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 OzarksCommute 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

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 Springfield 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.

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