MAP stands for Mobility Alternatives Program, and it can help companies improve their benefits package and even help employees save time and money on their commute. (Using a MAP also helps reduce traffic and air pollution!)

If you or most of your employees drive alone to work, MAP can help everyone find a better way to get to work in Southeastern PA. Whether it's on transit, in a car pool or van pool, or even working from home, MAP has information on what the alternatives are and how companies and individuals can take advantage of them. Plus, there's information on incentives, emergency rides home, flex time and parking management.

Elements of MAP:

Alternative Work Schedules

Flextime
Research has shown employees are more likely to consider shared commutes when a flexible work schedule is instituted. Flextime allows employees to alter their arrival and departure times slightly to accommodate commute schedules. For example, although official office hours may be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., employees may be allowed to arrive between 7:30 to 9 a.m. and leave between 4 and 5:30 p.m. That doesn't mean employees get to set their own hours! In most cases employees cannot flex their schedule on a daily basis, but must make a long-term commitment to a regular schedule.

The ultimate goal of a flextime policy is to allow employees to arrange a commute schedule convenient to transit schedules or to accommodate vanpool and carpool options. Flextime can be employed in a variety of ways:

The employer may permit employees to pick one of three schedules starting and ending an hour or half hour apart, staggering arrival times, but requiring all employees to be present during specified core hours of the day

Employees may be able to modify slightly the established hours of operations through a formal pre-determined schedule on a permanent basis, or on an informal, variable basis.

Employees may be allowed a general, non-monitored 15- to 30-minute window of arrival time, provided they allow for the changes at the end of the day.

The type of program selected will have a lot to do with the size of your company or worksite and the general corporate atmosphere of your workplace. Note: flextime or "staggered hours" work best when companies coordinate efforts through their local MAP contact to optimize start/stop times, spreading out peak hour travel in a given employment center.

Alternative scheduling allows employees to feel they are supported in their attempts to share the ride to work, not worried that they'll be reprimanded for arriving late or leaving early.

Compressed Work Week
Compressed work weeks help reduce the number of SOVs arriving to the worksite during the week in a way different from flextime. This option allows employees not affected by collective bargaining to condense the hours they work into fewer days, thus increasing the length of the work day, but decreasing the number of days spent at the work site.

The most common condensed work week combinations are:

• 4/40 -- 4 days/10 hours per day
• 3/36 -- 3 days/12 hours per day
• 9/80 -- 9 nine-hour days in a two-week, 40-hour period (work 5, off 2, work 4, off 3)

Employers can choose to either close their offices on the day(s) off, or keep offices open every day but have fewer people arriving each day. This option can be implemented year-round, or seasonally (great for summer). The days employees work are usually selected ahead of time, and don't change, although in rare instances, employees choose their days on a per week basis. Time accounting systems must be analyzed to accommodate this type of program.

Vehicle travel is reduced in one of two ways: either there are no vehicles arriving on the day(s) the office is not operating, or there are fewer vehicles overall arriving on a daily basis. When this option is implemented on a staggered schedule, employers need fewer parking spaces overall and, when initiated on a fixed schedule (all employees work the same days), employers often see lower utility bills; both work to improve employee attendance. Employees also appreciate longer weekends and adjusted vacation schedules.

Employee Incentives

Whether you formally implement specific techniques to discourage use of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel to your worksite, or if you simply ask employees to consider commute alternatives, incentives can lead to greater success in achieving your objectives. There are many types of incentives to consider, and each has a different cost, depending on how it is executed and who participates.

TransitChek
TransitChek is a commuter voucher program whereby employers can offer employees a tax-free way to pay for commuting via public transit or vanpools. Over 350 area companies participate. Find out how your employer can join by visiting the TransitChek website.

Emergency Ride Home
The Emergency Ride Home (ERH) service is a "safety net" for commuters working in southeastern Pennsylvania who share their ride to work (carpool, vanpool, transit) on a regular basis. In the event of an unexpected personal or family emergency or illness, unscheduled overtime, or if the regular ride home is not available for certain reasons, registered commuters are provided with a free ride to home, their car or to the place of the emergency.

This service is available only to:

1) commuters who apply and are approved through our sign-up form (above);
2) commuters who apply to the Share-A-Ride (SAR) ridematch program directly; or
3) employees registered through their employer who participates in the Mobility Alternatives Program (MAP).

Employees who register for ERH must commit to sharing a ride to work at least three times a week, and the request for ERH must be made on a day when the commuter has shared a ride (is not using his/her own car). Commuters who qualify will be given detailed instructions of requirements and procedures upon registration.

Click here for more information about the Emergency Ride Home program.

Employee Discounts
Some creative employers have developed ways to reward those employees who share their commute, and especially those who use carpools, which are not eligible for TransitChek. By working with local retail, restaurant and service businesses, they have arranged for certain employees to receive discounts or freebies when they prove they have been sharing the ride to work.

For example:

• A local restaurant may offer 10 percent off breakfast or lunch items
• A nearby service station may offer a discount on a tune-up or inspection
• A shoe shine place may give a free shine with every other pair brought in (this and/or a discount on sneakers are especially attractive to walkers).
• In most cases, in-house promotion of the merchant involved is enough to warrant reciprocal services, although they may require the employer to pay a small fee. These perks can be offered to all employees who choose an alternate commute, or can be used as "prizes" or rewards for achievement of certain goals. Outside of the staff time necessary to set up the initial program, this option is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement, and is viewed very favorably by employees.

Preferential Parking
This program is one of the easiest to implement and costs virtually nothing! Employers designate several parking spaces or one general area closest to entrances for those employees who carpool or vanpool to work. This can be an attractive perk in any season, whether there's rain, snow, bitter cold or extreme heat. Employees must agree ahead of time to participate; this is not typically a "use as you please" option. Employers decide how to monitor the program.

Park and Ride

Park and Ride (P&R) lots are areas specifically dedicated for use by commuters to park vehicles while using public transit or participating in carpools or vanpools. Used as a common meeting spot, they provide adequate space and a convenient location for drivers to leave their cars while sharing the ride to work. They also alleviate community opposition to on-street parking problems in areas most suited for shared commutes.

Official P&R lots include:

• Clearly marked paved lots or gravel areas specifically designed or designated by state or local transportation officials; maintained by state or local government
• Lots or areas with alternate uses at non-peak commute times, upon official agreement with owner (e.g. church lot or extra, "fringe" parking at shopping areas)
• Lots associated with transit stops, often maintained by the transit company and for use by transit riders only.

Unofficial lots may include:

• unused, fringe parking at shopping areas not approved by owners
• on-street parking where not specifically prohibited by law.
• Preliminary plans for additional, official P&R lots have been initiated in many high-traffic areas, but until these projects are approved and completed, a little creativity in working with local officials and businesses can go a long way to establish short-term P&R arrangements.

Parking Management / Pricing
Most employees who receive free parking don't think of it as a perk. The challenge with this option is to alter employee thinking so that parking is viewed as a benefit, not a guarantee. Parking Management encourages employees to use shared commute methods by making single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel less convenient and/or more expensive. Most effectively employed in the suburbs, where parking is viewed as plentiful and inexpensive, this approach treats parking as a privilege.

Proven methods of parking management include:

• Charging a fee for parking if it is currently free
• Establishing a "cash out" program whereby all employees are given a transportation subsidy. Those employees who choose to drive must pay a fee for parking equal to that of the subsidy; those who use transit, vanpools or carpools can keep the subsidy to help pay those costs. (Tax laws should be reviewed before instituting any subsidies.)
• Offering prime, preferential spaces to those who carpool and vanpool regularly (see attached sheet on "Employee Incentives")
• Renting spaces for use by other businesses, or for park-and-ride
• These programs can also be beneficial to employers by eliminating the need for additional lot construction and reducing maintenance costs. With a cash-out system, employees who currently drive do not suffer detrimental consequences, and those who don't drive now receive a subsidy for their efforts. Consultation on designing preferred parking accommodations and procedures or establishing a cash-out program may be arranged through your MAP contact.

Share-a-Ride

The Share-A-Ride program is a free computerized service that could potentially match you with convenient transit services, car pools, vanpool groups, even walking and bicycling opportunities if you work in the 5-county southeastern Pennsylvania region. Even employers can get on board by locating matches for their employees!

So sit back, relax and leave your car at home!

By sharing the ride you can save your money and reduce the stress of your commute. And you can breathe easy, knowing you are helping to keep the air cleaner, too!

Supplemental Programs
There are several other options that can make abandoning Single Occupant Vechicles (SOV) travel more attractive to employees. Most are tied in one way or another to other options listed in this folder.

Bicycle/Walking Facilities
In order to encourage employees who are able to walk or bicycle to work, employers should consider installing such essential features as bicycle parking/storage and shower/locker facilities. Standard bike racks can be installed with little effort and at low cost; higher quality storage may require greater investment. Shower or changing facilities may also benefit additional employees who would like to work out over lunch, and this supplementary function may help justify installation of these accommodations.

Some employers are also involved in planning (and funding) bicycle and walking trails on or near their work sites. Employee prizes like discounts on sneakers or bike tires may add to the appeal of these programs (see sheet on "Employee Incentives").

Shuttle Services
Sometimes transit services or potential park-and-ride lots are nearby but not very convenient, or the walk from the transit stop to the worksite is not safe. There is a way your company can still make use of existing services:

Operate or subsidize shuttle services to and from the nearest transit stop(s) or lots. By offering a safe and reliable alternative to walking from the stop, you might encourage more employees to use transit.

This service can be established by using rented shuttles or through informal carpools or vanpools. To keep costs down, your company can provide rush-hour service only, at no cost or at a small fee to employees. This option becomes most cost-effective when several companies in the same vicinity pool their efforts and money to serve more employees. If there is a large market for this type of service, it may be beneficial to speak with your MAP contact or a representative from the local transit provider about extending regular service or offering an official shuttle service.

Vanpooling
A vanpool is a group of 7 - 15 people who commute together on a regular basis in a van. Vanpooling is a great, cost effective alternative for your daily commute. You can enjoy the convenience of sharing a ride to work with others together in a friendly environment. If you travel about 15 miles or more one-way to work and have a schedule that's relatively consistent, you're a good prospect!

Each vanpool has a primary driver/coordinator and one or more alternate drivers. The vanpool participants share cost of the van and all other operating expenses. Riders usually meet at a designated pick-up location like a shopping center parking lot or a park and ride location. Some vans have more than one pick-up point, some don't. And it's the same with drop-off points at the destination. It all depends on the nature and needs of the vanpool group. Of course the fewer stops, the faster you'll get to work and home again.

Because you share the cost with up to 14 other people, vanpooling is typically much less expensive than driving yourself to work. In addition, vanpoolers are eligible to receive special Federal tax incentives for vanpooling. There are also several regions throughout the country that provide some form of financial incentive to vanpool..

Bottom line - vanpoolers generally pay around 5 cents a mile to commute on a van.

For more information on vanpooling, visit VPSI’s Web site at www.vpsiinc.com.

Accommodating Childcare Schedules
Daycare is an increasingly important issue with working parents, and is often the main reason given for not sharing the commute to work. Accommodating working parents with children is one way to attract and retain high-calibre employees. While most employers cannot justify an on-site care facility, offering Emergency Ride Home services, and instituting flextime, compressed work weeks or telecommuting policies (all explained on related sheets) allows parents to consider alternate commute methods while arranging their schedules to better care for their children. This "peace of mind" results in more focused, dedicated employees, too.

Telecommuting

An alternative to physical commuting, telecommuting allows employees to work from home via computer/modem/ fax and telephone. Also called "teleworking," this option is not suitable for all types of businesses, but can work well for those with a high percentage of employees who spend the majority of their time in the office, using the computer and phone on a regular basis.

By instituting a telecommuting policy, companies not only help reduce single occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel to the work site, they can also save on office space and overhead. And employers can gain in productivity: studies have shown that employees who telecommute are more likely to fulfill their workday time commitments and take fewer sick days.

Offering this type of flexibility can also increase employee retention and attract new employees. Even if your business is conducive to telecommuting, not every employee may be able to take advantage of this option. Companies must determine which positions and which employees are eligible, as well as how frequently each employee can exercise this option (e.g. several full days a week or a few hours each day).

Special considerations include:

• Job Function: Is the employee needed "in person" to accomplish his/her responsibilities?
• Personal Interaction: Can the employee interact effectively with others by remote?
• Employee Skills: Can the employee handle operating the necessary equipment alone?
• Supervision: Does the employee require direct, personal supervision in his/her duties?
• Accommodations: Can the employee's home accommodate the necessary equipment?
• Budget: Is it more cost-effective to purchase/wire equipment in the employee's home than having him or her travel to and work in the office? Do they have appropriate equiptment at home already? Also, how will this affect your company's bottom line insurance coverage and costs?

Once it is determined who can participate, the employer may select a consultant to plan and/or implement the program, and hire a telecommunications firm to install the system, if necessary. Some companies may be able to work with existing systems, others may have to purchase new equipment.

Locating and Using Transit

Close-By
If your employment site is close to transit, you may already have many employees utilizing this convenient and low-stress commute option. Buses, trains, subways and trolleys all move over 400,000 people a day in the Delaware Valley.

Even if your worksite is convenient to SEPTA or other transit services, your employees may not be aware of when or where the bus or train operates, or how to use the service. This is not an uncommon problem, and one that is easily remedied. First, employers should be familiar with the services available to them and the schedules of those services; then, they must pass that information on to employees.

Information fairs and trial rides can be arranged to orient your employees to transit. In some cases, transit schedules can be adjusted to better meet the work hours of your employees.

Not Quite Close Enough
If your company is just outside reasonable walking distance from a transit stop, or if walking from a stop involves crossing heavy traffic or using inadequate sidewalks, you may want to consider a shuttle service to move employees from nearby stops to your worksite. This can be arranged with informal, in-house car- or vanpools. Depending on the number of employees, or other interested employers in the same area, shuttles can be arranged through an independent shuttle service.

 Also, your company -- or a group of companies -- may want to contact the appropriate transit provider about extending or altering existing routes to accommodate this extra travel. Their planners will evaluate the effectiveness of an extension and, if approved, will work with you to implement a change. Participating companies may have to allocate funds for the service at the outset, but once it's in place, and if it's utilized as expected, the service may end up paying for itself. See your MAP contact for more direction on this option.