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What is a TMA / TMO?

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What is a Transportation Management Association (TMA) /
Transportation Management Organization (TMO)?

A transportation management association (TMA), sometimes known as a transportation management organization (TMO), is an administrative body designed to manage the transportation needs of a particular venue, district, or community. In most cases, TMAs are non-profit organizations, and they are usually controlled by members.

Most TMAs also use partnership models that combine private investment with public resources, thus casting a wider net of stakeholders.

TMAs operate on various scales, with larger-scale organizations holding jurisdiction over entire cities or regions, and smaller-scale associations governing the transportation needs of medical facilities, shopping centers, business districts, or industrial zones, among others. They play an important part in shaping and implementing transportation demand management (TDM) programs with specific objectives that typically include:

  • Single occupancy vehicle (SOV) commuter trip reductions
  • More efficient allocation of parking resources
  • Reducing peak-period traffic levels
  • Shifting traffic to off-peak periods
  • Promoting alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles
  • Improving transportation accessibility and system performance

Member-controlled transportation management organizations are more responsive than most government-run TDM initiatives, since they are not encumbered by administrative red tape and can implement new policies with greater speed and flexibility. They also play a key role in supporting smart growth initiatives and land-use patterns that conform to the mixed-use models being favored by a large number of forward-looking municipalities.

The RideAmigos commuter management platform is an ideal tool for TMA’s

The RideAmigos platform is a valuable ally to TMAs of all sizes, thanks to its proven ability to make smarter modes of transportation more accessible to a broader base of users. Transportation management organizations around the world are now using the groundbreaking RideAmigos TDM software package to:

  • Access network and reporting tools that provide an excellent basis for policy creation and implementation
  • Bring a broader range of sustainable transportation options to a larger number of community members
  • Generate meaningful statistical insights into network-specific transportation patterns
  • Manage parking demand
  • Reduce vehicular traffic during peak periods
  • Create and distribute commuter surveys that help program managers better understand the needs and desires of commuters and travelers

RideAmigos is specifically designed to address the TDM needs of organizations operating in both the public and private sectors, and it has become an indispensable tool for businesses, government agencies, and TMAs across the US.

Do you help run a TMA or TMO that could use a more efficient system for managing your programs and shifting commuter behavior? Get started with RideAmigos today to learn how we can help maximize your impact.

Alternatives to More Parking

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Seeking alternatives to more parking?

Try strategies that get commuters out of single-occupancy vehicles.

Soaring parking demand often puts transportation managers in a difficult spot. In many cases, it isn’t physically possible to add more parking spots. This forces businesses and organizations to consider inconvenient alternatives like offsite parking. Even when it is possible to add more parking spots, doing so is almost always a costly proposition that isn’t likely to generate positive returns in the long run. Thankfully, there are some great alternatives to more parking that can both save money and reduce corporate environmental impact.

The best alternatives to adding more parking are those that get people out of single-occupancy vehicles and into smarter options for getting where they need to go. Here’s a look at the most popular options, along with ways to encourage commuters to use them:

  • Rideshares and carpools: Smart, location-aware ridesharing programs help interested commuters connect and make arrangements to share costs and driving duties.
  • Vanpool programs: Set up vanpool shuttles that link major regional transit hubs to your offices or work sites.
  • Bike to work: Provide bike commuters with route guidance, bikepool buddies, and resources like secure racks, lockers, showers, and “guaranteed ride home” options for stormy weather and unexpected emergencies.
  • Public transportation: Offer free or subsidized transit passes to get people to using buses, subways, and regional light rail trains instead of driving.

Incentive programs that track commuter usage of smart alternatives and reward individuals or groups are also a great way to get people out of their cars and into smarter options.

Of all the available alternatives to more parking, reducing demand is the best. Here’s the most effective strategy:

Parking cash-out programs are a proven method for reducing demand, making them one of the best alternatives to more parking. In a nutshell, these programs offer employees a choice: hang onto your parking spot, or take a weekly/monthly cash payout that represents the amount of money the business pays to rent or maintain the spot.

The reason it works is simple: it makes commuters feel as though they’re giving something up by continuing to drive to work and use a parking spot. When combined with other commuter management strategies, like rideshare matching, incentive programs, and subsidized transit passes, parking cash-outs are even more effective.

The revolutionary RideAmigos commuter management software platform is a great investment for businesses looking to change commuter behavior and cut the soaring costs associated with parking rentals and ownership. Get your organization moving in the right direction – contact RideAmigos today!

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University & School Transportation

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University and school transportation management poses a complex set of challenges that demand flexible solutions

Universities, colleges, and schools present a distinct and complicated set of transportation demand management (TDM) challenges. Safety and accessibility are among the major focuses of university and school TDM initiatives, but finding dynamic solutions without the right tools is not an easy undertaking. The larger a school is, the more difficult transportation management becomes.

School communities can be broadly divided into two groups: students, and faculty/staff. Students often have differing schedules, especially at the postsecondary level. This makes inflexible, one-size-fits-all approaches to TDM impractical and ineffective. Faculty and staff members tend to work more standardized hours, but limitations on available parking spaces can lead to logistical headaches.

With students coming and going at differing hours, peak traffic levels can be difficult to predict, and they often change from one semester to another. At the same time, creating an equitable distribution system for parking passes can be very problematic. Both students and faculty/staff need access to a broad range of flexible transportation options that cut down on the amount of vehicular traffic on campus while reducing demand for limited parking. This is where TDM software like RideAmigos can be a big help.

RideAmigos offers comprehensive university and school transportation demand management tools

From the perspective of the end user, the RideAmigos platform is an extremely valuable tool for planning commutes to and from campus. The platform’s multi-mode trip planner gives users instant access to a wealth of options and information, enabling them to plan and save journeys using a combination of public transit, walking, cycling, ridesharing and carpooling, vanpooling, and more. Faculty, staff, and students all benefit. On-campus traffic is reduced, demand for parking diminishes, and school facilities remain completely accessible.

Network managers and administrators can also create highly effective TDM campaigns that meet the distinct needs of each sub-group. The RideAmigos platform has advanced network creation and management tools. These tools allow administrators to create specific subnetworks that can be arranged by user group, department, campus, or any other criteria that makes sense for your school community. Unique programs, challenges, and publicity campaigns can be distributed on a network-by-network basis, allowing administrators to reach targeted groups of users while having immediate access to a comprehensive suite of data collection, reporting, and analysis tools.

RideAmigos has already helped a long and growing list of school communities address their commuter transportation needs. To learn more about how RideAmigos can benefit your campus, please contact us today.