Employer

Reduce your work site parking demand by encouraging employees to opt for public transit instead.

Foster a bus-friendly workplace by:

1. Providing transit options.
• The VIA Works program provides employer options for purchasing transit fares. Monthly bus passes, Annual passes and Van Pool are all available.
• VIAWorks is a great way to recruit talent, improve attendance and reduce parking needs.
• It is a great way to positively impact your work environment.
2. Providing rider amenities.
• Request a bus stop or upgraded bus shelter from VIA Metropolitan Transit.
• If your work site has early and late shifts, request extended bus service.
• Provide a parking cash out for employees that use public transit.
3. Providing educational materials.
• Provide informative materials on-site, such as bus route maps.
• Inform employees of the Alamo Commutes rewards program and Emergency Ride Home.

Employees that ride together to work exhibit higher levels of productivity, reduced stress, and improved social bonds.

Make your workplace car-smart.

• Foster a carpool and vanpool-friendly workplace.
• Encourage employees to find their carpool match for free using the Alamo Commutes app. Invite Alamo Commutes staff to present on their carpool matching serivce and help employees sign up.
• Provide information on the VIA Metropolitan Transit vanpool program. Subsidize the cost of the van rental.
• Host “Meet Your Neighbor” mixers where employees can meet their potential carpool matches.
• Provide preferred carpool/vanpool parking or parking discounts for carpoolers.
• Encourage employees to go car-free (at work, at least) by providing transportation services at the work site.
• Foster a car-lite workplace by:
• Requesting a carshare service at your work site. For example, Zipcar provides employer accounts for a $75 start-up fee. Estimate the monthly cost to your business on the Zipcar website.
• Providing company cars to use for personal and professional needs during the work day.
• Requesting a Swell Cycle station for your work site. Alternatively, request dockless vehicles (bicycles or scooters) for your work site. Or provide company bicycles that employees can check out.
• Working with a transportation service like Uber or Lyft to provide ride credits for employees.
• Encourage employees to opt for webinars or conference calls, when available, instead of taking in-person meetings.
• Provide on-site amenities such as a cafeteria or gym.

Flexible scheduling can help both employers and employees. Employees benefit from improved work-life balance and employers benefit from reduced absenteeism, improved retention rates, and improved employee morale.

Implement flexible scheduling in your workplace:

1. Provide flexible scheduling guidelines.
• Establish a company-wide flexible scheduling policy, with specific guidelines for telecommuting, compressed work weeks, and flex-time.
• For telecommuting, provide employer/employee agreements and encourage supervisors to implement training for employees.
2. Subsidize technology costs.
• Set aside a portion of your company’s budget to fund telecommuting arrangements, including computer equipment and home office supplies.
3. Promote flexible scheduling arrangements.
• Share policies for flexible scheduling arrangements at new hire orientation, open enrollment, and staff meetings.
• Include guidelines for flexible scheduling arrangements into new hire packets and benefits guides.

Employers can encourage employees to opt for alternative transportation through providing either parking incentives or parking penalties. Parking management can significantly reduce worksite parking demand.

Manage parking demand in your workplace:

1. Offer a parking cash out.
• Provide employees a cash incentive to give up their parking space.
2. Provide preferred parking.
• For employees that carpool or vanpool, provide reserved parking spaces near the entrance.
3. Charging employees for parking.
• Free parking incentivizes employees to drive to work – and leaves less parking for customers and visitors.
4. Fund commuter benefits.
• Using parking revenue to fund alternative transportation benefits such as bus passes, bicycle parking, and rewards programs.

Walking not only energizes your employees, it cuts down on your insurance and healthcare costs. If employees aren’t able to walk to work, encourage them to walk to lunch and nearby meetings.

Foster a pedestrian-friendly workplace:

1. Conduct a walkability audit.
• Invite Alamo Commutes staff to conduct a walkability audit of your work site. Alamo Commutes will identify barriers to walkability and recommend solutions.
2. Provide resources.
• Provide pedestrian resources such as pedestrian safety guides and reflective clothing.
3. Incorporate physical activity.
• Support employee-administered walking groups. Encourage supervisors to conduct walking meetings.
4. Provide facilities.
• Provide showers and locker rooms.
5. Walk to lunch.
• Encourage employees to walk to lunch or nearby meetings rather than drive.
6. Offer safety training.
• Invite Alamo Commutes to conduct pedestrian safety training for employees.