Carpool Incentive Programs:

Implementing Commuter Benefits

as One of the Nation’s

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM

United States Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Air and Radiation 

November 2005 
Carpool Incentive Programs 

Implementing Commuter Benefits 

as One of the Nation’s 

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

u Carpools consist of two or more persons driving together in a privately owned vehicle. At a workplace, 

employees may choose to carpool without any assistance or involvement from the employer; however, carpool incentive programs are a way for employers to encourage employees to carpool. 

u Carpool incentive programs may incorporate a variety of means to encourage employees to carpool. 

Possible incentives include reduced cost or free parking, preferred parking, or reward programs (such as 

prize drawings). 

u Employers can help employees form carpools through rideshare matching, which helps potential carpoolers 

locate others nearby with similar schedules. Regional rideshare organizations in most areas allow interested 

employees to register directly for no cost. Employers can direct their employees to these free services. 

u Employee benefits from carpooling include cost sharing, less wear and tear on vehicles, time savings in 

regions with high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, and the ability to talk, eat, sleep, or read while commuting. The primary employer advantage is the need for fewer parking spaces; other advantages include 

less employee stress and improved productivity. 

u Programs to encourage carpooling, such as rideshare matching services, preferred parking for carpools, 

reduced parking costs for carpools, and commute awards programs qualify as additional commuter benefits under Best Workplaces for CommutersSM. 

1
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

This document is one in a series of briefing papers designed to 

help employers implement commuter benefits to achieve the 

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM designation. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the 

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) have established a 

voluntary National Standard of Excellence for employer-provided commuter benefits. Commuter benefits help American 

workers get to and from work in ways that cut air pollution 

and global warming pollution, improve public health, 

improve employee recruiting and retention, improve employee 

job satisfaction, and reduce expenses and taxes for employers 

and employees. Employers that meet the program-established 

National Standard of Excellence are recognized as Best 

Workplaces for CommutersSM and agree to: 

u Centralize commute options information so that it is easy 

for employees to access and use. 

u Promote the availability of commuter benefits to employees. 

u Provide access to an emergency ride home (ERH) program. 

u Provide one or more of the following primary commuter 

benefits: 

✓ Transit subsidy of at least $30 per month. 

✓ Vanpool subsidy of at least $30 per month. 

✓ Cash in lieu of free parking worth at least $30 per 

month. 

✓ Telework program that reduces commute trips by at 

least 6 percent. 

✓	 Other option proposed by employer and agreed to by 

EPA. These services must reduce the rate at which 

employees drive to work alone and be perceived by 

employees as a significant workplace benefit. 

u Provide three or more of the following additional commuter 

benefits: 

✓	 Active membership in a Transportation Management 

Association (TMA) or participation in a voluntary 

regional air quality management program (e.g., Spare 

the Air, Air Awareness, SEQL, Clean Air Coalition) or 

another employer-based commuter program. 

✓	 Active membership in a local ozone awareness program, in which you agree to notify employees of 

expected poor air quality and suggest ways that they 

might minimize polluting behaviors. 

✓	 Ridesharing or carpool matching, either in-house or 

through a local or regional agency. 

✓ Pre-tax transit benefits.
 

✓ Pre-tax vanpool benefits. 
 

✓ Parking cash out less than $30 per month or less than
 

75 percent of the actual parking benefit. 

✓ Shuttles from transit stations, either employer-provided 

or through a local TMA or similar service provider. 

✓ Provision of intelligent (i.e., real-time) commuting 

information. 

✓ Preferred parking for carpools and vanpools. 

✓ Reduced parking costs for carpools and vanpools. 

✓ Employer-run vanpools or subscription bus programs. 

✓ Employer-assisted vanpools. 

✓ Employer-provided membership in a carsharing program (visit <www.carsharing.net> to learn more). 

✓ Secure bicycle parking, showers, and lockers. 

✓ Electric bicycle recharging stations. 

✓ Employee commuting awards programs. 

✓ Compressed work schedules. 

✓ Telework (less than 6 percent of commute trips on a 

monthly basis). 

✓ Lunchtime shuttle. 

✓ Proximate commute (where employees work at locations closer to their homes). 

✓ Incentives to encourage employees to live closer to 

work. 

✓ Incentives to encourage employees to use alternative 

transportation (e.g., additional vacation time). 

✓ On-site amenities (e.g., convenience mart, dry cleaning, etc.).
 

✓ Concierge services.
 

✓ Other options proposed by employers.
 

u In addition, employers commit to ensuring that within 18 

months of applying, at least 14 percent of commute trips 

are taken using a mode other than driving alone. 

Disclaimer 

SM 

EPA provides this briefing as a service to employers participating 

in the Best Workplaces for Commuters . Information about private service providers is intended for informational purposes and 

does not imply endorsement by EPA or the federal government. 

The information presented here does not constitute official tax 

guidance or a ruling by the U.S. government. Taxpayers are urged 

to consult with the Internal Revenue Service of the U.S. 

Department of Treasury or a tax professional for specific guidance 

related to the federal tax law. 

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Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Contents 

Carpool Incentive Programs: A Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
 

Employer Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Reduced Need for Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Increased Productivity and Morale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Tax Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Employee Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


When Carpool Incentive Programs Make Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Regions with Carpool Lanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4


Employers with Limited Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Employers with Large Numbers of Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Employers in Urban Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Implementation Issues and Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Rideshare Matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Preferred Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Reduced Cost Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Employee Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Potential for Fraud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


Other Incentives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6


Guide to Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6


Employer Questions and Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


How difficult and costly is it to administer the program? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Does the employer decide who pays for gas and insurance, or how frequently each carpooler has to drive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Are there safety concerns in encouraging my employees to share rides with strangers? Are rideshare partners screened? . . . . . . .8


How often must somebody carpool before they become eligible for benefits? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Employer Case Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Ithaca, New York—Cornell University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Atlanta, Georgia—Emory University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9


Beaverton, Oregon—Nike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Services that Support Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Rideshare Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Parking Cash Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Emergency Ride Home Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Park-and-Ride Lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


Associations and Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


Information Clearinghouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


Rideshare Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


Emissions and Transportation Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


References and Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12


Appendix A: Commuter Rideshare Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 


Appendix B: Sample Carpooling Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16


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Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Carpool Incentive

Programs: A Summary 

A carpool is a group of two or more persons who commute 

together in a privately owned vehicle. Employees can and do, 

of course, carpool without any involvement from their 

employer. The focus of this paper is carpool incentive programs, in which employers actively encourage carpooling byand usually among-their employees. 

Carpooling benefits both employer and employee, so many 

companies are interested in increasing carpooling. 

Companies can choose among numerous ways to encourage 

carpooling, including reduced cost or free carpool parking, 

preferred parking, rideshare matching (to identify persons 

leaving near each other), and financial incentives. Regional 

rideshare organizations can assist employees in locating 

potential carpool partners. This relieves the employer of having to match potential ridesharers. 

Employer Benefits 

Employers enjoy several benefits from offering carpool programs. 

Reduced Need for Parking 

Many employers offer carpool incentive programs to reduce 

parking demand. Carpooling helps get employees to work 

without a car, especially where transit is not available. 

Employers can save a substantial amount of money in reducing the number of parking spaces required; one study estimates that annual per-space costs vary between $360 and 

$2,000.1 

Increased Productivity and Morale 

Employees who carpool have less commute-related stress, and 

therefore improved morale and productivity. In regions with 

carpool lanes, carpoolers can avoid congestion, its delays, and 

the congestion-induced unpredictability that interferes with 

scheduling. 

Tax Considerations 

Tax provisions that allow carpool parking costs to be taken as 

a tax-free fringe benefit offer potential financial savings for 

both employers and employees.2 

Parking benefits may be provided tax-free to employees up to 

$205 per month. Tax benefits accrue to businesses and 

employees whether the employer pays for the benefits or the 

employee pays for it through a pre-tax salary deduction. If 

parking costs are less then $205, parking benefits can only 

equal the actual cost of parking. However, any employee who 

drives to work is eligible for these benefits, not just carpoolers. For more detailed information on how pre-tax programs 

work see the briefing paper Commuter Tax Benefits. 

Employee Benefits 

Employees enjoy several benefits from carpooling: 

u Reduced costs. Carpoolers save on gas, depreciation, and 

general wear and tear on their vehicles. 

u Increased personal time. Carpool passengers can read, 

sleep, or converse with other carpoolers, instead of driving. 

u In regions with carpool lanes, reduced commute time 

and costs. These lanes provide not only speed, but often 

more important, reliability, by bypassing congestion. Toll 

routes and bridges often give carpool discounts, and even 

when they do not, the cost is split. 

u Decreased stress. Many drivers find solo commutes in 

heavy traffic stressful. Carpooling lets them arrive at work 

fresh and productive. 

When Carpool Incentive

Programs Make Sense 

Although any employer can encourage carpooling, carpooling 

is more likely to be successful in certain cases. These include 

the following: 

Regions with HOV Lanes 

Some metropolitan regions have extensive carpool lane networks. Carpool lanes—commonly known as high-occupancy 

vehicle (HOV) lanes—are reserved for vehicles with more 

than one occupant. HOV lanes can save drivers substantial 

time over congested regular lanes. In some areas, where carpool lanes are used at toll areas, drivers and passengers enjoy 

not only timesavings but financial savings as well. 

Carpool programs are likely to be more successful where car1 Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Online TDM Encyclopedia, available at www.vtpi.org/tdm. Costs are based on land, construction, and operations costs for 

suburban and urban locations, and for surface, structured, and underground parking. 

2 Employers should review with their tax advisor the tax implications for themselves and their employees. 

4 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

pool lanes exist, because they reward commuters with time 

and sometimes money. Depending on the length of the commute and the amount of congestion bypassed, using the 

HOV lanes may save 15 to 30 minutes each way. 

Employers with Limited Parking 

Many employers with carpool incentive programs have 

implemented them because of parking shortages. 

Encouraging carpooling among employees can effectively 

reduce parking demand while still meeting employees' transportation needs. In extreme cases, employers may impose 

mandatory carpooling. 

Employers with Large Numbers of 

Employees 

Regional rideshare organizations will match employees from 

different employers. But the more employees at the same site, 

the more likely a convenient match can be found. In particular, universities and hospitals often have hundreds or even 

thousands of personnel in a relatively compact setting, and 

many have very successful carpool incentive programs. 

Employers in Urban Settings 

Even a small employer can find potential carpooling partners 

for employees, perhaps through a ridesharing organization, if 

it is located in a downtown or other urban setting. 

Carpooling depends on having either a single destination or 

close destinations, so the higher density the employment setting, the more likely a carpool program is to succeed. 

Implementation Issues

and Costs 

An employer considering a carpool incentive program should 

consider the following issues. 

Rideshare Matching 

One of the most important needs in setting up a carpool 

program is matching potential carpool partners. Outside 

some obvious situations (a married couple who both work 

for the same employer), potential carpoolers may not know 

anybody with whom to carpool. 

Many regions have rideshare programs for which the main 

function is to match potential car- and vanpoolers with 

rideshare partners. See Appendix A for a list of regional 

rideshare programs. 

Some rideshare matching organizations have moved to online 

rideshare matching. For example, the Greater Redmond 

Transportation Management Association, in the Seattle 

region, uses a software product called Ridequest.com. Users 

can log in and receive an instant list of potential ridesharers 

(both car- and vanpool) showing their locations on a map. 

Users can then immediately send e-mails to people on the 

list. 

Preferred Parking 

One workplace incentive for carpoolers is preferred parking. 

Spaces can be designated for either individual carpools or 

rideshares in general. To be effective, designated spaces 

should be those that are most desirable: near building 

entrances, covered, and/or attended. 

Although designated preferred parking areas are most effective where parking demand meets or exceeds supply, even 

employees with abundant parking enjoy parking closer to the 

building. 

Reduced Cost Parking 

Where employers charge for parking, reducing the parking 

cost for carpools encourages carpooling. Although carpools 

will effectively receive reduced cost parking in any case 

because the cost will be shared, employers may wish to 

reduce costs even further, or allow carpools to park free. 

Employee Schedules 

A lack of matching schedules among employees can be a 

major barrier to carpooling. Employees who carpool together 

must generally arrive and depart at the same time, or the carpool will prove inconvenient. (An exception could be if an 

employee carpools one way and takes transit the other way.) 

Senior management can encourage carpooling by requesting 

that supervisors take carpoolers’ needs into account. This 

includes predictable schedules and infrequent requests to 

work overtime. If employees cannot be sure they will be off 

work at a predictable time every day, they will be much less 

likely to carpool. 

Potential for Fraud 

Employers with carpool programs report that employees 

sometimes commit carpool fraud. There are several sources of 

potential fraud, including registration of carpool partners who 

do not actually carpool, self-reporting of carpool trips when 

the driver actually drove alone, and color photocopying of 

carpool passes or tags. Unless parking areas have attended stations, it might be difficult to know if employees who say they 

carpool are actually carpooling. Some measures that employers can take to prevent fraud are annual re-registration of car5
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

poolers, checking carpool registrations against lists of employees who have left, and implementing carpool parking in gated 

or attended parking areas only. Generally, however, employers 

do not report that such fraud is a substantial problem. 

Other Incentives 

In areas where parking is free and plentiful, employers can 

encourage carpooling through prize drawings or other 

rewards. Prize amounts could range from $10 to $25 to $500 

depending on the size of the company and budget. Other 

commuter rewards could include discounts at local merchants or free merchandise (travel mugs, T-shirts, and other 

inexpensive items). One program in southern California has 

coupon books for local restaurants and entertainment specially made to distribute to ridesharers. 

Guide to 

Implementation 

An employer goes through several steps to implement a carpool incentive program. Although these vary from employer 

to employer, the main ones are outlined below. 

1) Determine the potential for carpooling 

The first step an employer takes should be to determine 

whether carpooling will fit employee locations and schedules. 

The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) recommends that employers conduct a Commute Mode Survey 

to determine employees’ current transportation patterns and 

interest in carpooling. The survey should ask about employees’ interest in carpooling, their residential location (the ACT 

sample survey asks for the zip code) as well as whether their 

schedules are regular enough to permit them to carpool. 

For employees who currently drive alone to work, the survey 

should ask what incentives would encourage them to carpool. ACT also points out that more employees will respond 

positively to the idea of carpooling than will actually carpool. 

See ACT's Transportation Demand Tool Kit for a description 

of their Commute Mode Survey. The Tool Kit can be 

ordered at <www.actweb.org>. 

Also, in deciding whether to implement a carpooling program, employers should consider enforcement issues. It is 

easier to enforce carpool regulations in areas with gated or 

attended parking. 

2) Determine possible carpooling incentives 

If the employee survey reveals sufficient interest and potential 

among employees, an employer should next determine what 

incentives should be used to encourage carpooling. As discussed above in Implementation Issues and Costs, incentives 

can include reduced cost or free parking, preferred parking, 

and prizes or discounts. Incentives should be based on particular circumstances at the location; for example, an employer 

located in a downtown location with expensive parking 

might give reduced cost or free parking as an incentive, while 

a suburban employer might rely on prize drawing to motivate carpoolers. In addition, employers with paid parking 

may use parking tax benefits (see Tax Considerations, above). 

If an employer is considering implementing paid parking in 

response to a parking shortage, it might work well to implement a carpooling incentive program at the same time. For 

example, previously free parking might remain free to carpoolers, but cost $50 per month for those driving alone. 

This allows employees to retain the ability to park free, if 

they carpool. 

Acknowledging that carpoolers may occasionally need to 

drive alone to run errands or attend to other personal business during the day, some employers allow registered carpoolers to drive alone from time to time without incurring 

a penalty. 

3) Investigate rideshare options 

Many regions have rideshare organizations that help potential 

car- and vanpoolers locate rideshare partners. These services 

are usually either nonprofit agencies or publicly funded, and 

matching services are generally free to riders. Unlike many 

Transportation Management Associations (TMA), where 

employers must become members before their employees can 

take advantage of their services, rideshare organizations seldom require employers to become involved. 

Using a rideshare organization relieves the employer of having to match potential carpoolers. Because of the complexity 

of matching potential carpoolers and maintaining a database 

of persons interested in carpooling, there are specialized software programs available (see the list at <www.nctr.usf.edu/ 

clearinghouse/ridematching.htm>). Unless the employer is 

relatively large and there is no regional rideshare service available, it is probably easiest to encourage employees to find 

carpool partners through a rideshare organization. A list of 

rideshare organizations can be found in Appendix A. 

Employers may wish to contact the rideshare organization to 

learn more about its operations, so that they can have 

6
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

answers to employees' questions about how rideshare matching works, and to reassure employees that their personal 

information will not be used for other purposes. Because 

many rideshare organizations have online registration, a company with an internal Web site may wish to provide a direct 

link. Employers can also discuss with a rideshare organization 

whether they wish have their employees matched only with 

employees at the same employer, or with employees at other 

nearby employers. 

4) Determine registration and eligibility requirements 

Employees generally have to register with the employer to 

qualify for carpool incentives. The human resources department or employee transportation coordinator should determine procedures, and what information an employee must 

submit. To prevent fraud, most employers ask employees to 

re-register once per year. Registration can be done by written 

form or online at a company web site. 

If there are designated spaces for carpoolers, an employer 

should probably issue some type of identification for those 

vehicles. Employers generally use hangtags (tags that hang 

from the rear view mirror) for this purpose, as decals cannot 

be moved easily from vehicle to vehicle. 

An employer may want to consider whether all employees 

will be eligible to register as carpoolers, or only certain categories. For example, an employer with multiple worksites 

may allow only employees at certain worksites to register as 

carpoolers. Some employers who have high numbers of temporary workers or teleworkers allow only employees who 

work on-site a certain number of hours per week to register. 

Some employers differentiate between carpools by employee 

status and number of passengers. Emory University, for 

example, has three categories of carpools based on these criteria. (See Employer Case Studies.) This allows employers to 

give higher incentives to full-time employees and larger carpools. 

5) Announce and implement the carpooling program 

Once incentives have been determined, employers should 

take the necessary steps to implement the carpooling program. Depending on the nature of the program, steps may 

include the following: 

u Designating and marking carpool spaces in parking areas. 

u Introducing or changing parking fees. 

u Implementing a system for carpoolers to register. 

u Obtaining and distributing hangtags or other vehicle 

identification. 

u Writing a carpool policy that covers eligibility, incentives, 

and penalties for non-compliance. 

Once guidelines and policies are in place, the employer 

should make a formal announcement and encourage employees to register as carpools. The employer should use whatever 

means of internal publicity it normally uses to communicate 

changes in benefits policies to its employees. These may 

include the following: 

u Company orientation for new employees. 

u Advertisements in places seen frequently by employees 

(cafeteria, garage, elevators, etc). 

u Distribution of program brochures. 

u Company newsletters. 

u Voicemail or e-mail broadcast. 

u Special promotional days (example: a "Pool Day" to 

encourage car/vanpooling). 

u Awards or prize drawings to recognize employees using 

transit or carpools. 

u Inserts to paychecks. 

u Company Web site or intranet. 

u "Kick-off " event (which could include representatives 

from rideshare organization). 

6) Monitor and maintain carpool incentive program 

Once implemented, carpool incentive programs should be 

monitored and changed as circumstances require. 

Recommendations for ongoing monitoring include: 

u Annual re-registration of carpoolers to prevent fraud and 

checking carpoolers' names against employment records to 

ensure that all registered employees are still working at the 

worksite claimed. 

u Enforcement of preferred parking and ensuring that there 

is sufficient preferred parking for all registered carpoolers. 

u Frequent updates to the rideshare list, if maintained by 

the employer. 

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Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

u Continued marketing of the incentive program. 

Carpooling is not a “one-time purchase,” but requires 

continued promotion for maximum participation. 

Employer Questions

and Answers 

An employer’s human resources administrator or business 

manager, among others, might ask the following common 

questions when considering a parking cash out program: 

How difficult and costly is it to administer the program? 

It depends on the scope of the program, the number of 

employees, and the type of incentive. A registration-based 

program updated annually would not take much staff time; 

however, maintaining a rideshare database for a large company might be very time-intensive. The cost of financial incentives would be based on current parking costs (i.e., if the 

incentive involves reduced cost or free parking for carpools, 

the company would forego some revenue) or the size of 

prizes or awards. 

Does the employer decide who pays for gas and insurance, or how frequently each carpooler has to drive? 

Generally cost sharing and driving duties are left up to the 

discretion of the carpoolers. Different arrangements work for 

different carpools; for example, some carpoolers may always 

need their car during the day, so they are responsible for all 

the driving, while other carpools rotate drivers. Some carpools are composed of family members, so cost sharing is not 

a major issue. The employer should make clear in the carpool 

guidelines that carpoolers must reach their own arrangements, and that the employer is not responsible for resolving 

disputes. Guidelines should also urge employees to review 

their car insurance policies to ensure that they are adequately 

covered. 

Nike has a carpool program with written guidelines; these 

guidelines are provided in Appendix B as a potential model. 

Are there safety concerns in encouraging my employees to 

share rides with strangers? Are rideshare partners 

screened? 

According to a Transportation Consultant at RIDES for Bay 

Area Commuters, a San Francisco area rideshare organization 

that has been operating since 1977, rideshare matches are not 

screened. Registrants are provided with the neighborhood 

and phone number of potential rideshare partners. RIDES 

encourages potential rideshare matches to speak on the 

phone and/or meet in person to establish both rideshare 

compatibility and to ensure that they feel comfortable with 

each other. RIDES informs registrants that they have not 

screened applicants with a disclaimer on the registration 

form. However, they have not learned of any problems 

between ridesharers more serious than smoker/non-smoker, 

differing tastes in music, or fragrance tolerance. 

How often must somebody carpool before they become 

eligible for benefits? 

Some employers request that only people who carpool two or 

more days per week register, but benefits to employer and 

employee increase with frequency, and many employers feel 

that higher frequencies are worth higher benefits. 

Employer Case Studies 

Employers around the country have implemented carpool 

incentive programs. The following cases describe several 

employer programs. 

Ithaca, New York—Cornell University 

In 1990, Cornell University Commuter and Parking Services 

was investigating its projected need to build as many as 

2,500 additional parking spaces to keep up with increasing 

demand. Instead, the university decided to create incentives 

to get people out of their single-occupancy vehicles. Cornell 

has a total campus population of 30,000, including approximately 9,000 faculty and staff, and only 10,000 parking 

spaces. Cornell determined that based on their nearly universal need to commute, the faculty and staff were the biggest 

burden on the university’s parking system and made them 

the initial focus of the program. 

The university raised its parking fees to create a disincentive 

to driving to campus alone. This change resulted in more 

carpools, with 600 fewer cars being driven to campus each 

day. Currently, Cornell has approximately 1,370 people participating in 625 carpools. The average occupancy is 2.2 people per car. Participants benefit from the program by sharing 

the cost of the parking permit, which is heavily subsidized by 

the university, among the group. In addition, if certain conditions are met, carpools are given a cash rebate each year. 

(www.parking.cornell.edu/tms3_rideshare.html) 

Cornell recognizes the need for people to occasionally bring 

their own cars to campus. Each individual in a registered carpool receives up to two books of 10 one-day parking permits 

per year. Individuals who have child-care or other similar 

responsibilities have the option of obtaining additional 

books. 

8
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Cornell helps to avoid abuse of its carpool program by making each of its commuter benefits programs mutually exclusive from the rest. It is impossible for an employee to sign up 

both for a carpool and a transit pass—and neither can hold 

an individual parking permit. These benefits are only available to benefits-eligible faculty and staff and are funded by 

the university through its employee benefits pool. 

When Commuter and Parking Services originally set up this 

program 15 years ago, they were able to convince the university that, in the long run, it would be far less expensive to 

provide these benefits than it would be to keep up with the 

demand for parking. Cornell estimates its net cost savings, 

after the first 10 years of the program, were approximately 

$36 million. The university continues to spend some money 

on parking, but those expenditures only maintain the number of existing spaces on campus. 

The overall result of all of Cornell’s commuter benefits programs combined is approximately 2,400 fewer cars coming to 

campus each day. In addition, in the last 15 years, Cornell 

estimates that these programs have reduced commuter miles 

by 10 million each year, which results in numerous benefits 

in terms of air quality and traffic congestion. 

Atlanta, Georgia—Emory University 

Emory University, with approximately 12,000 students and 

14,000 faculty and staff, is located on just beyond the city 

limits of Atlanta in unincorporated DeKalb County. Emory’s 

carpool program is administered by the Department of 

Community Services, which includes the Office of 

Alternative Transportation. The university contains a major 

hospital and clinic. 

Emory provides incentives to carpoolers in the form of 

reduced parking rates and in most cases reserved spaces. 

Emory recognizes three categories of carpools, which are 

based on the number of full-time employees registered in the 

carpool. (See table below.) All carpools must register with the 

Parking Office to receive hangtags for the rear view mirror. 

Both university and hospital/clinic employees are eligible to 

participate in carpool programs. Students are also eligible to 

carpool by sharing their hangtag but are not eligible for 

reserved parking spaces. 

Annual parking rates range from under $100 (for hospital 

and clinic employees) to $1,000 for 24-hour reserved faculty 

spaces. Most university employees pay $256 per year. 

Reserved spaces are reserved exclusively for individual vehicles; there are no “carpool only” parking areas in the lots (i.e., 

carpools with non-reserved spaces compete for spaces with 

solo drivers). 

All carpool participants also receive a “Value Pass” hangtag to 

be used in cases where they need to occasionally drive to 

work alone. The Value Pass allows 24 entries per year; additional passes may be purchased for $36. 

Emory advises potential carpoolers to register with the 

regional 1-87RIDEFIND service, a rideshare organization 

run by the Atlanta Regional Commission. 

Emory’s program has been in place approximately 10 years. It 

was begun to alleviate parking congestion on the main campus (employees at other locations do not have carpool incentives). There are currently 473 carpoolers registered in 208 

carpools for an average vehicle occupancy of 2.27 persons. 

The program is publicized through commuter fairs, employee orientation and other events put on by the Clifton 

Corridor Transportation Management Association 

(CCTMA). In addition, the program is promoted as part of 

larger events such as Staff Day. There is also an e-mail listserv 

with 11,000 participants. CCTMA also provides incentives 

such as Starbucks cards and gas cards to carpoolers. 

According to Wanda Teichert, Program Development 

Coordinator with the Alternative Transportation Office, 

there are recurring but mostly minor problems with attemptCarpool Incentive Program 

Requirements at Emory Uinversity 

Number/Type 

of Employees 

2PT 

Carpool

Category 

1 

Parking

Cost 

$100/year 

Reserved 

Space? 

No 

1FT 1PT 

2FT 2 $100/year Yes 

2FT 1PT 

3FT* 3 Free Yes 

3FT 1PT 

ed cheating. She mentioned that the best safeguard is a gated 

parking lot; the hangtags issued to carpoolers are barcoded to 

allow entry. She said that another problem is invalid registrations (generally persons who work at other facilities). To help 

prevent this, they require all carpools to re-register annually, 

so they can check carpoolers’ names against current employment records. Several people caught cheating have been 

banned from the carpool program. Emory has in the past terminated employees for transit benefits program fraud, but so 

far that has not occurred in the carpool program. 

*applies to all carpool groups of 3 or more, including vanpools. 

9 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Beaverton, Oregon—Nike 

Nike, a sports and fitness company headquartered in suburban Portland, has an extensive commuting program that 

includes two types of carpooling incentives. Carpools have 

reserved parking areas until 10 AM, and carpoolers are eligible, along with all other non-single occupant vehicle commuters, for monthly and quarterly prize drawings. 

According to Linda Bainbridge, Nike’s Employee 

Transportation Coordinator, carpoolers previously received 

“Nike Bucks,” vouchers that could be used to purchase food, 

merchandise, or other onsite services, every time they arrived 

in a carpool at the main campus. However, this program 

proved to be too expensive, so in 1998 it was replaced with 

the prize drawings. Under the Nike Bucks program, Nike 

spent approximately $250,000 a year on commuter incentives; currently, they spend $15,000. Prizes are gift certificates ranging in value from $20 to $100 for the employee 

store or local retailers. 

Carpoolers do not register with the company in advance. 

Rather, carpoolers receive a hangtag from the security guard 

at the main gate to place in their car for the day that allows 

them to park in the reserved carpool areas. The Nike campus 

consists 16 buildings, and there are approximately 30 to 40 

spaces reserved for carpools scattered throughout the campus 

at different buildings. 

An application that allows participants to register their commute trips online was developed in-house. This application 

includes a carpool matchlist that participants can choose to 

be added to if they want. This application also allows Ms. 

Bainbridge to track participation rates, conduct prize drawings, send out reminder emails and track the environmental 

impact of the program. Information about setting up a carpool is available on the internal Web site. 

Because there is no pre-registration, Ms. Bainbridge tracks 

participation through registration for prize drawings. Anyone 

who does not drive alone to work during a given week is eligible to register for the prize drawings. When they register 

online for the prize drawing, commuters list the number of 

times they used a particular transportation mode during the 

week. These figures form the basis for reporting mode splits 

under Oregon's trip reduction mandate. Ms. Bainbridge said 

that in an average week there are 400 trips made by carpool, 

meaning that at least 800 people carpooled. The campus has 

4,200 employees; there are another 2,000 employees in the 

metropolitan area. Although employees at any facility can 

register for the prize-drawing if they carpool, only one other 

facility has reserved parking. 

An internal Web site provides a wealth of information for 

carpoolers as well as all commuters. The latest addition to the 

Web site is a Just For Fun page. Included on this page is a 

question of the month to stimulate conversation among carpool partners. Responses to the question are posted on the 

website. The goal is to add some fun to the daily commute. 

Services that Support 

Implementation 

Rideshare Organizations 

Many regions have rideshare organizations whose primary 

function is to maintain databases of potential carpoolers. 

Because of both the difficulty of keeping this type of database updated, and the fact that many employers do not have 

sufficiently high numbers of employees to make many carpool matches, a regional rideshare service is an excellent way 

to find carpool partners for employees. Appendix A lists 

major regional programs. 

Parking Cash Out 

Parking cash out is an arrangement in which an employer 

offers employees cash in lieu of a parking space. One study 

of parking cash out (Shoup,1997) showed that carpooling at 

eight companies increased from 14 to 23 percent when parking cash out was implemented. Unless other incentives are 

implemented, it is difficult to convince employees not to 

drive alone when parking is free and plentiful. 

Emergency Ride Home Programs 

A barrier preventing some employees from carpooling is the 

fear that they will not be able to get home quickly in the 

event of an emergency, such as picking up a sick child from 

school, or working unscheduled overtime. Emergency ride 

home (ERH) programs provide commuters who regularly 

carpool, vanpool, bike, walk, or take transit to work with a 

reliable ride home when an unexpected emergency arises. 

ERH programs are designed to rescue commuters who are 

worried about how they'll get home in the event of an emergency. Knowing there is a ride home in an emergency gives 

many people the security to carpool. ERH programs may be 

established by individual employers. Usually the employer 

will pay for a taxi or rental car home in the case that an 

employee who is a carpool passenger has to leave in the middle of the day, or the carpool driver is for some reason 

unavailable. Some MPOs and local governments have also 

established regional or countywide ERH programs for 

employees that register for the program. ERH tends to be a 

10
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

low-cost way to encourage carpool use, especially if a company only fills in coverage for areas not covered under a broader regional program. For example, a regional transit agency 

may provide an emergency ride home for monthly passholders, so a company would have to provide ERH only for carpoolers. Provision of ERH is a requirement of participation 

in Best Workplaces for CommutersSM. See the separate ERH 

briefing paper for further information. 

Park-and-Ride Lots 

For potential carpool partners who do not live in immediate 

proximity to each other, a park-and-ride lot may be a good 

meeting place. The availability of park-and-ride lots may 

encourage carpool drivers who would otherwise be inconvenienced by picking up and dropping off passengers at their 

homes. 

Associations 

and Contacts 

This section provides information on contacts that EPA and 

regional, state, and local governments might wish to utilize 

for expertise in understanding, promoting, or providing technical information on carpool incentive programs. 

Information Clearinghouses 

Association for Commuter Transportation 

1401 Peachtree Street, Suite 440 

Atlanta, GA 30309 

Tel: 678-916-4940 

Fax: 678-244-4151 

Act@act-hq.com 

www.ACTweb.org 

The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) is a 

membership organization that promotes commuter choice 

and transportation demand management. It sponsors annual 

conferences on commuting, and publishes educational materials for employers. 

National Transportation Demand Management 

(TDM) and Telework Clearinghouse 

National Center for Transit Research 

University of South Florida 

4202 E. Fowler Avenue 

CUT100 

Tampa, FL 33620-5375 

Tel: 813-974-3120 

www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse 

The National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse is a compendium of research and information on transportation 

demand management (TDM). TDM refers to a set of programs and policies designed to make the best use of existing 

transportation resources without additional infrastructure 

investment. Much of the Clearinghouse information is available electronically. The web site contains information for 

employers interested in establishing trip reduction programs. 

Rideshare Organizations 

As discussed above, there are rideshare organizations in many 

regions. If an area is not listed in Appendix A, the MPO for 

the region may offer more assistance on locating rideshare 

programs. The appropriate MPO can be located through the 

Association for Metropolitan Planning Organizations (202-

457-0710 x19); a list of MPOs with Web pages is available at 

<www.ampo.org/mposnet_old.html>. 

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

For more information on Best Workplaces for CommutersSM, 

contact the BWC information request line at (888) 856-

3131, or visit <www.bwc.gov>. 

Emissions and 

Transportation Benefits 

Carpooling reduces travel and emissions compared to driving 

alone. Employees get to work with fewer separate vehicle trips, 

thereby reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. 

Nationally, about 12 percent of employees commuted to 

work in carpools, according to the Journey to Work survey 

in the 2000 census; these are the most recent national figures available. 

Companies that implement programs to support ridesharing 

can expect increases in the portion of employees who choose 

to carpool. According to EPA’s Commuter Model, which 

draws relationships from actual case studies of employer-based 

programs, companies that implement in-house carpool matching services along with carpool information activities, and a 

part-time transportation coordinator, can expect about a four 

to ten percent increase in the number of employees carpooling. 

Employers that also provide preferential parking for carpoolers, 

flexible work schedules (to accommodate carpools), and a fulltime transportation coordinator might expect an increase of up 

to 20 percent in the number of employees carpooling. 

Employers who institute financial incentives for carpooling 

(such as greatly reduced parking rates) may find even greater 

increases in the number of carpoolers. 

11
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

References and 

Publications 

Federal Transit Administration. No date. Parking Supply 

Management. Available at www.fta.dot.gov/library/planning/ 

tdmstatus/FTAPRKSP.HTM 

Odekirk, L. 2001. Personal communication. Telephone conversations between Linda Odekirk, Employee Transportation 

Coordinator, Nike, and Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, April 6, 

2001. 

Shoup, D. 1997. Evaluating the Effects of Parking Cash Out: 

Eight Case Studies, Sacramento: California Environmental 

Protection Agency. 

Teichert, W. 2001. Personal communication. Telephone conversation between Wanda Teichert, Program Development 

Coordinator, Alternative Transportation Office, Emory 

University, and Liisa Ecola of ICF Consulting, April 4, 2001. 

12
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Appendix A: Commuter Rideshare Programs 

The table below lists some of the third-party commuter rideshare programs in the country. Employers located in areas not 

listed below should contact the MPO for their region to determine if others exist. 

Location Sponsoring 

Agency Type of Agency Contact Info Web Site 

Atlanta, GA Commuter Rideshare sponsored 87-RIDEFIND www.commuteconnections.com 

Connections byAtlanta Regional 

Commission 

Albany, NY Capital District 

CommuterRegister 

Rideshare 518-458-2164 www.commuter-register.org 

Augusta, ME Go Augusta Rideshare 800-280-RIDE www.goaugusta.org 

Birmingham, AL CommuteSmart 

Rideshare 

Rideshare 800-826-RIDE www.commutesmartrideshare.com 

Contra Costa Contra Costa Public consortium 510-215-3035 www.traks.org/incentive/ 

County, CA CountyCommute guarantee/incentive.html 

AlternativeNetwork 

Denver, CO Ride Arrangers Rideshare sponsored by 

Denver Regional 

Council of 

303-455-1000 www.drcog.org/ridearrangers/ 

Governments 

Detroit, MI Southeast Michigan Council of 313-961-4266 www.semcog.org/index.html 

Council of Governments 

Governments 

Houston, TX METROVan Rideshare 713-224-RIDE www.hou-metro.harris.tx.us/ 

METVAN.HTM 

13
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Location Sponsoring 

Agency Type of Agency Contact Info Web Site 

Kansas City, MO Mid-America 

Regional Council 

Rideshare 816/842-RIDE rideshare.marc.org 

Las Vegas, NV Regional MPO 702-228-RIDE www.catride.com/catmatch/ 

Transportation 

Commission 

Long Island, NY Long Island 

RideSharing 

Rideshare 631-737-CARS www.737cars.com 

Miami, FL South Florida 

Commuter Services 

Rideshare 800-234-RIDE www.commuterservices.com/sf/ 

Minneapolis/St. Paul, 

MN 

Metro Council MPO/Transit Agency 651-602-1602 www.metrocommuterservices. 

org/index.asp 

Morris County, NJ TransOptions Rideshare 973-267-7600 www.transoptions.org 

Nashville, TN Regional MPO/Transit Agency 615-862-8833 www.rta-ride.org/ridehome/ 

Transportation ridepolicy.htm 

Authority 

New Hampshire New Hampshire 

DOT 

State Department of 

Transportation 

800-462-8707 www.state.nh.us/dot/rideshare 

New Haven, CT Rideworks Rideshare 800-ALL-RIDE www.rideworks.com 

New York, NY Commuter Link Rideshare 718-886-1343 www.commuterlink.com 

Phoenix, AZ Valley Metro Transit Agency 602-262-7242 www.valleymetro.maricopa.gov 

Portland, ME RideShare Rideshare 800-280-RIDE www.ridesharemaine.org 

Rhode Island Rhode Island Public 

Transit Authority 

Transit Agency 888-88-RIPTA www.ripta.com 

14
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Location Sponsoring 

Agency Type of Agency Contact Info Web Site 

San Diego, CA San Diego Commute Rideshare sponsored by 800-COMMUTE www.sdcommute.com/ 

San Diego Association van_pool.html 

of Governments 

San Francisco Bay 

Area, CA 

RIDES for Bay Area 

Commuters 

Rideshare 800-755-POOL www.rides.org 

San Mateo County, 

CA 

Peninsula Traffic 

Congestion Relief 

Alliance 

Public/non-profit Joint 

Powers Association 

650-994-7924 www.commute.org 

Seattle, WA Metro Rideshare 

Operations 

County 206-625-4500 transit.metrokc.gov/van-car/ 

vancar.html 

Stamford, CT Metropool Rideshare 800-346-3743 www.metropool.com 

Tallahassee, FL Commuter Services 

of North Florida 

Rideshare 973-267-7600 tmi.cob.fsu.edu/commute/ 

Tampa, FL Bay Area Commuter 

Services 

Rideshare 813.282.8200 www.tampabayrideshare.org 

Vermont Vermont Public 

Transit Authority 

Transit Agency 800-685-RIDE www.vpta.net 

Vermont and Upper Valley Rideshare 802-295-1824 www.uppervalleyrideshare.com 

NewHampshire Rideshare //uvrs.grh.html 

Washington, DC Commuter 

Connections 

MPO 800-745-RIDE www.mwcog.org/commuter 

Windsor, CT The RideShare 

Company 

Rideshare 800-972-3279 www.rideshare.com 

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Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Appendix B:

Sample Carpooling

Guidelines 

The following guidelines are provided by Linda Bainbridge, 

Employee Transportation Coordinator for Nike. 

Guidelines for Carpooling 

It is important for prospective carpoolers to meet under comfortable conditions to determine the feasibility of ridesharing. 

As you make contact with potential rideshare partners, suggest a meeting on common ground to discuss compatibility. 

Invite several people to the meeting. If all the schedulers and 

pickup points do not mesh, perhaps more than one pool is a 

possibility. 

When a compatible group is formed, the following should be 

discussed and all members should agree to: 

u Select the route or routes the carpool will take to and 

from work and designate pickup points which may be at 

each member’s home or at a common meeting point such 

as a park-and-ride lot. 

u Determine the morning arrival and afternoon departure 

times based on compatible work schedules. Allow extra 

time for the occasional traffic tie-up or other unforeseen 

events. 

u Choose the departure locations at work where carpool 

members will gather for the drive home. 

u Determine who is going to drive. Will some or all of the 

carpool members share driving responsibilities by alternating on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Or will they 

select a designated driver? 

u Calculate commuting costs to determine the amount nondrivers will pay to cover the expenses of the driver(s). This 

normally can be determined by multiplying the daily 

round-trip miles by the drivers cost per mile and dividing 

the total by the number of carpool members. Some carpools simply cover gas expenses. Set regular payment 

dates. 

u Determine which days of the week each person will carpool. While many carpools are five days a week, many 

other carpools operate quite well on a part time basis. To 

accommodate individual needs some full time carpools 

include a part time member(s). Be creative. 

u Create communication lines between pool members so 

that an agreed upon alternative plan can be rapidly implemented in case of illness or other problems. Make certain 

that all members of the pool have exchanged phone numbers. Also appoint a Carpool Captain responsible for 

maintaining these communications. 

Once these logistical details have been arranged, it is important that a frank and friendly discussion take place regarding 

the "rules of the road." By establishing these understandings 

ahead of time, a carpool is far less likely to experience social 

friction. Issues to be covered and recommended rules to 

establish include the following: 

u The first rule is to agree to have rules. 

u Agree to be on time. Depending on the length of the 

commute, most carpools allow two to five minutes for a 

late passenger, but some reach an understanding not to 

wait. 

u Detours for personal errands, such a picking up a carton 

of milk on the way home, should be avoided. 

u Establish a smoking policy. Smoking should not be 

allowed unless everyone in the carpool is a smoker or 

everyone agrees that smoking is acceptable. 

u Take a vote about the radio. On or off? Music or news? 

Classical, top 40, rock, progressive rock, country, or whatever? 

u Agree on do’s and don’ts concerning personal habits, such 

as reading, talking, and eating in the car. 

u Driver responsibilities include keeping the vehicle clean, 

in good working condition, and adequately fueled for the 

round-trip commute. Naturally he or she is also responsible for driving safely and for maintaining adequate auto 

insurance. 

Once these initial arrangements have been made, the carpool 

should be ready for a trial period. 

Make sure all the members of the fledgling carpool agree to 

give it time to work. A four-week shakedown cruise is normally necessary to get it all running smoothly. 

16
 
Carpool Incentive Programs: Implementing Commuter Benefits as One of the Nation’s Best Workplaces for CommutersSM 

Ordering Acknowledgements 

This publication may be ordered from the National Service This document was prepared for EPA’s Office of 

Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at: Transportation and Air Quality under contract 68-W6-0029 

by ICF Consulting and updated by Eastern Research Group U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under contract GS-10F-0125P. 

NSCEP 

P.O. Box 42419 We would like to thank the various reviewers who provided
 

Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419 comments and feedback on the document.
 

Phone: (800) 490-9198, Fax: (513) 489-8695
 

For More Information 

This guidance document and other information about 

Best Workplaces for CommutersSM, are available at 

<www.bwc.gov> or by calling the BWC information request 

line at (888) 856-3131. 

17
 
EPA 420-S-01-004

Updated November 2005