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How Commuting Impacts the Environment

Transportation is a major source of CO2 emissions contributing to climate change and, in case it doesn’t go without saying, personal vehicles emit more harmful CO2 mile-for-mile than shared transportation. Emissions standards for cars and trucks help. In fact, in the United States, CO2 emissions from vehicles were down 6% in 2021 compared to 2005 levels, in spite of an increase in overall numbers of vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, the United Nations Environmental Program has called for at least a 45% decrease in emissions to prevent global temperature increases above 1.5 degrees Celcius. 

As more and more remote workers return to the office, the percentage of people who drive to work in a single-occupancy vehicle remains high. A Statista survey found that, even with high rates of telecommuting, a majority (63% of workers) commute to a job by car.

Climate awareness and interest in climate-action are on the rise, and corporate sustainability practices factor into employment decisions for many workers. Employers, government agencies, and individuals all have an interest in reducing the impact our commutes have on the planet. Fortunately, while commuter behavior is one of the hardest habits to change, some employers and communities are having success using strategies grounded in behavioral science.

The impact of driving to work

Commuting to work accounts for nearly all of an individual employee’s job-related carbon footprint. A look at the CO2 emissions resulting from commuting by car shows that individual choices can have a big impact.

The average American commute is around 15 miles each way. Here’s how that translates into CO2 emissions in each year in different types of personal vehicles: 

  • Small car (35 MPG fuel economy): 2.1 tons
  • Midsize car (20 MPG fuel economy): 3.9 tons
  • Full-size car/SUV (14 MPG fuel economy): 5.7 tons

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is introducing policies to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, the transition will not happen overnight. A New York Times report found that in 2021, fewer than 1% of the 250 million cars on U.S. roads were electricSo, getting even a small percentage of commuters out of cars and into cleaner, smarter modes of transportation can have a measurable positive impact on air quality. 

Small changes can have big positive impacts

If just 5% of the 106.4 million American workers who currently commute by single-occupancy vehicle shifted to another mode they could save nearly 21 million tons of CO2 per year. 

At RideAmigos, we are on a mission to change the way the world commutes by empowering everyone to make smarter transportation choices. 

Commute management can make a difference

Implementing commuter programs at a community or organizational level can be a big help. Businesses, schools, government agencies, and universities all have a role to play in reducing carbon emissions from commuting. Fortunately, trip reduction programs also have other benefits to people and organizations!

Here are some examples of organizational transportation demand management strategies that work to encourage transportation sustainability:

  • Flexible daily choice parking: When parking is free as a benefit, or paid by commuters on monthly or annual basis, the effect is a feeling of being “locked-in.” Not using a parking pass that is already paid for might feel like a waste, especially if they’d have to pay for a transit ticket on top of that. By transitioning to a daily option, communities and organizations can provide commuters more flexibility to make the best choice each day — so perhaps they can drive on days they need a car for school drop-off or other errands, but bike or ride transit on other days. Automate payment each time an employee reserves a parking space. Or when parking is already provided, allowing people the option to “cash-out” the benefit on days they don’t need it is a highly effective way to do this.
  • Subsidies and incentives: When parking is free and driving is the default, many people don’t see the downside of commuting by car. To help shift the calculus, organizations that can’t or aren’t ready to charge for parking can similarly subsidize other modes by offering free transit passes, providing a guaranteed ride program for carpoolers, offering micro-mobility options and, of course, offering great facilities for cyclists like bike lockers and showers.
  • A personalized approach to carpooling: Carpooling can be an excellent option for commuters who are not well-served by public transit. So why is it so hard to convince people to try it? New group-based pooling programs that automatically connect commuters based on schedule and preferences are revolutionizing ridesharing. Apps like Pave Commute automate this tried-and-true transportation demand management tactic and dynamically personalize for everyone in a community or organization, with real-time chat and other nudges.
  • Gamification: Some people might find a perfect commute and just stick to it. But the reality is that schedules are not always the same, weather changes, transit delays happen, and construction projects snarl traffic. An app-based program that keeps commuters engaged with ongoing gamification can ensure that whenever things change, commuters have help to make a sustainable choice — instead of just hopping in the car.

These strategies work at all levels — from individual employers to entire regions. In addition to reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, these programs can improve the commute experience and give every participant the opportunity to contribute to critical sustainable development goals (SDGs). Regardless of the type and size of an organization, or the complexity of its transportation needs, technology can help scale and automate these proven commute management strategies.

Empower employees to make more sustainable commute choices

Organizations that implement the right commute management programs see real modeshift results and improved commuter experience. RideAmigos apps and programs are designed by experts, based on behavioral science to scale effective strategies. Commuters using our apps avoided over 61 million vehicle miles traveled and reduced over 40 million pounds of CO2 in 2022. Join us to start making your impact today. Contact us to get started. 

New Government Transportation Demand Management Plan Aims to Boost State and Regional Partnerships

The new federal government transportation demand management plan pledges expanded partnerships between federal, state, and regional transit authorities. Observers note that the details released thus far seem a bit on the vague side, so let’s see if we can extract some insights into what the pledge actually calls for.

What does the government transportation demand management plan say about partnerships?

Government transportation demand management authorities say they will establish a “new $3 billion grant program for programs of national significance to facilitate collaboration across states and regions.” Expert analysis links this aspect of the plan to the Department of Transportation’s proposed Local Leaders Office, which will create liaise the federal government with:

  • State governors
  • Tribal leaders
  • County officials
  • Mayors

According to official DOT releases, the plan will “empower cities and towns to pursue innovative projects that offer residents more options and modes of transportation.”

What might the government transportation demand management plan actually mean?

Details at this early juncture are nebulous, but reading between the lines of the administration’s priorities, it seems like the partnership program has several definitive features and objectives. These may include:

  • Creating transportation solutions that effectively address the unique needs of local and regional populations
  • Using the partnership model to advance equity programs
  • Accelerating the national move toward more sustainable transportation alternatives
  • Rolling out a wider, more robust regional and national network of intermodal transportation solutions

The Local Leaders Office and the $3 billion funding program is also expected to give local and regional authorities increased say in the DOT’s ambitious road improvement project. DOT officials want to repair 50% of all U.S. roads deemed to be in “poor condition” by the end of the decade.

Manage organizational TDM needs with the help of RideAmigos

One thing seems certain: over the next few years, the national transportation landscape is likely to undergo significant change. Businesses and organizations will need to adapt their commuter programs and TDM plans accordingly, and RideAmigos is here to help.

Get started today with a free analysis of your current initiatives or a comprehensive demo of our industry-leading TDM software platform.

TDM + Local Bike Shops = ❤️

Bicycle advocacy powerhouse People for Bikes recently shared a great blog post highlighting the mutual interests of transportation demand management (TDM) and local bike shops.

From TMA’s & TMO’s to universities, enterprises and municipalities, organizations concerned with shifting commuter behavior usually promote biking as a great alternative to single occupancy vehicle (SOV) commuting. In the TDM industry, we know bikes take up less space on roads and in parking lots, cut carbon emissions, and create happier commuters.

Local bike shops are also well aware of all these advantages of biking over driving, so for TDM programs looking for partners to help promote and empower bike commuting, local bike shops are a match made in transportation heaven.

The People for Bikes article mentions the success that our partner Sonos has had with their earn-a-bike program for employees, including partnering with local bike shops. The University of Louisville has also implemented a similar program for students who can trade parking passes for bikes.

When it comes to cycling-related TDM challenges and incentives, local bike shops are great resources for collaborations like prize donations and event leadership. Bike shops are eager to become known as the go-to location for local cyclists, especially new cyclists, and are often willing to be creative partners in bike-related TDM programming.

Here’s a great success story from the People for Bikes post:

Ginny Politz owns Bikesport in Trappe, Pennsylvania. When the Greater Valley Forge TMA approached her seeking prizes to distribute to local winners of the National Bike Challenge, Politz’s enthusiasm was instant. “I said ‘Yes, and why don’t we host a wine and cheese event to kick off the competition?'”

Bikesport’s early buy-in has paid off. “We are the only bike shop member, so they send everything our way. If they have a corporation contact them and say ‘we’d like to do a Lunch and Learn bike program,’ I get an email introducing me as the solution.”

Read more at the People for Bikes blog …

Improve Organizational Resilience with Smarter Commuting

What is organizational resilience?

Organizational resilience is a critical concept for businesses, especially mid-size to large companies with sizable workforces. It is defined as an organization’s ability to continue functioning at a high level in the face of sudden, unexpected disruptions and gradual changes. Strategic planning experts emphasize the importance of organizational resilience as a critical component of a sound business continuity plan.

While organizational resilience planning can cover dramatic, high-profile disruptive events like natural disasters, extreme weather, terrorist attacks, and military assaults, its everyday applications are far more mundane. Businesses seek to address common problems like severe traffic congestion, unexpected interruptions to public transit service, accidents, and road closures.

Such occurrences tend to have a shorter-term but still financially significant impact on a company’s operations. As such, businesses seek to improve their resilience to insulate themselves from the financial losses caused by disruptions. Sound organizational resilience plans feature four central components:

  • Anticipation. Strategic planners assess the various short-term, medium-term, and long-term possibilities when considering the different scenarios that could cause enough disruption to negatively impact business activities.
  • Preparation. Companies form and implement contingency plans that address each of the major potential problems identified in the previous step. They also make sure that all management-level staff knows about these contingency plans and can access them on short notice.
  • Response. This aspect of the strategy defines the decisive action the company takes to execute its contingency plans. Response elements focus on restoring the organization to acceptable levels of output and productivity as quickly as possible.
  • Adaptation. If the disruptive event forces sustained or permanent changes to organizational operation, adaptation plans anticipate the new future landscape while addressing shortcomings with the added benefits of experience and hindsight.

Smart commuting tools improve organizational resilience by preparing you for the unexpected.

One important way to improve organizational resilience is to arm commuters with tools that help them overcome disruptions like inclement weather, transit strikes and service interruptions, construction, and temporary road closures. Common scenarios include things like:

  • Problems with train tracks, signals, or other infrastructure that temporarily slows or disables light rail trains, subways, or buses
  • Heavy rain or snowfall that causes treacherous driving conditions
  • Lane or road closures on major thoroughfares during construction season

Here’s a look at a few specific commuter management strategies that support higher levels of organizational resilience:

  • Telecommuting. One of the best ways to overcome disruptions that prevent people from getting to work is to have them work from home instead! Telework commuter services keep employees productive no matter what the weather or local traffic conditions, all while delivering a more beneficial work-life balance that increases job satisfaction.
  • Encouraging carpooling. Creating a ridesharing culture in your company encourages people to be less dependent on solo driving. Companies with a high percentage of solo-drive commuters are more susceptible to the problems caused by sudden disruptions. Corporate carpool programs can help: they get people traveling in groups, helping them reach the work site in larger numbers during periods of disruption.
  • Vanpools. This effective solution is an excellent workaround for the so-called “last mile” dilemma. Operating a vanpool shuttle between your work site and a major local transit hub allows people to easily use public transportation as an alternative to driving. This can neutralize problems like road closures and severe congestion, giving commuters a point-to-point option that allows them to bypass road problems using subways or overground rail transit.

Giving commuters the ability to take such interruptions in stride and source alternative modes of transportation without missing a beat is critical, and it’s one of the key value propositions offered by the RideAmigos commuter management hub.

The RideAmigos platform has been adopted by numerous businesses and agencies around the world to help improve organizational resilience while reducing their carbon footprints. Get started today and empower your employees to respond to challenges with agility and efficiency.

What are Vanpools?

Vanpools are quickly emerging as a popular form of smarter commuting.

The vanpooling phenomenon is continuing to gain momentum, especially in major cities with a dense concentration of commuters. As a solution to helping people skip the solo drive, vanpools are a relatively new entry in the smart commuting lexicon. Therefore, people often have questions about what they are and how they work. We’re here to help!

Vanpool essentials:

  • Vanpools are made up of a group of commuters traveling from one or more origination points to a shared destination.
  • Most vanpools include between about 7 and 15 people.
  • Vanpools typically have one or two pickup locations, which frequently include designated transit stations or park-and-ride commuter lots.
  • At the end of the work day, vanpools provide return transportation to the original pickup location(s). From there, commuters can then make their way home.

Vanpools can be used just about anywhere, but they tend to be most effective in areas where long-distance commutes are common and public transit options are limited. They’re also an excellent option for companies located in remote or outlying areas that are only accessible by privately operated vehicles. Providing vanpool service to and from such locations helps these businesses attract and retain employees while making the daily commute easier and more manageable for employees.

Commuters and employers enjoy many benefits by using vanpools:

  • Cost savings and reduced wear and tear on privately owned vehicles.
  • Reduced commuting time.
  • The ability to talk, eat, read, work, or rest during the journey.
  • Reduced on-site parking requirements and associated cost savings.
  • Improved employee job satisfaction and productivity.

Use dynamic new technologies to make the best use of local smart commuting resources.

Employers typically administer vanpools themselves or contract with a service provider. Some have a high level of involvement, actively promoting vanpooling as a preferred commuting option. Meanwhile, others simply offer them as an alternative to interested employees. Regardless of how involved a given employer is in a particular vanpooling program, commuter management software like RideAmigos can provide convenient, effective, and easy-to-use management capabilities.

The RideAmigos transportation demand management platform offers extensive support for employers that offer vanpooling. Vanpool support works seamlessly alongside many other features that are helping transform the way we access and use urban transportation. In addition to integrating data from Commute with Enterprise and other providers, the RideAmigos CommuteHub includes tools to create and manage a new vanpool group, connect riders, track usage and stats, plan routes, and much more.

Contact us today to get started, or sign up to view our free video demo.

Photo Credit: UCLA Transportation

Introducing Recipes for Success

As part of our never-ending quest to provide the best customer service and support in the industry, we’re excited to announce the latest feature of the RideAmigos Academy: Recipes!

Our customers have been asking for easy-to-follow recipes for success for implementing new transportation demand management (TDM) projects and programs. We’re happy to oblige. Visit the TDM recipes page at the Academy for a taste of the kind of support we offer our clients.

We’re launching with a few examples of how to create and run successful TDM programs to help transform the way people commute:

  • Financial Incentives for Smarter Commuting
  • How to Set Up a Carpool Month Initiative
  • Preferential Parking for Carpools and Vanpools

In the coming weeks we’ll be adding many more examples of proven techniques for impacting transportation usage.

Recipes are an excellent example of how RideAmigos encourages our customers to contribute, collaborate, and create community. We know we’re not the only experts in the room – the organizations that use our TDM software platform  have extensive experience and we’re eager to provide venues to work together toward our shared goal of transforming transportation. RideAmigos users aren’t competitors, but colleagues in creating meaningful and impactful change.

If your organization is considering starting a transportation management program to improve the commuting experience of your employees; reduce traffic, parking, and environmental impact; or stand out from the crowd with cutting-edge benefits, RideAmigos provides the most comprehensive toolkit and all the support you need to succeed.

We’ll occasionally feature some of our recipes here on our blog, so stay tuned. Or, if you’re already a RideAmigos customer, be sure you’re signed up for our Academy newsletter where you’ll receive all the latest updates about new features, seminars, recipes, and more.

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What are Scope 3 Indirect Emissions?

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol defines three classes of emissions

Learn more about Scope 3 indirect emissions …

The GHG Protocol is a widely used international standard for classifying greenhouse gas emissions. It defines emissions in three categories, known as Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions come from owned or purchased assets that are directly involved in an organization’s operations. Scope 1 emissions cover direct greenhouse gas emissions emerging from owned sources such as company vehicles, combustion appliances or equipment, and fugitive emissions, which are emissions caused by leaks, malfunctions, and other irregular or accidental circumstances.

Scope 2 emissions differ from the Scope 1 classification in that they are indirect rather than direct, but still come from owned, purchased, or rented assets. Utilities such as electricity and heat are common examples of Scope 2 pollutants.

Scope 3 indirect emissions cover all non-direct sources that come from peripheral activities related to the organization. These include emissions resulting from goods and services delivered through an outside provider, as well as waste disposal, investments, product distribution, franchises, and leased assets. However, one of the most prominent sources of Scope 3 indirect emissions is commuting and employee travel.

While there are many strategies that can cut down on the GHG emissions caused by commuting and employee travel, a majority of people still rely on single-occupancy vehicles to get to and from work. Encouraging commuters to switch to greener, smarter, and more efficient transportation modes is an excellent way for businesses and organizations to reduce their carbon footprints.

RideAmigos helps businesses and organizations achieve meaningful reductions in their Scope 3 indirect emissions

RideAmigos has developed an innovative, comprehensive transportation demand management (TDM) software platform replete with features that help businesses encourage commuters to shift their behaviors away from single occupancy vehicles. We can help your organization adopt and implement a wide range of proven strategies that improve access to smart alternatives with tools like ridematching, vanpool management, public transit integration, and both active and passive commute tracking.

The RideAmigos software platform also contains comprehensive tools for publicizing and managing incentive programs, such as commuter challenges and gamification. We’ve helped organizations around the world, in both the public and private sectors, drive positive behavior change among their commuters. We can help yours, too.

Get started with RideAmigos to arrange a consultation, discover helpful commuter tips, or get a free analysis or your existing commuter programs.

More information about the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard.

Employer Transportation Benefits

Offering employer transportation benefits is a proven way to increase participation in smart commuting programs

Getting commuters to change their habits is one of the most difficult initial challenges to overcome when building and promoting a smart commuting program. Commuters tend to keep doing what they’ve always done, simply because it’s the easiest thing to do. You’ll need a proven strategy to get past this hurdle, and one of the best options is to offer employer transportation benefits.

The reasoning behind this approach is simple: give people a reason to change the way they commute, and they’ll be more likely to get on board. Financial incentives, parking privileges, and smarter commute-friendly facilities are all great places to start.

Looking for ideas to help build your employer transportation benefits program?

Here’s a closer look at some employer transportation benefits that get commuters excited about program participation:

  • Rideshares. A lot of commuters would happily leave their cars behind if it were easy for them to carpool or use vanpool programs. The RideAmigos platform makes it a breeze for interested commuters to connect with carpools, vanpools, and rideshare programs that are every bit as convenient as driving a single-occupancy vehicle.
  • Parking benefits. Offer priority parking spots to vehicles used in carpools, and/or reduced parking rates to employees that make regular use of the smart commuting options you support.
  • Subsidized transit. Give employees access to reduced-cost or free local transit passes. Chances are good you’ll notice a major spike in the number of commuters using transit to get to and from work.
  • Active commuting facilities. Provide showers, lockers, and secure bicycle storage to encourage people to engage in active forms of commuting like walking, running, or biking to work.
  • Guaranteed ride home programs. Support active commuting programs by offering “guaranteed rides home” to pedestrians and cyclists left stranded by poor weather or unexpected complications.
  • Pre-tax commuter benefits. Implement a smart commuting program and your business, as well as your employees, will qualify for generous pre-tax commuter benefits that puts money back in everyone’s pockets.

RideAmigos’ innovative transportation demand management platform makes it easy for employers to build benefits programs that work. Use RideAmigos software modules to create and administer programs, track participation, log trips, manage gamification standings, distribute benefits, and much more.

Learn more about RideAmigos for employers

Rideshare Solutions for Enterprises

Rideshare Solutions for Enterprises

Rideshare solutions help enterprises of all sizes create smart commuting programs 

Employer-sponsored rideshare programs have emerged as a favored way for enterprises to promote and encourage the use of smart commuting alternatives. In essence, these programs serve as company-wide carpools for employees. They are typically designed to allow employees who live in the same geographic area to take turns driving to work from an easily accessible local pickup point or transit station.

Public and private sector partners alike share a common stake in using the principles of transportation demand management to help ease traffic congestion and reduce the environmental impact of urban commuting. Businesses in all industries benefit from projecting a greener and more ecologically responsible public image. Therefore, launching an rideshare program at your enterprise can play a leading role in bringing about a meaningful change in company culture.

Employees also benefit in many ways. Rideshare solutions for enterprises help participants reduce wear and tear on their individually owned vehicles, while building meaningful social and professional connections and reducing the stress of commuting. All this leads to happier, less stressed, and more productive employees – something every company wants!

Supplementing rideshare solutions with incentive programs and gamification helps improve participation rates

Rideshare solutions work best when used as part of a broader company-wide smart commuting strategy. For example, rideshare initiatives can be included in incentive and gamification programs that boost participation rates. Smart commuting challenges, friendly competitions, and incentive programs that offer perks and rewards for using alternative transportation can unite workforces and get more people to try out different ways of getting to work.

These strategies help enterprises overcome one of the key barriers to getting employees to adopt new commuting methods: inertia. Many people are so used to commuting in single-occupancy vehicles that they are reluctant to switch to something new. Others worry that adopting alternative transportation will be costly or inefficient, when the reality is that they aren’t. As that’s a truth that is best learned through direct experience, the all-important first step is to provide a compelling impetus to give smart commuting a chance.

RideAmigos helps businesses get there. Our revolutionary software platform offers full enterprise-level commuter transportation management support, helping companies build programs quickly and easily, all while easily managing challenges, incentives, and gamification programs.

If you’d like to learn more about our complete suite of dynamic, next-generation, enterprise-oriented solutions, please contact us or sign up to view our free, comprehensive video demonstration.

Learn more about Ridesharing for Enterprises

Commuter Programs for Enterprises

Commuter Programs for Enterprises

Explore creative ideas for enterprise commuter programs that will generate high participation rates

Businesses have a lot of options when it comes to creating enterprise-level commuter programs. Given the highly varied sizes and operational natures of companies that want to encourage new ways of commuting, some are more readily applicable than others. With that in mind, here’s an overview of the main types of programs that have proven to be popular and effective with companies of all sizes, and in all industries:

  • Rideshare programs. Create carpool networks that match employees commuting in from the same neighborhood or geographic region.
  • Challenges and gamification. Stimulate increased participation levels by introducing friendly challenges and gamification techniques that reward employees for using alternatives to single-passenger vehicles.
  • Incentive programs. Rewards for achieving a specific level of smart transportation usage can take many forms, from gift cards and event tickets to paid nights out at local restaurants or even cash. These make great motivational tools!
  • Transit pass subsidies. By shouldering part or all of the cost of a monthly local transit pass, employers give team members further incentive to leave their cars at home and hop on the bus, train, or subway.
  • The “guaranteed ride home.” Some people balk at biking because they worry about being stranded if bad weather hits unexpectedly. Offering a “guaranteed ride home” is an effective answer.
  • Tax benefit programs. Recent increases in transport-related monthly pre-tax spending allowances make alternative commuting a smarter option for both employees and enterprises.

Team members and businesses alike benefit in big ways from commuter programs

Commuter programs for enterprises and employee rideshare solutions create a long list of added benefits for participants. Biking to work is a great way to get exercise, enjoy fresh outdoor air, and improve health. Commuter transportation programs also reduce the stress involved with the daily commute to and from work, which in turn leads to increased productivity and higher overall job (and life) satisfaction. Employers thus benefit from improved employee retention rates, as well as the ability to attract better-quality talent from the job market.

The RideAmigos software platform makes it easy to create and manage commuter programs for your enterprise, connecting participants using the power of modern technology. If you’d like to explore ways to help change your company’s commuter patterns in more detail, please contact us or sign up for a free, comprehensive video demonstration.

University Vanpools

University Vanpools

University vanpools are changing the way faculty, staff, visitors, and students access campus facilities.

Vanpools are gaining traction as an efficient, low-cost university transportation alternative. Operated by both public and private agencies, vanpool programs group a small number of commuters together. Most vanpools are made up of groups of eight to fifteen people, though these numbers can be adjusted either way depending on demand and the number of vehicles in the operator’s fleet.

While most university vanpools are designed to meet the needs of faculty and staff commuting from outlying areas, they can also be configured to serve students and visitors. Fares are affordable, and are set at levels that make using the vanpool more cost-effective than driving. This, in turn, increases participation rates, helping university administrators realize the many community benefits that university vanpools offer.

How do university vanpools work?

To maximize budgets, organizations usually configure vanpools to provide point-to-point transportation between a designated arrival/departure spot on campus and a major public transit hub or popular local destination. It’s most cost-effective to offer service on a set schedule, or only during peak periods.

Choosing a strategic destination point is critical to the success of your vanpool. The best option will depend heavily on the needs of your riders: Are they looking to solve the “first mile, last mile dilemma” by having a convenient option to reach a nearby high-speed transit network? Do out-of-town staff and student commuters travel to a main station in your city’s downtown area?

To find out the precise nature of the transportation issues commuters are looking to solve by riding with your vanpool, it’s a good idea to use survey tools to gather insights. This helps you create a customized solution that speaks directly to their needs and fills in critical transportation gaps.

You’ll increase ridership and the overall utility of your vanpool program if you’re able to provide two-way service to and from campus. However, this can necessitate some additional logistical solutions, as you might need to get permission from municipal authorities to operate a vanpool that travels to campus from a trip origin point elsewhere in the city.

Adding vehicles to your fleet allows you to serve a wider range of high-value destinations throughout the surrounding area. Naturally, this adds to your upfront costs, but it can also pay dividends by making the service more appealing to a broader base of prospective riders. When managed properly, vanpools can even generate a modest profit, which the university can reinvest into other commuter and transportation management programs.

University vanpool ridership and access policies

Most universities charge reduced fares for vanpool access, or offer it free of charge to qualified riders if budgets allow. Thus, it’s important to consider your access policies when your vanpool program is still in its design and configuration phase to prevent misuse.

One approach that a lot of schools use involves creating specific, detailed eligibility criteria. For example, the University of Michigan’s vanpool program limits access to full-time students and permanent, full-time employees who will use the service at least four days per week. The school charges a low monthly rate for a vanpool pass, and riders show their credentials to the driver when they board.

Learn more about the benefits and use-cases of university vanpools as an alternative mode of transportation.

Beyond offering significant cost savings to individual passengers, university vanpools have many other advantages that have a positive effect, both campus-wide and across the broader community as a whole:

  • They help reduce on-campus vehicular traffic, thereby increasing pedestrian safety
  • They provide a safe, accessible alternative to single-passenger vehicles
  • They ease traffic congestion and the pollution associated with it
  • They strengthen interpersonal and social ties among passengers and community members
  • They help universities manage campus parking demand by cutting down on the number of vehicles remaining on the property
  • They work to reduce campus parking costs by easing demand and helping schools avoid the need to add more parking facilities

University vanpools can benefit schools that fit one or more of the following profile criteria:

  • A large student body with a significant percentage of students and/or staff commuting to campus, rather than living on-campus or in the immediate vicinity
  • Consistently high levels of demand for limited on-campus parking spaces
  • Gridlock and associated problems recurring during peak traffic periods
  • Location in a large urban area that is underserved by public transportation

Participation in vanpooling programs can also help universities qualify for incentives offered to organizations that take proactive steps to help combat traffic congestion. Best of all, vanpools are easy to create and manage with the powerful digital tools delivered by RideAmigos’ revolutionary transportation demand management platform.

Sign up for our demo to learn more about the many ways vanpools for enterprises, universities, and other large organizations can transform your community. You can also contact us for further information about our next-generation software tools.

Image Credit: UCLA Transportation

Government Rideshare Solutions

Government Rideshare Solutions

Set a shining example with the RideAmigos suite of government rideshare solutions.

Government organizations play a key leadership role in bringing about changes in the way people move around cities and regions. Because of this, implementing government rideshare solutions is a great way to send the right message. Reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles stands to save government untold millions of dollars on infrastructure upkeep and pollution-related costs. Creating easy-to-use rideshare programs for commuters is an excellent way create change.

The RideAmigos suite of user-friendly and powerful government transportation demand management solutions makes it easy for COGs, TMAs and TMOs to create, publicize, and manage rideshare networks. Government agencies can launch interactive rideshare networks and subnetworks for specific geographic regions or individual companies within minutes. Network adminstrators will enjoy outstanding convenience and pinpoint control over the creation, contextualization, and administration of employee-oriented rideshare networks. As you can see, RideAmigos is packed full of features that support to more widespread adoption of smart commuting and alternative transportation strategies.

Powerful features make it easy to illuminate and analyze the positive impact of government rideshare solutions.

The advanced commuter data analysis tools offered by the RideAmigos software platform are invaluable to government agencies. These analytic capabilities allow government organizations to gather revealing metrics and important information about commuter transportation habits with ease through a robust variety of analysis options.

Specific to government rideshare solutions, these analytic capabilities gather data related to program usage. Supplemented with dynamic geographic information system (GIS) mapping features, it’s a breeze to use RideAmigos to generate visualizations, maps, graphs, and charts. Together, these features can paint a detailed picture of how effective current programs are. The data analysis supported by our software platform helps key decision-makers and policy designers make wiser, evidence-based decisions about how to expand and improve transportation initiatives.

A growing number of government-sector organizations have adopted our comprehensive rideshare platform in recent years, to great success. Ridesharing has proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles while still allowing commuters to enjoy the key benefits of private transportation.

If you’d like to learn more about our government rideshare solutions, or if you’re interested in exploring our software platform’s full set of capabilities, please contact us or sign up to view our free, comprehensive video demo.

Bikepooling

Government Transportation Demand Management

Government Transportation Demand Management

Transportation demand management has emerged as a crucial area of focus for local and regional governments across the country and around the world.

From the earliest beginnings of the transportation demand management (TDM) movement, government agencies have been front and center. Government decisions impact thousands of people belonging to both current and future generations. Therefore, the importance of making the right choices cannot be overstated. Government TDM solutions like the RideAmigos software platform provide decision-makers with an enhanced range of powerful tools. This can make a world of difference when it comes to the smart management of urban growth and changing transportation needs.

The era of the single-occupancy vehicle finally appears to be waning, and municipalities across the United States and around the world are looking to the future. They’re finding out that what’s set to change isn’t so much the ways people get around. Rather, what will change are the ways people access those transportation options. Modes like rapid light rail transit, subways, buses, walking, cycling, ridesharing, and carpooling are all here to stay. Giving people new ways to locate and manage such choices is what’s going to build a better future.

Government agencies are also tasked with finding ways to manage the differing and sometimes-conflicting needs of the private sector and the public. The keys to success are communication and policy decisions that are guided by hard data and analytics, rather than special interests and anecdotal evidence. This is where the RideAmigos commuter management platform can make a major difference.

Discover a new generation of powerful TDM solutions for government agencies.

The RideAmigos platform provides parent organizations with effective and easy-to-use technology-driven solutions that support the creation and management of TDM networks and subnetworks. This provides government transportation demand management authorities with superior levels of control and autonomy when creating, contextualizing, and managing municipal transportation programs. It also puts powerful management solutions in their hands, enabling them to identify, anticipate, and solve challenges and problems through advanced analytics and data collection initiatives.

RideAmigos has already helped dozens of government agencies make more efficient and cost-effective forays into the dynamic 21st-century transportation demand management landscape. To learn more about how the RideAmigos platform supports government organizations and policy makers, please contact us or register to view our comprehensive video demonstration.

Government TDM Articles

Transportation Demand Management for Enterprises

Transportation Demand Management for Enterprises

Transportation demand management programs have the potential to create far-reaching, positive changes in company culture.

Transportation demand management (TDM) has traditionally been the domain of government agencies and organizations. However, a growing number of forward-thinking businesses are using TDM practices to help enact beneficial changes in the culture of their companies. Some of the key benefits of enterprise-level transportation demand management programs include:

  • Increased employee satisfaction rates.
  • The ability to attract and retain higher-quality employees who value the principles of smart commuting.
  • Productivity improvements, thanks to more efficient and less stressful commuting.
  • Stronger collegial relationships among employees.
  • Reductions in the costs associated with parking facilities.
  • Improvement in reputation regarding sustainability and environmental concerns.

While TDM solutions for enterprises are still strongly focused on helping reduce traffic congestion and public infrastructure costs, they are also oriented towards helping companies change the commuting behavior of employees for a positive impact on the company’s bottom line. To this end, technology-driven solutions like the transportation demand management software have proven to be a major boon.

RideAmigos provides dynamic technology-driven transportation demand management solutions for enterprises of all sizes.

The RideAmigos TDM platform delivers powerful solutions that make it easy for businesses to create employee commuter programs. This, in turn, helps employees make better use of smarter alternatives to commuting with single-occupancy vehicles. Enterprise-driven technology makes it easy for large groups of corporate commuters with established interpersonal links and shared destinations to arrange carpooling programs. Individual users of our can access a whole host of powerful features including multimodal trip planners, interactive commuter dashboards, automatic trip logging, and much more.

Employer-driven awareness and incentive programs are very important when it comes to getting people on board with enterprise TDM programs. Once again, our software platform provides crucial support. Gamification, challenges, and incentives are easy to create and administrate, giving companies an upper hand in encouraging greater levels of employee participation.

RideAmigos’ enterprise-focused modules are also ideal for companies that want to maximize employee benefits, encourage healthier and more active lifestyles, and cultivate a company philosophy that includes ecological responsibility as a core value. In addition, good TDM helps businesses keep their parking- and property-related costs down, providing important facilities benefits to go along with key personnel advantages.

To learn more about how the RideAmigos platform can benefit your business, or to explore our software’s many feature in more detail, please contact us or sign up to access our free, comprehensive video demonstration.

Enterprise-Oriented TDM Articles

University Transportation Demand Management

University Transportation Demand Management

Discover effective campus transportation demand management solutions that generate lasting improvements.

Universities and colleges face a unique set of challenges related to traffic and parking facility management. Campus communities continue to grow and evolve. But building more traffic infrastructure isn’t a viable option in the vast majority of cases. Therefore, administrators need to find practical solutions that encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation. Such alternatives include public transit, walking, cycling, ridesharing, and others.

Campuses that simply introduce vehicle and parking restrictions as a way to manage rising traffic volumes don’t tend to generate the kind of results that lead to lasting solutions. The key to real success is to make smarter transportation options more accessible, convenient, and desirable, especially to students. Thankfully, the good news is that most campuses are already configured to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists.

The field of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) provides an ideal framework for creating such change. Transportation demand management solutions for educational institutions can help administrators get more people to move around campus without their own vehicles by creating awareness and behavior-change programs that are powered by technology.

The RideAmigos software platform offers powerful capabilities to university administrators and end users alike.

With the RideAmigos TDM software platform, university transportation demand management administrators can quickly and easily track trends and data related to campus commuting. Alongside powerful user tools, this data can be used to help guide policy decisions that will have a far-reaching impact. Students, faculty, and staff will enjoy instant access to a complete range of powerful journey planning tools, including:

  • Turn-by-turn directions for pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Multimodal trip planners, including real-time links to local public transit schedules and up-to-the-minute information.
  • Easy-to-use, easy-to-manage carpooling and rideshare matching.
  • Route planners for vehicle-based commuters that will help drivers avoid congested areas, reduce idle time, and arrive at campus on time.

Putting this much information at users’ fingertips makes it far more likely that commuters will make better and more widespread use of smarter, more sustainable transportation. Paired with initiatives like transit pass subsidies or incentive programs, universities can generate results that can reduce vehicular traffic on campuses by as much as 30 percent or more.

Even highly educated faculty members and environmentally conscious student populations will default to solo driving if there aren’t enough options or alternatives available. Choosing the RideAmigos platform to help manage campus transportation needs is a strong step in the right direction. To learn more, please contact us at RideAmigos or sign up to view our free, comprehensive video demonstration.

University TDM Articles