:
Alliance Data
American Century Investments
American Italian Pasta Company
Americo
Burns & McDonnell
Children's Mercy Family Health Partners
City of Kansas City, MO
City of Mission
City of North Kansas City
CVS Caremark
DLR Group
DST Systems
Garmin International
GE Money
GEHA
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
H&R Block
Hallmark Cards
HDR
Johnson County
Kansas City Star
Labconco
Liberty Hospital
Mid-America Regional Council
NOAA, National Weather Service
Park University
Perceptive Software
Rosemann & Associates, P.C.
Shawnee Mission Medical Center
Shook Hardy & Bacon
Sprint
State Street
Terracon
UMB Bank
Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK
University of Missouri-Kansas City
