Best Workplaces for Commuters

SRP located in Phoenix, Arizona has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  SRP offers employees a substantial transit and vanpool subsidy.  They also offer commuter benefits company-wide that include alternative work schedules, bicycle programs, preferred parking for carpools, rideshare matching and a  company sponsored vanpool program.  They also offer a Platinum Pass Program for employees wishing to take the bus or light rail to and from work.  The card allows employees to ride at no cost when they are traveling to and from work.  SRP subsidizes the cost of this service one hundred percent.  A guaranteed ride home is provided through Total Transit.

SRP is two entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, a political subdivision of the state of Arizona; and the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association, a private corporation.  The District provides electricity to nearly 934,000 retail customers in the Phoenix area. It operates or participates in 11 major power plants and numerous other generating stations, including thermal, nuclear, natural gas and hydroelectric sources.  The Association delivers nearly 1 million acre-feet of water annually to a service area in central Arizona. An extensive water delivery system is maintained and operated by the Association, including reservoirs, wells, canals and irrigation laterals.

Tech Networks of Boston has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplaces for Commuters.  Tech Networks offers a transit and vanpool benefit along with electric bicycle recharging stations, bikesharing, and they actively promote and participate in healthy initiatives.

Tech Networks of Boston helps business and non-profits create environmentally-efficient technology infrastructure. Through project planning, consulting and managed IT services, we partner with clients to create and maintain sustainable, efficient IT operations. The TechPlan, our primary service contract, provides CIO-level advisory services and also remote and onsite service.

Fehr & Peers has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplaces for Commuters for three California worksites located in Walnut Creek, San Francisco, and San Jose.  Nationally, all employees of Fehr & Peers are offered commuter benefits. 

Employees receive a transit or vanpool benefit and are offered a subsidy for giving up their parking spot, leaving their vehicle at home and commuting another way.  They offer secure bicycle parking and the bicycle subsidy of up to $20 per month for qualified expenses.

Fehr & Peers specializes in providing transportation planning and traffic engineering services to public and private sector clients. We emphasize the development of creative, cost-effective, and results-oriented solutions to planning and design problems associated with all modes of transportation.

SRI International located in Menlo Park, CA has met the Standard of Excellence and is designated a Best Workplace for Commuters.  SRI International offers a transit and vanpool pass subsidy to employees.  They are active in ozone awareness programs, offer rideshare matching, shuttles, preferred parking for carpools, secure bicycle parking, compressed work week, telework, on-site amenities and promote healthy initiatives.  SRI is located within 1/2 mile of train and bus stations.  An emergency ride home program is offered through Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance. 

SRI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute conducting client-sponsored research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses, foundations, and other organizations. SRI also brings its innovations to the marketplace by licensing its intellectual property and creating new ventures.

Awards recognize companies and professionals who offer highest level of commuter benefits

TAMPA, Fla. (Dec. 2, 2009) – Best Workplaces for Commuters, a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation and managed by the University of South Florida’s National Center for Transit Research, singled out 26 companies, institutions and individuals nationwide Wednesday in the 2009 “Race to Excellence”  Virtual Awards Ceremony.

The awards recognize organizations who have taken exemplary steps to for their efforts to offer alternatives for their employees driving alone and thereby reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fuel usage from Jan. 1, 2009 to Oct. 15, 2009.

Best Workplaces for Commuters provides qualified employers with programs and services along with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits, such as free or low cost bus passes. Employers that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits – a standard created by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – can become a member of Best Workplaces for Commuters.

And the winners are: 

Best of:

                    Champion:  MetroPool (CT and NY)

                    Employee Transportation Coordinator: Stanford University, Brodie Hamilton (CA)

Gold Winners

Cal Poly State University (CA)

CommuterLink (NY)

MetroPool (CT and NY)

Stanford University (CA)

State of Arizona (AZ)

Sunset Development Company- Bishop Ranch (CA)

Virginia Tech. (VA)

U.S. Department of State (Washington, DC)

Silver Winners

Cartus (CT)

California Bank and Trust (CA)

Commuter Club (GA)

Community Transit (WA)

Ecology & Environment, Inc. (NY)

Pfizer Inc. (GreenWheels)

University of California – Irvine (CA)

University of California – San Francisco (CA)

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Dept. of Public Safety (NC)

Verizon California, Inc. (CA)

 Bronze Winners

Aerospace Corporation (WA)

Chevy Chase Cars (MD)

Compuware (MI)

Mayo Clinic (MN)

Mercy General Hospital (CA)

Quarles & Brady (AZ)

U.S. Geological Survey (CO)

University of Nevada, Reno (NV)

University of Texas, Medical Branch (TX)

The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged four-year public universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USF was awarded more than $360 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2007/2008. The University offers 232 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The University has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 46,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.

Awards will laud companies and professionals who offer highest level of commuter benefits

TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 30, 2009) – Best Workplaces for Commuters, a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation and managed by the University of South Florida’s National Center for Transit Research, will announce the 2009 “Race to Excellence” Virtual Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 2  at  3 p.m. (EST).

The Race to Excellence acknowledges the efforts of 26 individuals and organizations for their efforts to offer alternatives to driving alone and thereby reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fuel usage from Jan. 1, 2009 to Oct. 15, 2009.

Among the organizations in the running for awards are Aerospace Corporation, Stanford University, Mayo Clinic, the U.S. Department of State, and Verizon California Inc.

“The winners have shown great environmental leadership through their dedication of promoting cleaner transportation options.” noted Julie Bond, project manager for Best Workplaces for Commuters.   “Some of the outstanding efforts include adding new commuter benefits and expanding telework or transit benefits.”

Honorees will be “virtually” presented with gold, silver, and bronze medals for their efforts to make it easier for workers to leave their cars at home. 

Developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Race to Excellence emerged in 2005 as an addendum to the federal government’s voluntary Best Workplaces for Commuters program.

Best Workplaces for Commuters provides qualified employers with programs and services along with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits, such as free or low cost bus passes. Employers that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits – a standard created by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – can become a member of Best Workplaces for Commuters.  For more information, please visit: www.bestworkplaces.org.

The University of South Florida is one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities and one of 39 community-engaged four-year public universities as designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. USF was awarded more than $360 million in research contracts and grants in FY 2007/2008. The University offers 232 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialist and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. The University has a $1.8 billion annual budget, an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion, and serves more than 46,000 students on institutions/campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and Lakeland. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference.

– USF –

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