Best Workplaces for Commuters

Grand Valley State University has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  Transportation between and within the Pew Grand Rapids Campus and the Allendale Campus is easy, free, and convenient with the variety of shuttle service options available to all Grand Valley students, faculty and staff. Since initiating a contract with Grand Rapids, Michigan’s transit agency, The Rapid, in 2000, Allendale’s Grand Valley State University (GVSU) has seen its ridership grow every year.   GVSU offers  GreenRide, a service that matches carpool partners, bicycle and walking maps, secure bicycle parking, lunchtime shuttles, and park and ride options.

Central Indiana Commuter Services has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  As a leader in the industry, they offer a transit pass benefit, significant telwork program for employees and an emergency ride home program. 

Central Indiana Commuter Services is a federally-funded CIRTA partnership. Their mission is to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. CICS offers alternative transportation solutions to area employers and commuters in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan and Shelby counties.

Central Indiana Commuter Services also is:

• A government/business/community partnership designed to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion by promoting the use of alternative transportation.
• A resource center for employers seeking better commuting options for their employees.
• A service that helps employees find affordable and convenient transportation to work.

 CICS provides a valuable benefit to the community by promoting greater mobility, and reducing pollution and congestion in central Indiana. We promote a cleaner environment and better quality of life.”

Unilever’s offices in Englewood Cliffs, NJ and Trumbull, CT meet the Standard of Excellence and both sites are designated as Best Workplaces for Commuters. Unilever offers employees sustainable transportation options like ridesharing assistance, shuttles, onsite bicycle parking and commuter information on mass transit.

 Unilever meets everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. In the United States, Unilever’s portfolio includes major brand icons such as: Axe®, Ben & Jerry’s®, Breyers®, Degree®, Dove personal care products®, Hellmann’s®, Knorr®, Lipton®, Promise®, Skippy®,and Vaseline®.  Unilever is dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play. For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

The City of Aspen has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters in recognition of the comprehensive Transportation Demand Management programs offered to employees and the community.     

 The City provides free transit passes and supports flexible work schedules and telecommuting for employees.   City employees are encouraged to use commute alternatives and are not provided with free parking.   Fleet bicycles and shower facilities are available at City Hall.

 The entire community benefits from Aspen’s free eight-route transit system which carries over 1-million passengers annually.  In addition, the CAR TO GO carshare program allows access to private vehicles, supporting a car-free lifestyle for employees and citizens while encouraging reduced vehicle ownership.  Paid parking has been implemented both as a commute disincentive and as a TDM funding mechanism.  Carpooling is encouraged through the provision of free parking permits for carpools of two or more adults.

 The results of a comprehensive program show traffic remaining at 1993 levels – a major goal of the City’s comprehensive plan.

The County of Orange has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  The County of Orange offers a Commuter Choice program and all employees who purchase a bus, train or vanpool pass through the pretax payroll deduction, receive their first month free (one time).  Over 9 percent of employees participate in a compressed work week program reducing work trips significantly. Managers at the County have immediate access to program presentation materials, guidelines and essential forms through the “Manager’s Rideshare Tools” web pages. 

The County offers a variety of innovative programs including a “Try the Train on Us” or “Try the Bus on Us” program.  Any employee who has not ridden transit to work during the past 90 days receives a complimentary 4-trip Metrolink ticket or 1-day OCTA pass. Any employee who rideshares at least 5 work days per month for 3 months or longer is eligible for Commuter Club gift cards and discounts.

An Emergency Ride Home Program is provided through OCTA.

IBM has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters for multiple locations across the nation.

IBM pioneered programs to reduce employee commuting and has sustained them for two decades. Today, IBM has active commuter programs in countries around the globe with ride share matching programs, cars on demand, public transit support, work at home and mobile employee programs, and other commuter support activities.  In the United States, IBM’s most participated commuter programs are its work at home and compressed or alternate work schedule programs, with over a third of IBM U.S. employees taking part.

Nineteen (19) IBM locations across the country are registered as BWC locations resulting in over 62% of IBM’s U.S. population residing at BWC sites or working from home. Many locations actively work with their local or regional transit commissions to integrate IBM’s programs with regional programs to increase commuting options for IBM employees.  IBM is proud to be a member of BWC and to work with the group and its other transit partners to promote more efficient commuting options for our employees and to reduce the emissions associated with employee commuting.

Visit http://www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/climate/  for more information.

Cisco Systems, Inc. located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters. 

As a leader, Cisco Systems, Inc. offers a significant telework program. Their facilities are bicycle friendly with amenities including secure bicycle parking and lockers and showers at every building.   An onsite fitness center and cafeteria is another benefit employees enjoy.  Cisco Systems, Inc. is an active member of a TMA and local ozone awareness program and  they participate in the Triangle Transit Ride Share program. Their facilities also offer preferred parking for alternative fuel vehicles and preferred parking for electric vehicles. 

The Emergency Ride Home program for employees is provided by Triangle Transit.

Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E & E) located in Lancaster, New York has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  The many commuter benefits that E & E offers to its employees include a web-based ride matching service (www.greenride.com), shower facilities, preferred parking for carpoolers, pre-tax parking and mass transit payroll reduction for bus and/or train expenses, up to $1.50 per day for employees carpooling with 2 or more employees, $1 per day in incentives for using public transportation, a $500 monthly and $1000 yearly raffle and employee recognition on the company’s internal TV monitors nationwide for employees participating in the rideshare program.

 E & E is a broad-based environmental consulting, engineering, and design firm operating from 30 offices throughout the United States, with subsidiaries and affiliates around the world.  With 1000 staff, they employ hundreds of planners, scientists, and engineers representing over 85 separate disciplines that span the physical, biological, social, and health sciences.  E & E has provided practical solutions to environ­mental problems, including transportation and air quality, for over 45,000 assignments in 85 countries.  Their underlying philosophy is based on a worldwide commitment to supporting sustainable development through responsible environmental practices.  E & E has been leading by example since the company was founded on sustainable development principles in 1970: The company has been recycling since 1971, ridesharing since 1973, and built its green headquarters in 1988. In 2008, E & E headquarters was the oldest building in the world to be rated LEED^®Platinum, the highest possible rating awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. E&E has also been repeatedly recognized by EPA and Best Work Places for Commuters for its commitment to rideshare and air quality.

The City of San Ramon has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  The City of San Ramon provides a wide variety of commuter benefits and incentives to their City employees.  They provide a significant telework program that reduces a large percentage of work trips.  They also offer a commuter program with monthly drawings to help encourage City employees to take a commute alternative to work and meetings.  They have a year end drawing to all employees who participated in the commute program and reminders are sent to all city employees regarding the Spare the Air and Winter Spare the Air, Check Before you Burn!  They also host a City Transportation Commuter Fair. 

The City also assists employers and property managers develop on-site transportation information to local and regional transportation programs.  In concert with 511 Contra Costa, they offer comprehensive commute-related services for small and large businesses.  Included in these services is a guaranteed ride home program for all rideshare participants.

SLO Regional Rideshare/SLOCOG has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  SLO Regional Rideshare offers several benefits to employees including a transit pass benefit, telework, compressed workweek and the Lucky Bucks program.  Employees have access to an Emergency Ride Home through their in-house program.

SLO Regional Rideshare is a “one-stop-shop” for transportation information  in the San Luis Obispo area. They are dedicated to reducing the number of single occupant vehicles on San Luis Obispo County’s roads and highways, conserving fuel, reducing air pollution and making it easier for commuters to get to work or school. A division of the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, SLO Regional Rideshare shows employers the value of transportation benefits and customizes programs to meet a company’s unique needs. In addition, Rideshare provides youth and senior programs, personalized trip planning assistance and an interactive website with carpool and vanpool matching.