Honk if you hear me

Metro area's traffic solutions start with you

Ellen Macht

January 1, 2007

Traffic is more than annoying. Traffic is costly. In fact, metro Atlantans waste more than 103 billion hours per year due to traffic congestion. That costs approximately $1.75 billion in lost work hours and fuel costs. As our region continues to grow, adding an estimated 2 million people within the next 25 years, traffic will continue to consume our time and money.

Consider these facts:

•  Metro Atlanta has the dubious honor of having the longest commute in the country – 31.2 minutes one way. (Source: Transportation Research Board, 2007)

•  Those miles spent commuting put a drain on our wallets: Sperling's Best Places ranks metro Atlanta as the most expensive place to commute.

•  Each year, metro Atlanta drivers waste 169 million gallons of gas due to traffic congestion. That equals 56 gallons per person per year.

The impacts of traffic congestion may start with the individual, but they ultimately lead to the office building. As a former business executive, I am especially driven to reach employers within The Clean Air Campaign's¯ mission to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. Employers not only have the ability to influence how their employees get to work, but they also stand to reap immediate benefits by doing so.

For example, by offering workers options to driving alone, employers can reduce parking costs. Implementing telework programs can save money on office space and improve employee productivity. Similarly, carpooling, vanpooling and transit programs that let someone else do the driving help employees arrive at work less stressed and more ready to take on their tasks for the day.

Employers also can reduce payroll taxes by using the federal Commuter Choice program to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for transit or vanpool costs. A small investment of time and resources in these programs can add up to huge benefits.

Some situations make the search for commute alternatives a necessity. In the case of Intelliserve, an office move from Buckhead to Alpharetta presented a challenging scenario. The move would considerably lengthen the daily commute of many employees, making retention a high priority issue.

To help curb turnover, The Clean Air Campaign helped find an easier way for Intelliserve employees to get to work. Using a combination of information sessions and incentive opportunities to encourage alternative commuting, the company was able to retain approximately 90 percent of its employees.

Intelliserve employees continue to save money and time and the company was able to reduce the costs associated with recruiting and training new employees.

Finding your solution

It's no wonder that since 2002, the number of employers working with The Clean Air Campaign or one of eight area transportation management associations (TMAs) has doubled to more than 800.

How is it done? Outreach staff work directly with employers to help them develop customized commute options programs. This means everything from ridesharing programs (vanpooling and carpooling), alternative work schedules and telework options, to transit, cycling and pedestrian programs.

Businesses can learn from the examples of the government sector as well to see the bottom line benefits available through commute options programs. For example, take the City of Fayetteville, Ga. Through its compressed workweek program, city employees work 10-hour days in exchange for one extra day off each week.

The work hours are staggered so that some staff come in early and leave early, while others are able to come in later and leave later in the day. This flexible type of program also enables the city to extend its weekly business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., thereby making services available at times more convenient for more residents.

In the first month, more than 500 citizens took advantage of the extra hours and that number has increased each month. In a customer service survey, citizens were asked if the hours were useful to them and more than 50 percent responded positively. The city was able to provide a benefit to its employees and customers without extending the budget.

Winning the commute battle

So it seems that what's good for employees is good for employers as well. Research shows that employees view commute options as benefits, and employers who offer them can win the war for talent. And a better image for our region means we can continue to attract new businesses and a diverse and highly qualified workforce.

There are several commute options programs you can make available to help jumpstart your employees’ interest. Are your employees interested in carpooling? They can log onto www.187ridefind.com and connect with potential carpool partners. Carpooling allows individuals to cut commuting costs by up to half. And if the route includes HOV lanes, they may even reduce commute times. Carpooling is easier than many people think. There is even an answer for one of the primary obstacles – “ What if I get sick or my child gets sick and I need to leave early? ” The Guaranteed Ride Home program offers up to five free cab rides home each year for just such circumstances.

NO ONE PERSON CAN DO EVERYTHING, BUT EVERY PERSON CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT FITS HIS OR HER LIFESTYLE. EVERY EMPLOYER CAN FIND WAYS TO FACILITATE INFORMATION OR OFFER A COMMUTE ALTERNATIVE TO EMPLOYEES.

In addition, transit and teleworking are great alternatives to the solo commute. By using one of metro Atlanta's five transit systems, which now serve nine counties, commuters can avoid the hassle of traffic congestion and related expenses like gas, tolls and parking fees. Encourage using MARTA, Xpress or other transit providers by offering a discount or subsidy program for transit passes.

As added motivation for those who currently drive alone, the Cash for Commuters regional incentive program enables individuals to earn $3 per day, up to $180 over three months, for trying such alternative transportation options as carpooling, vanpooling, using transit, walking or cycling to work. This program helped thousands of commuters when gas prices soared to record levels.

And it continues to work. A study by the Center for Transportation and Environment on behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation showed that 70 percent of Cash for Commuters participants were still using alternatives three to six months after the financial incentive ended.

Relieving traffic congestion

There is much discussion these days about the transportation solutions that are needed to relieve traffic and prepare our region for growth. While more and better infrastructure will provide solutions for tomorrow, our services can help solve traffic hassles today. Our focus rests entirely on voluntary efforts. We offer solutions that you, as an employer or individual, can do TODAY.

No one person can do everything, but every person can find something that fits his or her lifestyle. Every employer can find ways to facilitate information or offer a commute alternative to employees.

I take MARTA to the airport whenever possible. My employees also “ walk the walk ” when it comes to eliminating car trips. Can you suggest to employees that they walk to lunch instead of hopping in their car? Can you combine household trips to the cleaners, grocery store or post office?

Most of our daily non-commute car trips are less than one mile in distance. Simple adjustments can have a huge impact, especially when everybody does their part. By implementing a commute options program, you can contribute to the growth of our region and your own business.

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