Why It Makes Sense to Provide Campus Commuter

Why It Makes Sense to Provide Campus Commuter Benefits for Employees Best Workplaces for Commuters. SM Connie Ruth, EPA Smart and Sustainable Campuses Conference University of Maryland, November 3, 2005

Presentation Overview Best Workplaces for Commuters. SM Ø Parking: reducing demand saves money Ø National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits Ø List of Colleges and Universities Ø Tax break from commuter benefits Ø Environmental benefit : COMMUTER model Ø Easy on-line application Ø Making it happen on your campus 2

“Obtaining a campus parking permit is really just obtaining a license to “hunt” for a parking space” 3

“A parking lot is just a placeholder for a future campus building” 4

Save money: Reduce parking demand Ø Average Cost to build new surface parking lot: $1, 500 to build 1 space + $420/annual maintenance Ø Average Cost to build new parking garage $17, 400 to build 1 space + $740/annual maintenance 5

Save money: Reduce parking demand The choice is yours: 1 single parking space: Up to $17, 400 to build Up to $740/annual maintenance OR Subsidize a year’s worth of transit for over 70 commuters! 6

What to do? Establish a Comprehensive Commuter Benefits Program 7

In 2000 EPA in conjunction with the U. S. Department of Transportation established the National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits 8

The National Standard of Excellence for Commuter Benefits Ø Designate contact person, centralize information, and disseminate benefits information to employees Ø Offer excellent commuter benefits package § Guaranteed/Emergency Ride Home program § One of four primary options § Three or more supporting options § Meet participation level (14% non-SOV) Ø Report success 9

Primary Commuting Options Choose one: Ø Transit/vanpool subsidy Ø Telecommuting Ø Parking Cash-out Ø Comparable Employer proposal 10

Supporting Commuting Options Choose 3 Ø Active membership in TMA Ø Up-to-date transportation information Ø Bike lockers and showers Ø Co-located with shops, day care, etc. Ø Preferred parking for carpools/vanpools Ø Compressed/flexible work schedules Ø Rideshare matching Ø Awards program Ø Shuttles Ø Many more options on Web site 11

Ø 1400 employers have achieved the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation and 20 Business Districts in 32 states Ø More than 2. 8+ million employees are covered by the national standard of excellence for commuter benefits 12

Best Workplaces for Commuters. SM = transportation sustainability Ø 2, 800, 000 commuters covered § Nationwide 1400 Best Workplaces for Commuters employers Ø 3 billion vehicle miles traveled reduced in 2005 Ø Sep 2001 – Sep 2005 § § : 4, 440 tons N 0 x avoided 3. 19 Million Metric tons CO 2 avoided 372. 3 million gallons gasoline saved $686 million in gasoline dollars saved 13

Colleges and Universities Designated as Best Workplaces for Commuters (1 of 2) Ø Ø Ø Ø Arizona State University Baylor College of Medicine Brigham Young University Cal Poly State University - San Luis Obispo California State University, Dominguez Hills California State University, Fullerton California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Northridge California State University, Sacramento Clayton College and State University Colorado State University Parking Services Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center as of October 20, 2005 Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Emory University George Mason University Harvard Medical School Harvard University Houston Graduate School of Theology Lewis & Clark College Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology Naropa University North Carolina State University Pennsylvania State University San Jose State University Simmons College Southwestern Illinois College Stanford University Tacoma Community College continued on next slide 14

Colleges and Universities Designated as Best Workplaces for Commuters (2 of 2) Ø Ø Ø Ø as of October 20, 2005 Tufts New England Medical Center, Inc. University of Arizona University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis Medical Center University of California, San Diego University of California, San Francisco University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado at Boulder University of Denver University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of New Hampshire University off North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø University off North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Pittsburgh University of Texas at Austin University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston University of Texas Medical Branch University of Utah University of Vermont University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Vanderbilt University Virginia Tech Washington University School of Medicine Wentworth Institute of Technology Western Washington University Yale University 15

Review Ø Providing parking is expensive Ø A comprehensive commuter benefit program can save money by reducing parking demand Consider Ø Commuter benefits are a wise personnel investment that can enhance employee recruitment and retention. 16

Commute Impacts Employees § 36% of workers say they would be willing to take a 10% pay cut or more for a shorter commute - 2001 Career Builder Survey, HR Magazine § 14% of Americans have changed jobs or left a job primarily because of the commute – 2005 ABC News Poll § 16% of Americans will change their commute if gas prices continue to rise – 2005 Fuel Gauge Report 17

Tax Savings from transit subsidy Salary Increase vs. Transit Subsidy Monthly Comparison Employer Cost Comparison Initial Cost FICA Cost (7. 65%) Parking Space Operational Costs Corporate Inc. Tax Savings (40%) Net Employer Cost/ Month Salary Increase Transit Subsidy $50. 00 $4. 00 $50. 00 -$40. 00 $64. 00 $50. 00 $0. 00 -$20. 00 $30. 00 Employee Benefit Comparison Initial Benefit FICA Cost (7. 65%) Federal Income Tax (28 %) State Income Tax (6 %) Net Employee Benefit/ Month Salary Increase Transit Subsidy $50. 00 -$4. 00 -$14. 00 -$3. 00 $29. 00 $50. 00 $0. 00 $50. 00 18

“Free transit. . . helps in recruiting and is a perk that employees appreciate. ” -Sherry Favre, Human Resources Southwestern Illinois College 19

“I regularly receive emails from commuter benefit participants telling me that they have more personal time while in public transit. Commuter benefits. . . are an excellent employee morale booster. ” - Doug Bowerman, Employee Transportation Coordinator-2004 University of Texas Health Sciences Center 20

“We are the largest employer in our community and want to be a good neighbor. We recognize our impact on road congestion and air quality, so we offer transit passes to mitigate our “footprint” on the local community. ” -Renee Callaway, TDM Program Manager University of Wisconsin-Madison 21

“The daily movement of people back and forth to campus in automobiles burning fossil fuels is one of the largest impacts a typical educational institution imposes on the support systems of the planet” -Transportation & Sustainable Campus Communities Toor and Havlick, 2004 22

§ Reduce congestion § improve air quality § support a sustainable community Impact of commuter benefits on the local community Potential Yearly Reduction* University Number of Greenhouse Gasoline Size gases savings drive-alone commuters (metric tons) (gallons) Vehicle miles traveled Small 5, 000 2, 636 266, 000 5. 4 million Medium 15, 000 7, 909 798, 000 16. 2 million Large 30, 000 15, 818 1, 595, 000 32. 4 million * Based on EPA Calculations 23

University of Michigan Saved $17 million in construction costs by reducing demand by 1, 300 spaces 24

Emory University found it cost effective to subsidize transit passes for employees rather than build a 1500 space parking garage at the cost of $15 million. 25

Cornell University ØSince 1991 § Cornell commuters have traveled 10 million fewer miles ØAnnually saves § 417 thousand gallons of gasoline 26

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COMMUTER Model provides emissions output as well as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) saved and money saved on gasoline from employer program. Accessed from: http: //www. epa. gov/otaq/transp/ conform/policy. htm#bwc-conform 28

The Case for Commuter Benefits ØSaves you money by reducing parking demand ØEnhances recruitment and retention ØDemonstrates environmental leadership 29

Best Workplaces for Commuters Ø Guaranteed spot on National Best Workplaces for Commuters. SM list. Ø Positive press coverage Ø Exclusive rights to use logo/designation Ø Networking opportunities Ø Technical assistance 30

Assess where your campus is on the commuter benefits continuum Very few commuter benefits Comprehensive commuter benefits 31

Considerations in achieving a Best Workpalcse for Commuters designation Ø Organization of Departments on your campus Ø Who are key decision makers regarding parking/transportation commuter benefits? Ø How can you best reach them with this message? Ø Are there local transportation professionals that can help? Is there a Transportation Management Organization in your area? Ø Alliance with local government for Emergency Ride Home? 32

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Resources available to you at bwc. gov ØOnline registration ØCommuter Benefit Briefs ØEmergency Ride Home Toolkit ØCOMMUTER Model ØProgram Overview Presentation 34

Online Registration is fast and Easy www. bwc. gov § Call our toll-free information request line at 888 -856 -3131 § ruth. connie@epa. gov 35

Questions and Discussion