CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

: APPENDIX B: SAMPLE CARPOOLING GUIDELINES.

The following guidelines are provided by Linda Odekirk, 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:

e 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.

e Determine the morning arrival and afternoon departure times based on compatible work sched-
ules, Allow extra time for the occasional traffic tie-up or other unforeseen events.

Choose the departure locations at work where carpool members will gather for the drive home.
Determine who is going to drive. Will some or all of the carpool members share driving responsi-
bilities by alternating on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Or will they select a designated driver?

© Calculate commuting costs to determine the amount non-drivers 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 sim-
ply cover gas expenses. Set regular payment dates.

e 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.

© 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:

e The first rule is to agree to have rules.

e 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.

e Detours for personal errands, such a picking up a carton of milk on the way home, should be avoided.

e Establish a smoking policy. Smoking should not be allowed unless everyone in the carpool is a
smoker or everyone agrees that smoking is OK.

14



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

Emory has in the past terminated employees for
transit benefits program fraud, but so far that has
not occurred in the carpool program.

Beaverton, Oregon - Nike

Nike, a footwear manufacturer headquartered in
suburban Portland, has an extensive commuting
program that includes two types of carpooling
incentives. First, carpools have reserved parking
areas until 10 AM. Second, carpoolers are eligi-
ble, along with all other non-single occupant
vehicle commuters, for monthly and quarterly
prize drawings.

According to Linda Odekirk, Nike's Employee
Transportation Coordinator, carpoolers previously
received "Nike Bucks," vouchers that could be
used to purchase food, merchandise, or other on-
site services, every time they arrived in a carpool
at the main campus. However, this program
proved to be too expensive, so three years ago 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 $41,000. (Of that $41,000, $23,000 is
spent in the Portland area; the rest is used for
commute incentives in other locations.) Prizes
range from gift certificates in increments of $25,
$50, of $100 for company store or local retailers
to $400 for mountain bike purchase or "get-
away" weekends.

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 of a number of buildings, and there are
approximately 30 to 40 spaces reserved for car-
pools scattered throughout the campus at different
buildings.)

Carpoolers can find matches through in-house
computerized matching. Ms. Odekirk described
maintaining the rideshare list as an "administra-

tive nightmare," because of the difficulty of keeping
the list updated. Portland is in the process of
implementing a regional rideshare program and
she hopes to transfer the matching function to
that program once it is implemented. Ms. Odekirk
said that most carpools form via word of mouth,
not through the rideshare list.

Because there is no registration, Ms. Odekirk
tracks participation through registration for prize
drawings. Anyone who uses a non-single occu-
pant vehicle commute mode 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 mode during the week. These figures
form the basis for reporting mode splits under
Oregon's trip reduction mandate. Ms. Odekirk
said that in an average week there are 400 trips
made by carpool, meaning that at least 800 people
carpooled. The campus has 4,000 employees;
there are another 1,100 employees in the metro-
politan area. (Although employees at any facility
can register for the prize drawing if they carpool,
only one other facility has reserved parking.)

Ms. Odekirk thought there was more potential for
fraud under the Nike Bucks program. Under that
program, commuters received Nike Bucks vouchers
from the security guard when they arrived at
work. However, off-campus employees did not
have to pass a security guard, so they requested
vouchers from a receptionist, who could not verify
if they had carpooled. Although there may be
some fraud under the current program, because
commuting behavior is self-reported and not veri-
fied, she thinks the fact that participants are only
registering for a chance to win, not receiving
guaranteed benefits, mitigates against fraud.



ORDERING

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For More INFORMATION

This guidance document and other information about the Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative are available
at www.commuterchoice.gov or by calling the Commuter Choice voicemail request line at (888) 856-3131.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This document was prepared for EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality under contract 68-W6-0029,
by Michael Grant and Liisa Ecola of ICF Consulting, 9300 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031, (703) 934-3000.

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ComMuUTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits

Disclaimer

EPA provides this briefing as a service to employers participating in the CCLI. 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.



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

e Take a vote about the radio. On or off? Music or news? Classical, top 40, rock, progressive rock,
country, or whatever?

e Agree on do's and don'ts concerning personal habits, such as reading, talking, and eating in the car.

e Driver responsibilities include keeping the vehicle clean, in good working condition, and ade-
quately fueled for the round-trip commute. Naturally he or she is also responsible for driv-
ing 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.

15





CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

EAPPENDIX 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 Website?
Atlanta, GA. ‘Commuter Connections Rideshare sponsored by 87-RIDEFIND ‘www.commuteconnections.com
Atlanta Regional
Commission
Albany, NY Capital District Commuter | Rideshare 518-458-2164 www.commuterregisterorg
Register
Augusta, ME Go Augusta Rideshare 800-280-RIDE www. goaugusta.org
Birmingham, AL CommuteSmart Rideshare | Rideshare 800-826-RIDE www-commutesmartrideshare.com
Boston and Massachusetts | CARAVAN for Commuters | Rideshare 888-4-COMMUTE ‘www.commute.com
‘Contra Costa County, CA | Contra Costa County Public consortium 510-215-3035 ‘wwwdtraks.org/incentive/guar-
Commute Alternative antee/incentive.html
Network
Denver, CO Ride Arrangers Rideshare sponsored by 303-455-1000 www.dreog.org/tidearrangers
Denver Regional Council
of Governments
Detroit, MI Southeast Michigan Council of Governments 313-961-4266 ‘wwwsemcog.org/index.html
Council of Governments
Houston, TX METROVan Rideshare 713-224-RIDE www.hou-metro.haris.tc.us/
METVAN.HIM
Kansas City, MO Mid-America Regional Rideshare 816/842-RIDE rideshare.mare.org
Council
Las Vegas, NV Regional Transportation | MPO 702-228-RIDE wwweatride.com/catmateh/
Commission
Long Island, NY Long Island RideSharing | ‘Rideshare 631-737-CARS www.737ears.com
Miami, FL. South Florida Commuter Rideshare 800-234-RIDE www.commuterservices.com/sf
Services
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN | Metro Council MPO/ Transit Agency 651-602-1602 www.netrocommuterservices.o
rp/index.asp
Morris County, NJ ‘TransOptions Rideshare 973-267-7600 wwwaransoptions.ong
Nashville, TN Regional Transportation | MPO/ Transit Agency 615-862-8833 wwwata-tide.org/tidehome/
Authority ridepolioy.htm
New Hampshire NewHampshire DOT State Department of 800-462-8707 wwwestate.nh.us/dot/rideshare
‘Transportation
{New Haven, CT Rideworks Rideshare 800-ALL-RIDE wwwrideworks.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 Agency 888-88-RIPTA wwwripta.com
Transit Authority

12



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

1) Determine the potential for carpooling

The first step an employer takes should be to deter-
mine whether carpooling will fit employee loca-
tions 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, incen-
tives can include reduced cost or free parking,
preferred parking, and prizes or discounts.
Incentives should be based on particular circum-
stances 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 car-
poolers, 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 non-
profit 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 rela-
tively 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 organi-
zations 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 answers to employees’
questions about how rideshare matching works,



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

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
by-and usually among-their employees.
Carpooling benefits both employer and employee,
so many companies are interested in increasing
carpooling. Companies can choose among numer-
ous 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.

Employers enjoy several benefits from offering
carpool programs.

Reduced Need for Parking

Many employers offer carpool incentive pro-
grams to reduce parking demand. Carpooling
helps get employees to work without a car, espe-
cially where transit is not available. Employers
can save a substantial amount of money in reduc-
ing the number of parking spaces required; one
study estimates that annual per-space costs vary
between $250 and $2,100."

! Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Online TDM

Encyclopedia, available at www.vtpi.org/tdm. Costs are
based on land, construction, and operations costs for sub-

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

Increased Productivity and Morale

Employees who carpool have less commute-related
stress, and therefore improved morale and pro-
ductivity. In regions with carpool lanes, carpoolers
can avoid congestion, its delays, and the conges-
tion-induced unpredictability that interferes with
scheduling.

Tax provisions that allow carpool parking costs to
be taken as a tax-free fringe benefit offer poten-
tial financial savings for both employers and
employees.”

Parking benefits may be provided tax-free to
employees up to $180 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 $180, 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 pro-
grams work see the briefing paper Commuter Tax
Benefits.

Employees enjoy several benefits from carpooling:

e Reduced costs. Carpoolers save on gas,
depreciation, and general wear and tear on
their vehicles.

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



CCLE: Carpool Incentive Programs

FTable « of Contents

CARPOOL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS: A
SUMMARY ...

EMPLOYER BENEFITS.....

REDUCED NEED FOR PARKING.
INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY AND MORALE.

TAX CONSIDERATIONS...
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

WHEN CARPOOL INCENTIVE PROGRAMS
MAKE SENSE oes
REGIONS WITH CARPOOL LANES ..
EMPLOYERS WITH LIMITED PARKING.
EMPLOYERS WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF
EMPLOYEES ..
EMPLOYERS IN URBAN SETTINGS.

IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES AND COSTS
RIDESHARE MATCHING ..
PREFERRED PARKING
REDUCED COST PARKIN‘
EMPLOYEE SCHEDULES..
POTENTIAL FOR FRAUD..
OTHER INCENTIVES...

GUIDE TO IMPLEMENTATION...

EMPLOYER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS..

QUESTION: HOW DIFFICULT - AND COSTLY - IS IT TO
ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM?

QUESTION: DOES THE EMPLOYER DECIDE WHO PAYS

SERVICES THAT SUPPORT
IMPLEMENTATION...

RIDESHARE ORGANIZATIONS
PARKING CASH OUT.....

GUARANTEED RIDE HOME PROGRAMS
PARK-AND-RIDE LOTS ....

ASSOCIATIONS AND CONTACTS

INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSES
RIDESHARE ORGANIZATIONS ....

EMISSIONS AND TRANSPORTATION
BENEFITS..

REFERENCES AND PUBLICATIONS

APPENDIX A: COMMUTER RIDESHARE
PROGRAMS...

APPENDIX B: SAMPLE CARPOOLING
GUIDELINES.

FOR GAS AND INSURANCE, OR HOW FREQUENTLY EACH
CARPOOLER HAS TO DRIVE? ..... 6

QUESTION: WHILE IT'S ONE THING FOR MY EMPLOYEES
TO SHARE RIDES, I WORRY THAT THERE MAY BE SAFE-
TY CONCERNS IN ENCOURAGING MY EMPLOYEES TO
SHARE RIDES WITH STRANGERS. ARE RIDESHARE

PARTNERS SCREENED?.... 6

QUESTION: HOW OFTEN MUST SOMEBODY CARPOOL
BEFORE THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS? ......’ 7

EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES...

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - EMORY UNIVERSITY
BEAVERTON, OREGON - NIKE.....



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

Location Sponsoring Agency ‘Type of Agency Contact Info Website?
San Diego, CA San Diego Commute Rideshare sponsored by 800-COMMUTE www.sdcommute.com/van_poo
San Diego Association of html
Governments
San Francisco Bay Area, | RIDES for Bay Area Rideshare 800-755-POOL wwwarides.ong
cA Commuters
San Mateo County, CA _| Peninsula Traffic Public/non-profit Joint 650-994-7924 www.commute.ong,
Congestion Relief Powers Association
Alliance
Seattle, WA. Metro Rideshare County 206-625-4500 transitmetroke gov/van-car/van-
Operations carhtm!
Stamford, CT Metropool Rideshare 800-346-3743 www.mettopool.com
Tallahassee, FL Commuter Services of Rideshare 888-454-RIDE ‘tmi.cob.fsu.edu/commuteltt
North Florida
Tampa, FL Bay Area Commuter Rideshare 813.282.8200 www.tampabayrideshare.org
Services
Vermont ‘Vermont Public Transit ‘Transit Agency 800-685-RIDE wwwevptanet
Authority
‘Vermont and New Upper Valley Rideshare | Rideshare 802-295-1824 ‘wwwuppervalleyrideshare.com/
Hampshire Aavrs.grhuhtml
Washington, DC Commuter Connections | MPO 800-745-RIDE www.mweog.org/commuter
Windsor, CT The RideShare Company | Rideshare 800-972-3279 ‘wwwirideshare.com

13



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

Some rideshare matching organizations have
moved to doing online rideshare matching. For
example, the Greater Redmond TMA, 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 pre-
ferred parking. Spaces can be designated for
either individual carpools or rideshares in general.
To be effective, designated spaces should be
located in desirable locations: near building
entrances, covered, and/or attended.

Although designating preferred parking areas is
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 pre-
dictable 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
may be difficult to know if employees who say
they carpool are actually carpooling. Some meas-
ures that employers can take to prevent fraud are
annual re-registration of carpoolers, checking car-
pool 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 pro-
gram in southern California has coupon books for
local restaurants and entertainment specially
made to distribute to ridesharers.

jaBe

An employer would go through several steps to
implement a carpool incentive program. Although
these would vary from employer to employer, the
main ones are outlined below.



: em United States Air and Radiation ~~ EPA420-S-01-004
SEPA Environmental Protection Transportation and Air Quality September 2004
Agency

Cc arpool Incentive
‘Programs:

: Implementing Commuter
Benefits Under the

Commuter Choice
Leadership Initiative



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

6) Monitor and maintain carpool incentive
program

Once implemented, carpool incentive programs
should be monitored and changed as circum-
stances require. Recommendations for ongoing
monitoring include:

e Annual re-registration of carpoolers to pre-
vent fraud and checking carpoolers' names
against employment records to ensure that all
registered employees are still working at the
worksite claimed.

e Enforcement of preferred parking and ensur-
ing that there is sufficient preferred parking
for all registered carpoolers.

Frequent updating of the rideshare list, if
maintained by the employer.

e Continued marketing of the incentive pro-
gram. Carpooling is not a "one-time pur-
chase," but requires continued promotion for
maximum participation.

EMPLOYER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The following questions might commonly be
asked by an employer (e.g., a human resources
benefits specialist or employee transportation
coordinator) interested in implementing a carpool
incentive program.

Question: 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 regis-
tration-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 incen-
tives would be based on current parking costs
(ie., if the incentive involves reduced cost or free
parking for carpools, the company would forego
some revenue) or the size of prizes or awards. As
an example, Nike spends $23,000 annually on
prizes, with 250 to 300 employees eligible for

prize drawings each month. This works out to
approximately $75 to $100 annually per partici-
pant. (See Employer Case Studies.)

Question: Does the employer decide who pays
Sor 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 guide-
lines; these guidelines are provided in Appendix
B as a potential model.

Question: Are there safety concerns in encour-
aging 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 com-
patibility and to ensure that they feel comfortable
with each other. RIDES informs registrants that
they have not screened applicants with a dis-
claimer on the registration form. However, they
have not learned of any problems between
tidesharers more serious than



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

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 near-
by 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 trans-
portation coordinator should determine proce-
dures, 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 gen-
erally 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 car-
poolers. Some employers who have high num-
bers of temporary workers or telecommuters
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 cate-
gories 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, employ-

ers should take the necessary steps to implement
the carpooling program. Depending on the nature
of the program, steps may include the following:

e Designating and marking carpool spaces in
parking areas;

e Introducing or changing parking fees;

e Implementing a system for carpoolers to
register;

e Obtaining and distributing hangtags or other
vehicle identification; and

e 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:

e Company orientation for new employees;

e Advertisements in places seen frequently by
employees (cafeteria, garage, elevators, etc);

e Distribution of program brochures;
e Company newsletters;
e@ Voicemail or e-mail broadcast;

e Special promotional days (example: a "Pool
Day" to encourage car/vanpooling);

e Awards or prize drawings to recognize
employees using transit or carpools;

e Inserts to paychecks;
e Company web site or intranet;

e "Kick-off" event (which could include repre-
sentatives from rideshare organization).



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

e Increased personal time. Carpool passengers
can read, sleep, or converse with other car-
poolers, instead of driving.

In regions with carpool lanes, reduced com-
mute time and costs. These lanes provide not
only speed, but often more important, reliabili-
ty, by bypassing congestion. Toll routes and
bridges often give carpool discounts, and even
when they do not, the cost is split.

Decreased stress. Many drivers find solo
commutes in heavy traffic stressful.
Carpooling lets them arrive at work fresh and
productive.

WuEN CARPOOL INCENTIVE
: PROGRAMS MAKE SENSE

Although any employer can encourage carpool-
ing, carpooling is more likely to be successful in
certain cases. These include the following:

Regions with HOV Lanes

Some metropolitan regions have extensive car-
pool lane networks. Carpool lanes-also 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 time savings but
financial savings as well.

Carpool programs are likely to be more successful
where carpool 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 short-
ages. Encouraging carpooling among employees

can effectively reduce parking demand while still
meeting employees' transportation needs. In
extreme cases, employers impose mandatory car-
pooling.

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 com-
pact setting, and many have very successful car-
pool incentive programs.

Employers in Urban Settings

Even a small employer can find potential car-
pooling 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.

TMPLEMEN’ ‘ATION ISSUES AND.COSTS. F

An employer considering a carpool incentive pro-
gram 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 whose
main function is to match potential car- and van-
poolers with rideshare partners. See Appendix A
for a list of regional rideshare programs.





CommuTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits

This document is one in a series of Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative briefing papers designed to help
employers implement commuter benefits.

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. Participants in the Commuter
Choice Leadership Initiative (CCLI) agree to meet the National Standard of Excellence, and qualify as
Commuter ChoiceTM Employers. CCLI participants agree to:

e Centralize commute options information so that it is easy for employees to access and use;
e Promote the availability of commuter benefits to employees;

Provide access to a guaranteed ride home program;

Provide one or more of the following primary commuter benefits:

v  Vanpool or transit benefits of at least $32.50 per month
v Parking cash out of at least $32.50 per month
¥ Telecommuting program that averages six percent of daily work force

¥ Other option proposed by employer and agreed to by EPA

Provide three or more of the following additional commuter benefits:

Ridesharing/carpool matching

Pre-tax transit/vanpool benefits

Shuttles from transit station

Parking at park-and-ride lots

Provision of real-time transit information
Preferred parking for ridesharers

Reduced parking costs for ridesharers
Employer-sponsored vanpool or subscription bus
programs Concierge services

Employer assisted vanpools Active membership in a Transportation Management
Secured bicycle parking, showers, and lockers Association (TMA) or similar organization

Electric bicycle recharging stations Other options proposed by employer

Employee commuting awards programs
Discounts/coupons for bicycles and walking shoes
Compressed work schedules

Telecommuting

Lunchtime shuttle

Proximate commute (working closer to home)
Incentives to encourage employees to live closer to work
On-site amenities (dry cleaning, etc.)

SNNNNNNN
SNNNNNNNSS

VAs
-_

Exceed a minimum benchmark of either 14 percent of employees who do not drive alone to work or an
average vehicle ridership (the number of vehicles divided by the total number of employees) of 1.12.

Please see the CCLI Agreement and Agreement Particulars documents for specific information about
employer participation requirements.



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

Rideshare Organizations

Many regions have rideshare organizations whose
primary function is to maintain databases of
potential carpoolers. Because of both the diffi-
culty 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 pro-
grams.

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 incen-
tives are implemented, it is difficult to convince
employees not to drive alone when parking is free
and plentiful.

Guaranteed Ride Home Programs

A barrier preventing some employees from car-
pooling 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. Guaranteed ride home
(GRH) programs provide commuters who regu-
larly carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or take transit
to work with a reliable ride home when an unex-
pected emergency arises. GRH 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 guaranteed ride
home gives many people the security to carpool.
GRH programs may be established by individual
employers. Usually the employer will pay for a

taxi 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 county-wide
GRH programs for employees that register for the
program. GRH tends to be a 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 a guaranteed
ride home for monthly passholders, so a company
would have to provide GRH only for carpoolers.
Provision of GRH is a requirement of participa-
tion in CCLI. See the separate GRH briefing
paper for further information.

Park-and-Ride Lots

For potential carpool partners who do not live in
immediate proximity, 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.

This section provides information on contacts
that EPA and regional, state, and local govern-
ments might wish to utilize for expertise in
understanding, promoting, or providing technical
information on carpool incentive programs.
Information Clearinghouses

Association for Commuter Transportation

P.O. Box 15542
Washington, DC 20003
Tel: 202-393-3497
Fax: 202-546-2196

Act@act-hgq.com
www.ACTweb.org

The Association for Commuter Transportation
(ACT) is a membership organization that promotes



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

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.

ae



CommuTER CHOICE LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE
The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits

Carpool Incentive Programs

Implementing Commuter Benefits under the
Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative

e 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.

e 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).

e Employers can help employees form carpools through rideshare matching. Rideshare
matching 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.

e Employee benefits from carpooling include cost-sharing, less wear and tear on vehicles,
time savings in regions with 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.

e 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 the Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative.





CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

smoker/non-smoker, differing tastes in music, or
fragrance tolerance.

Question: 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.

Employers around the country have implemented
carpool incentive programs. The following cases
describe several employer programs.

Atlanta, Georgia - Emory University

Emory University, with approximately 10,000
students and 14,000 faculty and staff, is located
on the outskirts of Atlanta. Emory's carpool pro-
gram is administered by the Division of
Community Services, which includes an
Alternative Transportation office. The university
contains a major hospital and clinic.

Emory provides incentives to carpoolers in the
form of reduced parking rates and in some 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 not eligible.

Carpool Incentive Program
Requirements at Emory University

Number/Type| Carpool | Parking | Reserved

of Employees | Category Cost Space?
2PT 1 $100/year No

1 FT 1PT

2FT 2 $100/year Yes
2FT1PT

3 FT 3 Free Yes

3 FT1PT

Annual parking rates range from under $200 (for
hospital and clinic employees) to $900 for 24-
hour reserved faculty spaces. Most university
employees pay $219 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 com-
pete 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 12 entries per year; additional
passes may be purchased for $36.

Emory advises potential carpoolers to register
with the regional Commute Connections service,
arideshare organization run by the Atlanta
Regional Commission.

Emory's program has been in place approximately
eight years. It was begun to alleviate parking con-
gestion on the main campus (employees at other
locations do not have carpool incentives). There
are currently almost 400 carpoolers registered in
170 carpools (an average vehicle occupancy of
2.08 persons).

The program is publicized through commuter
fairs, which are often held as components of larger
events such as Staff Day. There is also an e-mail
listserv with 11,000 participants.

According to Wanda Teichert, Program
Development Coordinator with the Alternative
Transportation Office, there are recurring but
mostly minor problems with attempted 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 cheat-
ing have been banned from the carpool program.



CCLI: Carpool Incentive Programs

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 trans-

portation resources without additional infrastruc-
ture 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 organiza-
tions 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.

Commuter Choice Leadership Initiative

For more information on the Commuter Choice
Leadership Initiative, contact the Commuter
Choice Hotline at 888-856-3131, or see
www.commuterchoice.gov

od
cE

Carpooling reduces travel and emissions com-
pared to driving alone. Employees get to work
with fewer separate vehicle trips, thereby reducing
traffic congestion and air pollution.

Nationally, about 11 percent of employees com-
muted to work in carpools, according to the
Journey to Work survey in the 1990 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 relation-
ships 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 transporta-
tion coordinator, can expect about a four to ten
percent increase in the number of employees car-
pooling. Employers that also provide preferential
parking for carpoolers, flexible work schedules
(to accommodate carpools), and a full-time trans-
portation coordinator might expect an increase of
up to 20 percent in the number of employees car-
pooling. Employers who institute financial incen-
tives for carpooling (such as greatly reduced
parking rates) may find even greater increases in
the number of carpoolers.

Bow cata SA a fi
Federal Transit Administration. No date. Parking
Supply Management. Available at

www.fta.dot.gov/library/planning/tdmstatus/FTAP
RKSP.HTM

Odekirk, L. 2001. Personal communication.
Telephone conversations between Linda Odekirk,
Employee Transportation Coordinator, Nike, and
Liisa Ecola, ICF Consulting, April 6, 2001.