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ERH Toolkit

Step 5: Manage Effectively and Effortlessly

Partnering with Employees

If you are setting up an ERH program on behalf of a private employer, TMA, or regional transportation/transit organization, you may be considering establishing a centrally managed program. However, many ERH programs are not centrally managed. They depend on onsite employee transportation coordinators or managers at worksites to approve rides, process vouchers, and provide information and outreach on the program’s behalf.

Having onsite administrators will reduce your organization’s direct labor costs but require additional coordination and outreach. Keeping these onsite managers well informed about program guidelines is crucial to running a successful program. To minimize confusion and program misuse, it is helpful to provide these managers with a one-page fact sheet that states your program’s most important policies.

Here are some examples of factsheets that other regional programs have used successfully:

	•	Community Transit Sample Agreements with Employers (Everett, Washington) (PDF)
	•	Mid-Valley Rideshare (Salem, Oregon) (PDF)

Minimizing the Administrative Burden

Here are some tips that will allow your program to nearly “run itself” once it is established:

	•	Combine commuter registration with outreach for other services such as rideshare enrollment or transit pass purchases.
	•	Facilitate online registration (see sample online registration forms in Step 4).
	•	Place vouchers online so that employees can print one when they need a ride.
	•	Create online, post-ride surveys to gather feedback.

Efficiently Managing an ERH Program

Most ERH programs have found that misuse is rarely a problem. While infrequent, it can occur. The following measures will help you manage your program effectively and keep misuse to a minimum:

	•	Have users pre-register for the program. Once you have collected the pre-registration forms, verify that each prospective participant meets the program’s eligibility criteria.
	•	Require annual registration so former users who have moved away or changed commuting modes can be removed from your database. Require employees to sign an agreement stating that they will be responsible for the costs of any unauthorized use of emergency rides home.
	•	Print ride vouchers and reimbursement forms on triplicate sheets so the vendor, commuter, and program manager can each get a copy. Make sure paper vouchers are kept in a secure location.
	•	Brief managers on when and how the program will provide rides and require a manager to approve each ride request before the ride is arranged.
	•	In orientation materials for new employees, include information about the proper use of the ERH program.
	•	Consider prohibiting the use of rental cars on Fridays. Some programs have found that a commuter is more likely to return a rental car late if the due date falls on the weekend.

Not all of these suggestions will suit every program. You should seek a balance between taking measures to prevent misuse and maintaining flexibility and responsiveness to your commuters’ needs.

Additional Resources

ERH Site Index


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