Engage employees and encourage smarter commuting with programs that promote alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles
As many businesses have found, getting employees to change their commuting habits requires more than just advertising alternatives. Even the best-intentioned directives are likely to fall flat if they aren’t backed up with action. So how can you find success? You can create lasting change by incorporating robust employee commuter programs into your workplace experience.
Enterprise-level commuter programs use proven transportation demand management tools to engage employees. Such programs dramatically increase the likelihood that employees will skip the solo drive and make use of alternative transportation. Drawing on a range of strategies that incentivize the use of smarter commuting options, they help guide employees away from single-occupancy vehicles. Commuter programs help create a company culture that places a high value on smarter, more environmentally responsible ways of getting to and from work.
Here are just a few examples of programs with proven popularity and effectiveness:
- Ridesharing communities. Leverage the power of technology to connect commuters in the same geographic area with rideshares and carpools.
- Incentive programs and gamification. Make smarter commuting fun! Use points programs and games that track employee use of transportation alternatives and reward ongoing participation.
- Team challenges. Create friendly competitions between employees by organizing team-based rewards during bike-to-work or carpool challenges.
- Subsidies and tax benefits. Cost concerns are one of the biggest barriers for commuters who are on the fence about using alternate methods of traveling to and from work. Therefore, one way to tip the scales is to subsidize public transportation passes. Another way is giving employees the option to use pre-tax income for transit or vanpools. These strategies can make other modes of travel cheaper than driving a single-occupancy vehicle.
Employee commuter programs pay big dividends for businesses and communities alike.
When people get on the alternative transportation bandwagon, everybody wins. Studies have shown that smarter commuting leads to increased employee satisfaction and productivity by reducing stress. Communities benefit through reduced pollution and eased traffic congestion. Businesses enjoy boosted employee retention rates and decreased facilities costs. All while making the company more attractive to prospective partners, investors, and employees through its commitment to forward-looking values.
The CommuteHub platform offers a comprehensive range of support tools for employee commuter programs. Commuters can leverage our software’s powerful trip planning and community features to make alternative transportation easy to access and use. Administrators can take advantage of a long list of advanced data tracking and management options that help increase participation rates and improve program effectiveness.
If employee commuter programs sound like they could benefit your company, contact the RideAmigos team to discuss your challenges and see a personalized demo of CommuteHub.
