CONTENTS 1 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS Publisher Introducing the Vanpool Works Dale J

www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 1 FEATURES DEPARTMENTS Publisher Introducing the Vanpool Works Dale J. Marsico, CCTM 13 4 From the Editor Editor-in-Chief Scott Bogren

Editor 16 Taking a Closer Look at Commuting 6 The CT Podcast Rich Sampson

Contributors 9 From the Community 1 Amy Conrick 24 Taking a Targeted Approach with Sector-Based Strategies Anthony Frederick Pamela Friedman Carolyn Jeskey 11 From the Community 2 Ryan Kelly Kevin Oliff 33 CalVans: An Easy Ride to the Hard Work on a Farm 53 About Us Circulation Please direct all circulation questions to [email protected]

Finance 35 Meeting Complex Job Access Solutions with Community Partnerships & Buy In Don Browner

Editorial Ofﬁ ces 1341 G Street, NW - 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Smart Phones & Apps: Empowering the Commuter Email: [email protected] 40 Web: www.ctaa.org/ct

Advertising Sales Bill Shoemaker, A.H.I. 118 Church Street, P.O. Box 519 The CT Interview: Bridj Marketing Manager Ryan Kelly Selbyville, DE 19975 46 Phone: 302.436.4375 Fax: 302.436.911 Email: [email protected] 49 Telecommuting: The Road Less Traveled — Or Not Traveled at All www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 2 www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 3 From the Editor-in-Chief Vanpooling and Job Access Transportation

Click anywhere on the above image to view Editor-in-Chief Scott Bogren’s welcome to this edition of DigitalCT magazine. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 4 The Leader in Mobility Management Solutions

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45% TRAVELER INFORMATION REDUCTION IN PARTNERSHIP APPROACH ROUTEMATCH.COM | [email protected] PASSENGER NO SHOWS www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 5 New on the CTPodcast Fall-Winter 2014 Every month, the CTPodcast is home to a collection of thought-provoking, insightful discussion on key community and public transportation topics To subscribe to the CTPodcast, go to http://ctpodcast.blogspot.com/ or search “The CTPodcast” in iTunes. Click on the microphone beside each entry to listen. The CT Podcast Jarrett Walker, Transit Author, Blogger and Consultant The Community Transportation Podcast is a new information tool from the Community Transportation Association of America. Take a listen as Jarrett Walker -- transit author, blogger and consultant -- becomes the ﬁ rst re- CTAA Communications Director Scott Bogren discusses some facet of curring guest on the CTPodcast. Walker discusses the changing nature of the work trip in public transit, particularly as it relates to service design, noting: community and public transportation with experts in the field. The CT “the way you plan for transit to work is the way you plan for everyday trips... Podcast is a great way to learn about key issues, innovations, breaking work trips should not be an isolated service.” Key topics covered in this news and fresh approaches. You can access the CT Podcast in two ways: discussion include high-frequency service, low-income workers and common- sense system design and redesign. 1. The CT Podcast Blog Page

Ashley Robbins, CFTE, on the 2014 Elections 2. Subscribe to the CT Podcast on iTunes. Ashley Robbins of the Center for Transportation Excellence joins Scott to break down how transit fared in the 2014 elections. We cover the the big Here’s who has joined the Podcast this month: wins and disappointments and analyze the key takeaways leading into 2015 Americans For Transit’s Andrew Austin and 2016. For more Election 2014 analysis, please go to page 9 — ed. Just two weeks young, Americans For Transit (A4T) is dedicated to orga- nizing and mobilizing transit riders. Pat Branson, Mayor, Kodia, Alaska Reconnecting America’s Sasha Forbes Two weeks ago, Reconnecting America released an excellent report, Put- Mayor Pat Branson of Kodiak, Alaska joins the CTPodcast to discuss transit ting Transit to Work in Main Street America: How Smaller Cities and Rural in Kodiak — the nation’s second largest island — as well as across Alaska. Places are Using Transit. From the community-based operation in Kodiak to ferry connections on Alaska’s Marine Highway (a 13-hour one-way trip to Homer, Alaska), to the Treasure Valley Transit’s Terri Lindenberg use of planes, snowmobiles, trains and more across the last frontier, Branson CTAA’s 2012 Rural Community Transportation System of the Year is Trea- knows the difference between rural and remote. “Transit is a vital piece of our sure Valley Transit, an 8-county transit system serving Southwest Idaho economic engine,” says Branson. Jarrett Walker, Author, Human Transit Jarrett Walker, author of the book, Human Transit, as well as the Human Transit blog. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 6 Community Development Transportation Lending Services Financing

Transportation Facilities & Multimodal Centers The perfect compliment to Digital CT is our bi-weekly E- CDTLS can provide funding in Financing available with negotiable Newsletter, CT Fast Mail. Delivering the latest news on transit A special loan support of transportation facil- terms and low interest rates. fund to develop ity construction or renovation. policy from the nation’s capitol, developments from across the Across the country local transit Eligible Applicants: Private com- transportation services are building facilities panies, non-profit organizations, country, research and analysis publications and information on facilities and and promoting economic devel- and state or local governments resources and technical assistance from the Community Trans- opment through transportation. supporting community transporta- multi-modal Sustainable economic develop- tion and intermodal activities. portation Association and other partners, CT Fast Mail is the centers to improve ment can be dependent on an most direct location for the most relevant news and updates in community intermodal transportation system Criteria: Adequate collateral and that includes rail or bus. Financing a priority of promoting economic the industry. mobility and is meant to facilitate or enhance development in low-income areas. enhance economic community transportation activities and to promote intermodal For further information or a loan And it’s free to sign-up! Simply send an email to fastmail@ctaa. development activities and mobility. application contact: org and you’ll be connected with the next issue of CT Fast CDTLS is dedicated to improv- Dale J. Marsico, CCTM PLANNING & Mail. In the meantime, view the latest edition at www.ctaa.org. ing mobility opportunities and 1341 G Street, NW, 10th Floor TECHNICAL enhancing economic development Washington, DC 20005 ASSISTANCE through community transportation. Tel: 202.415.9682 Fax: 202.737.9197 AVAILABLE Why use CDTLS? E-mail: [email protected] • Flexible financing options Web: www.ctaa.org • Negotiable interest rates • Key partnerships EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES & MULTI-MODAL CENTERS & MULTI-MODAL FACILITIES TRANSPORTATION www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 7 Strengthening Inclusive4 Coordinated Transportation • Resources Partnerships to Promote • Environmental Scan • Inclusive Planning Community Living Projects • Knowledge Sharing Network

@TransitPlanning www.transitplanning4all.org www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 8 From the Community 1 — Election Analysis Fall-Winter 2014 Election 2014 Analysis: Transit Ballot Initiatives Enjoy Continued Success By Scott Bogren With transit ballot initiatives passing na- yesterday in West Virginia’s 3rd Congressio- 62-38 margin. Supporters had hoped passage tionally at rates of greater than 70 percent nal District, bringing to a close 38 years of would spark nearby Hillsborough County to for the past fi ve elections (2009-2013), House service. Oregon’s Peter DeFazio is the reconsider a similar failed initiative in 2010. November 5th’s results continued the posi- likely successor as ranking member on the tive trend with an overall passage rate for the T&I Committee. Clayton County Votes to Join MARTA — year at 71 percent. The key factor for tran- Voters in Metropolitan Atlanta’s Clayton sit’s success or failure in 2014 mirror those In the health care arena, the success for County voted to join the Metropolitan Atlanta of all elections: turnout. Also, continuing cur- Republican Governors in the 2014 Elections Regional Transportation Authority (MARTA), rent services fared better than new ones. — they won at least 24 of the 36 gubernato- making it the fi rst county to join the MARTA rial elections (Alaska and Vermont are not system since 1971. The local sales tax will What follows is an initial analysis of some fully decided as of this writing) — spells rise a full 1 percent with more than 70 per- of the more noteworthy transit and transpor- trouble for expanded Medicaid and the Af- cent voter approval — and is expected to tation initiatives. But fi rst, here’s a look at fordable Care Act in several states, while generate $45 million annually. Just four years the next Congress. boosting potential in others. There are now ago, Clayton County dissolved its local transit 31 Republican governors (compared with 17 service (C-Tran) and has been without public Nationally, Republicans with Senate, Key Democrats). With many states increasingly transit service since. Limited bus service is Gubernatorial Races decided to fund their surface transportation set to launch in the county in March. infrastructure needs and not wait for the fed- With the Senate now in Republican con- Austin Voters Reject Rail/Road Transporta- trol, it seems highly likely that Senator eral government, the outcomes of these races takes on added importance. tion Bond — A proposal to fund 9.5 miles Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) will return to Chair of light rail, along with $400 million in local the Senate Banking Committee, which has Transit at the Ballot Box road improvements, was defeated 57-43 by jurisdiction over public transit authoriza- Austin voters. Rail investments in Texas’ tions. Shelby had led the committee in the Greenlight Pinellas Soundly Defeated — Vot- capital city have proven tough to pass in the past. In the Senate Environment and Public ers in the Tampa Bay region (Pinellas Coun- past decade and it must be said that many Works Committee, Sen. James Inhofe (R- ty) defeated a sales tax increase (a full 1-cent transit advocates had mixed feelings about Okla.) is set to assume the chairmanship. increase) for bus system improvements and a this proposal from the outset. On the House side, Transportation and 24-mile light-rail system connecting St. Pe- Infrastructure Committee ranking member tersburg and Clearwater. The initiative won Seattle Votes to Boost Bus Service — Seattle Nick Rahall (D-W.V.) was soundly defeated only two precincts in the county and lost by a voters agreed to a $60 annual car tab fee yes- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 9 From the Community 1 — Election Analysis terday designed to increase bus service in the restored with proceeds from a voter-passed sit Association reported: “Four of fi ve pub- city. Of the $45 million the fee is expected to sales tax increase. lic transit property tax millage proposals in raise, $36.5 million will go to buy more bus Michigan passed yesterday. In Cadillac/Wex- service hours. Wichita Voters Turn Away Sales Tax Increase ford County the millage was easily renewed, as To Fund Multiple Projects, Including Transit it was in Bay City. In Genesee County an ad- Florida’s Alachua and Polk Counties Reject — Voters in Wichita, Kansas voted against ditional millage for MTA operations narrowly Transit Taxes — Voters in Alachua (Gaines- a 1-cent on the dollar sales tax increase that was approved while in Spring Lake Township ville) and Polk Counties soundly defeated lo- would have raised $400 million for local in Ottawa County a new millage for expan- cal sales tax increases to fund transportation water projects, street repair, job development sion for Harbor Transit easily was approved. system improvements that sought to fund and public transit. Opponents of the propos- Only a new millage in Addison Township both transit and road projects. al had argued for individual votes on these of Oakland County, for the North Oakland projects, rather than a combined approach. Transportation Authority operations, failed by Statewide Transit Victories in Maryland, a narrow margin.” Wisconsin and Rhode Island Tempered Monterey Voters Support Tax Increase for by Losses in Massachusetts and Louisi- Transit — With nearly three quarters of vot- Ohio Community Votes to Remain in TARTA ana — Voters in Maryland overwhelmingly ers in support, a 1/8-cent sales tax was approved — Rossford, Ohio voters decided, by a wide passed a constitutional amendment ensur- for Monterey-Salinas (Calif.) Transit for ex- margin, to remain in the Toledo Area Region- ing the state’s transportation fund cannot panded transportation services for older Ameri- al Transit Authority. be raided by state politicians for other pur- cans, people with disabilities and veterans. This Weston, Wisconsin Voters Say No to Taxes poses. Similarly, in Wisconsin voters passed a vote required two-thirds passage by California for Bus Service — In a vote that likely ends statewide measure protecting transportation statute, so its’ margin of victory is signifi cant. bus service for Weston — a suburb south of funds. By a 60-40 margin, voters in Rhode Wausau, Wisc. — voters rejected a property Island passed a $35 million mass transit Alameda County (Calif.) Voters Double Transportation Sales Tax — Two years after tax increase to pay for local bus service. A hub infrastructure bond. In Massachusetts, similar vote in 2012 yielded the same result, voters threw out the state’s gas tax index- missing passage by a mere 700 votes, Bal- lot Measure BB in Alameda County, Calif., with the Weston Village Board picking up ing provision, leaving changes in the state’s the tab to continue the service. Initially, the transportation fund subject to legislative passed with 69.7 of voters in favor — just more than two percent ahead of the two- Board seems unwilling to continue to sup- action. And in Louisiana, voters rejected a port the bus service moving forward. constitutional amendment to create a state thirds margin necessary in California to transportation infrastructure bank. increase local taxes. The measure will raise Dona Ana County Voters Reject Sales Tax $7.8 billion over 30 years, with the majority for Regional Bus Service — Voters in Las Cincinnati’s Historic Union Station Saved of that funding going to public transit. Roads Cruces and Dona Ana County, New Mexico — One of the nation’s most iconic passenger and bike/ped projects are also covered by the voted against a new sales tax to fund regional rail stations (which currently also serves as measure. bus service throughout the county. The ¼ a museum) was saved by Hamilton County, of one percent gross receipts tax would have Ohio voters by a 61-39 margin yesterday. Four out of Five Michigan Transit Millage cost local residents an extra 25-cent charge Cincinnati’s art deco Union Station will be Votes Pass — The Michigan Public Tran- on a $100 purchase. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 10 From the Community 2 — Shared-Use Mobility Fall-Winter 2014 Shared-Use Mobility Center Working to Promote Better

For more For more Integration with Transit information on information on By Sharon Feigon, Executive Director RideShareNation Vanpool Works Shared-Use Mobility Center click here click here A recent study by the U.S. Public Interest Unfortunately, in many cities public sector Research Group highlighted two important leaders and private mobility providers contin- trends for public transit – people are driving ue to operate independently from one anoth- less, and they want more transportation op- er. To help foster collaboration, we recently tions. launched the Shared-Use Mobility Center, a By increasing access to affordable transpor- Over the last decade the number of miles public-interest partnership working to help tation – including public transit – shared driven by the average American has fallen, es- connect the burgeoning industry with transit mobility can help satisfy this demand as well pecially among Millennials who are less likely agencies, cities and communities and maxi- as expand access to jobs, health care, educa- to have a driver’s license than previous gen- mize the public benefi ts of shared mobility. tion and a better quality of life. erations and are more likely to use multiple modes of travel during a typical day or week. Growth of Shared-Use Mobility Integration with Transit One of the best ways to accommodate the demand for a greater array of transportation Shared transportation has grown tremen- According to a recent study by the Univer- choices, especially given current constraints dously in recent years as a renewed interest sity of California, Berkeley, shared mobil- on state and federal transportation funding, is in urbanism and growing environmental, en- ity services like bike-share can also help to to fi nd ways to better integrate public transit ergy and economic concerns have intensifi ed expand and establish new connections within with the emerging shared mobility industry. the need for sustainable alternatives. public transit networks – especially in more When integrated with transit, shared mobil- Simultaneously, advances in electronic dispersed communities and small to mid- ity – including bike, car and ride-sharing – and wireless technologies have made sharing sized cities without dense urban cores. can help extend the reach of existing systems, assets easier and more effi cient. Automo- The study found that 14 percent of Minne- create new connections and fi ll service gaps. bile manufacturers, rental car companies, apolis bike-share members increased rail use As the former CEO of IGO CarSharing, I venture-backed startups and city-sponsored along the main commuter corridor as well had the opportunity to witness many of the programs have sprung up with new solu- as on the city’s outer edge. A similar number benefi ts of integration fi rst hand. One of my tions ranging from large physical networks to reported increased bus use. proudest accomplishments was working with mobile applications designed to alter routes, In cities like Minneapolis, shared mobil- the Chicago Transit Authority to create the fi ll empty seats and combine fare media and ity often serves as a fi rst/last mile solution. fi rst combined car-share/transit fare card in real-time arrival and departure information. Transit riders may use bike-share to travel North America, which further enabled our These new services represent innovative from their home to a nearby bus stop, for in- 15,000 members to forgo vehicle ownership. responses to the demand for more options. stance, or use a car-share service after arriv- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 11 practices, outlook studies that track industry trends and an interactive tool that cities can use to identify and address service gaps. ing at a train depot to reach their fi nal des- challenges such as fi nding ways to better In line with SUMC’s focus on extending tination. Chicago’s popular Divvy bike-share serve people with disabilities, extend service the benefi ts of shared mobility to all – in- system – which has stations within a block to a more diverse range of communities and cluding elderly, disabled, and low-income of most Chicago Transit Authority stations – tackle mobility issues in suburban and rural households – we are also working on creat- was designed with this type of use in mind. areas. ing a guide for how shared mobility can be Additionally, the University of California, At the Shared Use Mobility Center’s recent used to better reach diverse communities. I Berkeley’s study showed that, in larger, dens- workshop in Chicago, we brought together was proud that we were able to serve a wide er cities like Washington, D.C., bike-share private and public sector leaders from across range of neighborhoods, ages and economic can act as an alternative for short rail trips the nation to discuss these and other ob- groups at IGO CarSharing, and hope to con- to help alleviate pressure on transit demand stacles and brainstorm possible solutions. We tinue that legacy at SUMC. in core service areas. Research has suggested also provided an update on the state of the Our staff and founding partners – includ- shared mobility services can also supplement shared mobility industry and an initial analy- ing the University of California Berkeley’s existing systems by providing transportation sis of Chicago, which is home to a rich mix options at night or on weekends, when tran- Transportation Sustainability Research Center of shared transportation modes but still has (TSRC), the Center for Neighborhood Tech- sit service is less frequent. many gaps that must be addressed. Also relevant for transit systems is the nology (CNT) and TransitCenter – provide We look forward to continuing this kind decades of experience in developing shared fact that shared mobility greatly reduces the of analysis in cities across the country as we need for car ownership. A 2005 report by the mobility operations and conducting transpor- work toward our initial objectives, which tation research. Transportation Research Board, for example, include: found an average of 20 percent of car-share To fully realize the benefi ts of shared mo- • Convening transportation and technol- members sell a vehicle after joining and bility, however, we need transit agencies and ogy leaders to build broad awareness for the more than 40 percent postpone or forgo the public stakeholders from around the nation to value of shared-use mobility; purchase of a vehicle. join in the dialogue and work with us during • Conducting research, creating tools and The reduction in vehicle miles traveled this exciting time for public transportation. accelerating models for shared-use mobility often results in an increase in transit rider- Together, we can address key issues such as ship – according to the same study, nearly 40 that work for everyone; and integration that will help improve urban mo- percent of respondents stated that they use • Collaborating with cities and other govern- bility, increase transportation options and low- transit more often as a result of their involve- mental agencies to craft policies, programs er dependency on vehicle ownership – three ment in car-sharing – along with walking, and standards that demonstrate the potential trends we should all be able to get behind. cycling and other mobility options. of shared-use mobility and spread its adoption. For more information about the Shared-Use Challenges and Solutions To help create value for cities, transit agen- Mobility Center, visit http://sharedusemobili- cies and the industry, we plan to develop sev- tycenter.org or email info@sharedusemobility- More research is needed to fully explore eral new resources in the coming months in- center.org. the benefi ts of shared mobility and address cluding a policy repository that highlights best www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 12 The Vanpool Works Fall-Winter 2014 Introducing: The Vanpool Works he trends have become facts. De- There are no simple answers — nor one- approach is possible and can create innova- mand for all forms of community size-fi ts-all solutions. Community and public tive and practical solutions. and public transportation is up. transportation, as we have often said, is more Federal transportation funding is like a quilt than a seamless fabric and we CTAA has several decades of experience —T at best — fl at, and certainly not keeping realize that if you’ve seen one transit organi- in directly addressing job access transporta- pace with operating costs. States and locali- zation, well, you’ve seen one transit organi- tion. Through these efforts we’ve developed ties are hard pressed fi nancially to maintain zation. Yet within this complicated, diverse cost-effective and targeted solutions to get their levels of investment. Competition lurks network there are two areas where changing people to jobs in ways that refl ect the needs everywhere as transportation funders and community and public transit’s traditional of a diverse and changing work environ- purchasers seek to cap or even decrease ment as well as constrained budgets. Our transportation spending. It’s tough out there. JOBLINKS program experience helped to create federal efforts Today, community and public transpor- like the former Job tation is challenged by two kinds of de- Access and Reverse mand. The fi rst is created by those seeking Commute Program not just more service, but more fl exible and (JARC) and our rider-centered services. The second demand fi nancing of transpor- pushes us to deliver trips at ever lowering tation services in job costs. In some ways, it’s a familiar economic training found their model. Americans have come to expect great- way into the Com- er demand to lower prices. And, of course, muter Tax Benefi t the challenge in dealing with growing de- Vanpools are an essential tool that every community that helps employ- mand is complicated by efforts in the public and public transportation system can use to become ers and employees sector to “hold the line” or “reduce” govern- more effi cient. reduce the fi nan- ment spending regardless of how important cial cost of going those investments are in the transportation to work. Condi- business. tions change, grant www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 13 The Vanpool Works programs come The adoption of the Moving Ahead for and go, but the ProgressRAIL in the Magazine’s 21st Century Act Latest (MAP-21) need and demand on July 6, 2012 and its subsequent extension remains. earlierEdition: this year untilThrilling May 31, 2015Wonder marks a low pointStories in federal investment– Revisited in the na- The community tion’s surface transportation network. For the and public trans- better part of the past half-century, surface portation fi eld transportationDIGITAL legislationSTUNNING – rangingTRAINS IN THEfrom TROPICS! BRIDGES! needs sustainable the Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964 and affordable through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Ef- ways to provide fi cientTHRILLING Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy cost-effective and for UserswonderSTORIES (SAFETEA-LU), -> REVISITED which expired in effi cient employ- FUTURISTIC 2009BUILDINGS! – had continuously grown investment MOUNTAIN RAIL ADVENTURES! ment transporta- in the nation’s transit system and network of tion. We think roadways, enjoying strong bipartisan support. vanpools are an essential part of However, due to the recent insolvency of CANADA!

the solution. Van- thewww.railmagazine.org highwayCONTENTS and transit trust1 funds which pools are tools that address both of the demand concepts that challenge our industry to- delivered revenue to the various programs day. They affordably meet the fl exibility needs of riders that are both low-cost and sustainable. includedWhen we in fithe rst legislationlaunched RAIL and Magazine, nearly com- we pletedid sopolitical with the gridlock premise in that the thisnation’s publication capital, For both current and prospective vanpool operators, our new Vanpool Works product is the federalwas dedicated leaders in not both so muchparties to have trains been them- perfect place to start. Offering a customizable menu of technical assistance, fi nancing, equip- unableselves, to but match more their to what predecessors’ those trains stan- were ment purchasing, insurance and training, Vanpool Works is designed for smaller vanpool op- dardscreating with in reasonable the communities levels of they investment serve. This erations, fi rst-time initiatives as well as established services. It’s a responsive product designed in editionsurface oftransportation RAIL - Thrilling infrastructure Wonder Stories: and specifi cally to meet your needs. services.Revisited Between - afforded the fi usrst the year chance of SAFETEA- to go back and take a new look at specifi c passen- Vanpool Works isn’t a grant program. Rather, it’s a way to create a self-supporting employ- LU authorization in 2005 to the initial year of gerthe rail MAP-21 projects authorization we’ve highlighted in 2012, over the the ment transportation business as part of the mobility services you already offer. It includes fi - years. nancial models based on revenue from users, low-cost fi nancing, and low-cost start up and op- percentage of total transit spending derived erational activities. Details can be found on the website for the Vanpool Works, and of course from the transit trust fund has dropped from we’re always available to speak with you about how this can work for you. 87.5 percent to 80 percent. Meanwhile, the federal gas taxFollow –18.4 cents RAIL per gallonon – These are not ordinary, business-as-usual times. If you want different outcomes than the has been unchanged Twitterfor 21 years. at MAP-21 ones you’re currently getting, you need to do things differently. Vanpool Works is a great place fell well short of funding@RAILMag levels needed to to start. maintain – let alone expand – vitally needed surface transportation programs. According www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 14 www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 15 A Closer Look at Commuting Fall-Winter 2014

Taking a Closer Look at Commuting By Scott Bogren and public transportation operators. Yet as typical commuter is looking for fi rst-mile and with virtually all other facets of American last-mile solutions just as much as lines into New reports and research confi rm the grow- life, the commute is undergoing a fundamen- a city center and is often exploring alterna- ing — and transforming — role of community tal transformation. tives to driving that don’t include traditional and public transportation in getting Ameri- bus and rail options. cans to work. The way Americans work — and thus commute to work — is changing across the coun- It is incumbent on community and public The basic form and function of public try. Commute patterns that once seemed per- transportation to get ahead of these trends transportation in this country was born manent fi xtures are transforming, too. The and develop the type of fl exible, affordable around the notion of the commuter. Getting availability of real-time data; concepts like and responsive services that best meet to- Americans to-and-from work has always been fi rst-mile/last-mile; carshare, bikeshare and day’s commuters’ needs. the drive-wheel of transit and though com- vanpooling services; and, the increasing ur- muters have gone from spending the com- banization of the American population are all Looking at the Traditional Commute mute with the morning newspapers to staring serving to accelerate the transition. The typi- at their smart phones, transporting people to cal commuter today is just as likely to be go- Although, most estimates place community work and back has always — and will con- ing from one suburb to another, as opposed and public transportation’s share of the daily tinue to be — a vital function of community to the traditional suburb-to-city pattern. The commute load at about 5 percent. Low — to www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 16 A Closer Look at Commuting be sure — but not at all indicative of transit’s real (and growing) commute market penetra- tion because its availability is not uniform throughout the country.

Last year, Governing Magazine published a map of commuting in the U.S. (using 2011 American Community Survey data) that analyzed the real commuter situation and found far greater commuter market penetra- tion than those 5 percenters have led many to believe. In the New York City metropolitan area — not surprisingly — 38 percent of commuters used transit or bike/ped to get to work. The San Francisco Bay Area saw the same fi gure at 22 percent. In fact, to the left is a look at a select group of cities along with their percentage of commuters using a In many areas, transit’s share of the commute load far exceeds the 5 percent national fi gure (which fails to take into account fl uctuating transit investment levels). Above are a select group of cities’ combined transit and bike/ped combination of transit and bike/ped to get to commute load shares. Below is a similar fi gure for a number of college towns. To do more we need to invest more. work.

These ﬁ gures show that in many parts of the country the combination of community and public transportation, along with the bike/ped mode, is making serious inroads into the commute load share. The increasing urbanization of the American population along with the de-emphasis of driving on the part of younger Americans (which is why the college town ﬁ gures are so vital) make these trends certain to increase, further escalating transit’s share of the American commuting landscape. This data illustrates that, in fact, transit is doing a good job in many parts of the country of meeting the traditional commuter demand model. Technology can help us evaluate these services even more. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 17 A Closer Look at Commuting

For more information on RideShareNation click here

It was the confl uence of both the spatial mismatch and reverse commute concepts that ushered in the Federal Transit Administration’s Job Access and Re- verse Commute (JARC) program — which was in- troduced in the landmark TEA-21 federal surface Big Data and a New Generation of Analytical Tool transportation law in 1998, targeted largely to serving welfare recipients and low-income individuals. In In the 1960s, a concept took root that, in many ways, was the begin- 2012, JARC was discontinued by Congress with MAP- ning of the new generation of thinking about commuters and transpor- 21’s passage after nearly 14 years. tation. The concept, known as spatial mismatch, asserted that there exists a direct correlation between where an individual lives, where Yet the challenge remains and the reality of spatial available jobs are located and the individual’s ability to access those jobs mismatch persists. Earlier this year, a highly scientifi c — regardless the mode of transportation used — simply and effi ciently. and thorough research paper from the U.S. Census, Harvard University and the Comptroller for the Cur- In the 1990s, technology allowed an improved look at the spatial mis- rency, Job Displacement and the Duration of Joblessness: match concept. Researchers used a city map and then analyzed where The Role of Spatial Mismatch, found accessibility to jobs pockets of unemployed and underemployed resided, where available as the vital ingredient in positive employment out- jobs were, and then overlaid the local transit system’s routes. Many comes for job seekers. The report’s conclusion notes, communities suddenly had a visual tool that showed them exactly how mismatched some of their public transit efforts were with the concept “Our results support the spatial mismatch hypothesis. of connecting people to jobs. We fi nd that better job accessibility signifi cantly de- creases the duration of joblessness among lower-paid Further exacerbating the spatial mismatch issue, studies showed, displaced workers. In the center of the job accessibil- was the emergence of second- and third-shift work schedules, asking ity distribution, an increase from the 25th to the 75th employees to commute away from peak rush hour periods — but often percentile of job accessibility is associated with a 4.2 at times few community and public transportation systems could ac- percent reduction in search duration for fi nding any commodate. Lastly, at roughly the same time, the idea of the reverse job, and a 5.6 and 7.0 percent reduction for accessions commute — commuters going from city to suburb for employment — to a new job with 75 and 90 percent of prior job earn- became a watchword. ings, respectively.” www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 18 A Closer Look at Commuting

In other words, the availability of transportation very 2. San Francisco For more much matters when it comes to positive local employment 3. Los Angeles information on outcomes. The Economist summarizes the report thusly: “A 4. Washington Vanpool Works better approach would be to help workers either to move 5. Chicago click here to areas with lots of jobs, or at least to commute to them. 6. Boston That would involve scrapping zoning laws that discourage 7. Philadelphia cheaper housing, and improving public transport. The typi- 8. Seattle cal American city dweller can reach just 30 percent of jobs 9. Denver in their city within 90 minutes on public transport. That is 10. San Jose a recipe for unemployment.” The report concludes: The cities that make up the top 10 transit ac- We’ve come a long way from simply placing lines on a cessibility ranks all exhibit a combination of density and fast, frequent map. The use of what’s come to be known as Big Data transit service. However, there is still signiﬁ cant variation within this allows researchers unprecedented ability to analyze the em- group. In New York, San Francisco, Washington, and Chicago, fast ployment, transportation and commuting environments. heavy rail systems connect both urban and suburban areas with a In September, the University of Minnesota’s Department highly employment-dense core. It is instructive to compare these cities of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering released Ac- to Atlanta, which has a similar rail system but a much more decen- cess Across America: Transit 2014 that showed just how far tralized job distribution, and lower accessibility. Seattle and Denver these data tools have come. The report analyzes 46 of the both have rapidly expanding light-rail systems, supported by extensive nation’s 50 largest cities (measured by population) on the and frequent bus networks. Though Portland is famous for its street- accessibility to jobs by transit. Integrating transit schedules car service, this covers only a small part of the city. Its urban growth with employment data, and taking into account such fac- boundary, combined with frequent bus service throughout core areas tors as ﬁ rst-mile/last-mile and even pedestrian segments to and light rail connections to suburban areas, likely plays a more im- the commute, the report offers a level of detail heretofore portant role in providing high accessibility: by encouraging both resi- unseen, estimating the number of jobs accessible by transit dents and employers to locate in parts of the city already well served in a given community in 10-minute, 20-minute, 30-minute, by transit, each new resident enjoys high accessibility but imposes 40-minute, 50-minute and 60-minute increments. only a marginal burden on the transit system’s resources.

The report’s rankings are determined by a weighted aver- Transportation and land-use systems are both dynamic, and this age of accessibility, giving a higher weight to closer jobs. report presents only a single snapshot in time. In constantly-evolving Jobs reachable within 10 minutes are weighted most heav- systems like these, it is also critical to monitor changes over time. ily, and jobs are given decreasing weights as travel time A city that adopts a goal of increasing transit accessibility should be increases up to 60 minutes. Based on this measure, the 10 evaluated based on how effectively it advances that goal relative to metro areas with the greatest accessibility to jobs by transit, a baseline. Using this data as a starting point, future reports in the and for which suffi cient data are available, are: Access Across America series will track the way that accessibility in 1. New York these metropolitan areas evolves in response to transportation investments and land-use decisions. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 19 A Closer Look at Commuting A 2012 Brookings Institute report, Where the Jobs Are: Employer Access to Labor By Transit, explored various measures of employment accessibility for large-metro areas in the United States, analyzing data from 371 transit providers in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas. Brookings summarized their fi ndings thusly: • Over three-quarters of all jobs in the 100 largest metropolitan areas are in neighborhoods with transit service. Western metro areas like Los Angeles and Seattle exhibit the highest coverage rates, while rates are lowest in Southern metro areas like Atlanta, Ga., and Greenville, N.C. Regardless of region, city jobs across every metro area and industry category have better access to transit than their suburban counterparts. • The typical job is accessible to only about 27 percent of its metropolitan workforce by transit in 90 minutes or less. Labor access varies considerably from a high of 64 percent in metropolitan Salt Lake City to a low of 6 percent in metropolitan Palm Bay, Fla.,, refl ecting differences in transit provision, job concentration, and land use patterns. City jobs are consistently accessible to larger shares of metropolitan labor pools than suburban jobs, reinforcing cities’ geographic advantage relative to transit routing. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Offi cials (AASHTO) most recently published its Commuting in America, The National Report on Commuting Patterns and Trends in 2013. It found that, “Discussions regarding the extent of the use of public transportation need to be informed by an understanding of the availability of transit to carry out trips. As is the case with other non-personal vehicle modes, measures of availability are not readily available for public transportation at an aggregate national level. However, there is some information that can shed light on and provide perspective regarding availability of public transportation. Much of this data and research is focused on traditional fi xed-route transit services. More non-traditional forms of employment transportation, however, are swiftly growing all across the commuting landscape, too. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 20 A Closer Look at Commuting Vanpooling, Bikesharing and Carsharing Annual Number of Trips

Vanpools (vehicles carrying 7-15 passengers, including the volunteer driver) provide an affordable transportation alternative for employees with a lengthy commute between home and work. Vanpools can be organized through a transit agency, employer, transportation management association, a group of employees, or other sponsoring organization. The National Transit Database (NTD) reveals that since 2005, vanpooling has grown signiﬁ cantly in the U.S., with vanpool vehicles in service rising from 4,288 in 2005 to 7,557 in 2012. The total number of annual unlinked vanpool trips has doubled — from 17.2 million in 2005 to 35.5 million in 2012 — while the farebox revenues generated by vanpools has grown during the same time frame more than 300 percent.

Vanpool operations are particularly useful because they commuters has increased by 40 percent nationwide. Today, 12 percent directly meet customer needs, and are more cost-effective, of all trips in America are made by foot or by bicycle; minority and low- fl exible and responsive than traditional fi xed-route transit income groups especially rely on walking for transportation. Alternatives operations. Further, they often involve local private sectors to individual vehicle ownership such as carsharing and bikesharing also businesses that can reap tax benefi ts from helping to estab- have seen impressive growth in the past decade. Nationwide, carsharing lish and support vanpool operations. programs now have 718,596 members, and public bikesharing systems have more than 170,000 members. Younger Americans especially In 2012, according to the NTD, vanpooling services na- are choosing to travel less or use emerging modes; compared to 2001, tionally averaged $33.50 in operating expenses per vehicle people between the ages of 16 and 34 now take 24 percent more trips revenue hour — which compares quite favorably to bus ser- by bicycle and 16 percent more trips by foot and have increased their vice at $128, heavy rail at $219 and commuter rail at $507. transit miles by 40 percent. A 2012 National Conference on State Legislatures Bikesharing programs have enjoyed a particularly swift growth curve (NCSL) analysis entitled, State Strategies for 21st Century in the past fi ve years and have found an important role as fi rst-mile/last- Transportation Solutions reported: Bicycling and walking mile transportation options that often connect to fi xed-route transit op- also are on the rise as transportation alternatives. From tions. The emerging bikeshare model is one that charges a membership 1990 to 2009, the number of individual walking trips in- fee plus nominal fees for each usage, and that deploys docking stations creased from 18 billion to 42.5 billion; bicycling trips in- strategically located throughout a service area. creased from 1.7 billion to 4 billion during the same time period. In addition, since 2000, the number of bicycle According to the Mineta Transportation Institute in its report, Public www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 21 A Closer Look at Commuting Bikesharing in North The traditional downtown commute on the bus or rail America During a line will no doubt survive and remain a staple for urban Period of Rapid Ex- transit providers. But the transit providers that will thrive pansion: Understand- — whether urban, rural or suburban — are those that ing Business Models, seek to adopt more full-service approaches that encom- Industry Trends pass a wider collection of transit alternatives that all work and User Impacts together seamlessly in a comprehensive mobility network. between 2006 and Technology will play a key role — both in providing real- 2013 no fewer than time customer information as well as helping transit lead- 37 bikeshare programs were launched in the U.S. Data from 22 of those ers better understand the ever-changing commutes in the programs in 2012 reveals 884,442 bikeshare members and just more communities they serve. than 7,500 bikes in service. Carsharing is an increasingly popular addition to the urban transit Your Association Responds

landscape that allows individuals the freedom of the private automobile CTAA is responding to the changing nature of com- without incurring the high costs of car ownership. Typically, members of muting and commuter-based transportation by creat- a carsharing arrangement pay membership and usage fees for a car when ing RideShareNation — a website dedicated to news, they need one. resources, fi nance and discussion about connecting In North America, there are largely two forms of carsharing. In the all forms of ride-sharing into a cohesive network that business-to-consumer approach, which is the most popular, a company builds mobility options, reduces congestion and im- owns a fl eet of vehicles that it shares amongst members. In the peer-to- proves the environment. Commuting is a key aspect of peer concept, a marketplace of automobiles is shared among a commu- all RideShareNation activities. nity. Further, the Association has recently launched The Like other alternative forms of transportation, carsharing is rapidly Vanpool Works, a streamlined set of training, technical growing in popularity. According to the Collaborative Fund, in 2000 assistance, insurance, fi nance and other tools designed there were 2,500 people in North America sharing 153 vehicles through to directly help community and public transit agencies both forms of carsharing. A decade later, those fi gures had swelled to of all sizes to build upon or launch all-new vanpool operations. 516,000 and 10,405, respectively. For more For more information on information on Expanding the Role of the Customer RideShareNation Vanpool Works From the development of sophisticated apps to the general empower- click here click here ment of commuters as trip planners, today’s workforce enjoys unprecedented fl exibility and customization of the commutes to-and-from work. Community and public transportation, in all of its various modes, is enabling this empowerment. The key to the future is to avoid stagnation. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 22 Interactive sessions already in the works on such key topics as innovation, communications, technology

www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 23 Sector-Based Strategies Fall-Winter 2014 Taking a Targeted Approach with Sector-Based Strategies

Sector-based strategies that focus on spe- These inherent diffi culties are made worse helps youth earn high school diplomas or cifi c industries such as health care, manufac- in today’s economy, where job shortages are GED certifi cates, necessitating the need for turing, and hotel and other service industry causing some construction workers to travel them to travel between classrooms and the jobs, are gaining traction as a way to help longer distances to work sites. fi eld sites. low-wage earners and job seekers improve their short- and long-term employment op- As the country emerges from the recent Anticipating Transportation Needs portunities. Further, they develop right-sized, economic recession, some labor market forecasts predict modest growth in construc- Workers in construction jobs earning limit- cost-effective, fl exible and responsive em- ed incomes will benefi t from shared ride op- ployment transportation solutions. tion-related jobs. It is benefi cial for industry and community leaders to look now at how portunities that are short-term; project based The Community Transportation Associa- to ensure these workers have access to the and can accommodate heavy, bulky tools and tion of America’s (CTAA) Joblinks program transportation they need. toolboxes. Also helpful would be: produced the following sector-based employ- • Transportation to on-the-job training sites ment transportation briefs that describe ways Training for the Construction Trade transportation and workforce leaders can col- Journeymen (workers with specialized • Access to information about travel options, laborate to respond to transportation needs skills) require up to fi ve years of training. schedules, and pricing provided in their na- of employees working in and training for jobs A recent study by the Construction Users tive language. in a variety of sectors. Roundtable noted craft shortage among Health Care Construction workers, necessitating the need for additional training to secure better paying jobs. This Employment in the The nature of training may begin in technical colleges, but health care sector construction jobs— often is completed at job sites. continues to grow. being temporary, This sector includes a project-based, and The YouthBuild program, geared to give wide variety of occu- transient— creates out-of-school youth construction experience, pations, ranging from many transportation is a prime example of an on- the-job training non-clinical positions in hospitals, such as challenges for work- program. Transportation to the job sites may maintenance and food services to nurse prac- ers. In addition, language barriers for work- be diffi cult for some youth who do not drive titioners and physician assistants. ers with limited English may complicate or have access to a vehicle. In addition, the attempts to use existing transit services. program requires classroom education that According to the Bureau of Labor Statis- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 24 Sector-Based Strategies tics, health care and personal care occupa- Innovative Construction Workforce Transportation in Action tions are among the fastest-growing U.S. • Construction companies in Vail, Colo., partnered with the Colo- industries, with expected job growth of more rado Department of Transportation to provide preferred and dis- than 5 million jobs by 2018. Many of those counted parking for vanpools. In return for renting and titling 15 jobs will be housed at community health passenger vans, employers received passes entitling the vans to park centers, which are expected to double their at half price in premium parking spaces. services to reach 40 million patients by 2015 and signifi cantly affect economic and job • In 2008, the Limousine Connection contracted with a construc- development in areas where they are located. tion company to transport workers traveling daily from West Los Angeles to a work site in Beverly Hills by vanpool. The Limousine Connection owned the vans and employed the The Associated Demand for Health Care Training drivers. The back seat of each van was removed to accommodate workers’ toolboxes. To meet this future demand for workers, • For the past several years Webb Landscape, Inc., has partnered with the Mountain Rides enrollment in health care training programs Transportation Authority in Ketchum, Idaho to provide vanpools for employees traveling has risen dramatically. America’s community to jobs from residential areas up to 80 miles away. Mountain Rides provides the vans and colleges are educating most of the current covers insurance and maintenance costs; Webb covers monthly operating costs, with em- and future health care workforce, including ployees contributing 40–50 percent through payroll deductions. During winter months, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, one van is available to transport snow removal crews (also Webb employees) as needed. and allied health care workers. Workers are able to secure equipment at the work site, negating the necessity to adapt Along with their training, community col- the vehicles. lege students receive clinical experience by • Berg Electric partnered with Lane Transit and Enterprise Ridesharing to provide two working at schools, public health centers, vanpools for workers traveling from Portland, Ore., to a work site two hours away at the senior living centers, long-term care facili- University of Oregon in Eugene. Berg covered the leasing costs and returned the vans to ties, and other settings, which makes their Enterprise when the project was completed two years later. transportation needs more complex. Accord- ing to the American Association of Community • During the initial construction phase of a hospital, construction workers traveling to the Colleges’ Health Professions Education Center, Kaiser Permanente Oakland (Calif.) Medical Center were required to park off site. Along 80–87 percent of community college stu- with other hospital employees, they were able to take advantage of a free shuttle service dents also work full- or part-time jobs. traveling from parking sites to the main campus. Shuttles run in 15-minute intervals during peak times. Additional shuttles operated by Kaiser Permanente also travel to and Anticipation of Transportation Needs from transit hubs, allowing employees, construction workers, medical center patients, Salary ranges for high-demand health and members of the community access to the campus. Information about these and other care jobs are in the low-to-mid range. For transportation options is routinely distributed and promoted on the shuttle vehicles, in example, in early 2012, salaries in the Mid- transit information kiosks, and on the medical center’s commuter services website. Atlantic region for registered nurses’ jobs www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 25 Sector-Based Strategies averaged $49,000 per year and for orderlies, nursing aides, and nursing attendants, aver- Innovative Health Care Workforce Transit in Action aged $24,000 per year. • Loop Through University City, a partnership between the University Health care workers at lower salary levels City District and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, may not have much disposable income to provides employer-subsidized shuttle • services among a Philadelphia transit hub, numerous medical facilities, and other employers. Employ- spend on getting to work. Besides the ques- ees of sponsoring employers ride for free. tion of affordability is the question of whether, given the nature and location of health • Overlake Hospital and Medical Center (Belleview, Wash.) employs an care work shifts, existing transportation on-site employee transportation coordinator to encourage ridesharing (i.e., carpooling options can meet these workers’ transporta- and vanpooling) and other commuting options for hospital employees. The hospital also tion needs. For example, health care workers offers fully subsidized bus passes, covered bike parking, discounted vanpools, and reserved may: carpool parking. • work shift times and durations that require • Mercy General Hospital (Sacramento, Calif.) operates a shuttle service for employees and commuting during off- peak hours; area residents between the hospital and nearby transit stations and parking lots. The hospital also provides ridesharing incentives, such as preferred parking, gas reimbursement cards, • have to travel to locations in rural or subur- and bus pass and vanpool subsidies. Bikers and walkers are eligible to receive free meal tick- ban areas with limited ets for use in the hospital cafeteria. public transportation or to dispersed campus locations; • Swedish Medical Center (Seattle, Wash.) pays Zipcar monthly usage fees to enable employees to use the cars to travel to its remote campuses and to take short personal trips during • need to combine work trips with travel to business hours. Both strategies reduce the need for employees to drive to and park on cam- off-site training locations, such as commu- pus. nity colleges; • University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics (Madison) offer hourly workers free bus • need to travel to multiple locations on large passes and provides free taxi rides home for workers when personal emergencies arise. facility sites; and • Scottsdale Health Care in Arizona provides free bus passes to employees and • need to combine travel to child care and has a vanpool program that accommodates all three work shifts. A guaranteed ride home other destinations with work trips program, offered through Valley Metro, provides up to two free rides home per year in case of a personal emergency. Home Health and Personal Care • Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii, provides incentives, including gas vouchers, to encourage employees to fi ll open shifts. Employees register on-line, bid for the shift they Home health and per- prefer to work, and earn points for registering. The points are then redeemed for rewards, sonal care aides typically including the vouchers. The program has succeeded in signifi cantly reducing the center’s work for certifi ed home dependence on contract workers. health or hospice agen- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 26 Sector-Based Strategies cies. Also known as direct care workers, their Innovative Home Health Care Workforce Transportation in Action assistance enables individuals with disabilities, as well as those who are older or chronically • Home health care workers employed by Mercy, McAuley, Sexton and ill, to live meaningful lives in their homes and Sisters Long Care facilities in the Buffalo, N.Y., region usually work two- communities. hour shifts or shifts that accommodate client needs. They cannot travel to patients’ homes together because of patient confi dentiality require- Although home health care and personal ments. Home care staff who drive to back-to-back cases receive mileage care aides are employed by an agency, and travel reimbursements for the time traveled between cases. they work independently; often work part time, including weekends and evenings; • Home Health Care Partners, a Washington, D.C.–area private, nonprofi t home care agency and may work with one or multiple clients dur- provides supportive services for residents who are older or have a disability or chronic ill- ing their workweek. Patient needs are variable, ness. The agency provides mileage reimbursement for aides commuting by personal vehicle to so caseloads often change and work schedules clients’ homes. This transportation assistance is provided with a New Freedom grant from the are inconsistent. Workers may commute to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board. same home every day or week for months, or • In Woonsocket, R.I., Family Resources Community Action (FRCA) provides free bus passes they make numerous house calls daily. Oth- for newly employed low-wage workers through its Way to Work program. Passes are provided ers may work solely with one client in shifts, in partnership with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). Riders, who verify providing round- the-clock assistance. that passes were used to travel to work by returning them to FRCA on a weekly basis, qualify As the population ages, dependence on this to obtain free passes until they receive their fi rst paycheck. Workers whose schedules are not segment of the workforce is expected to in- accommodated by public transit are educated on how to form carpools and encouraged to crease. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections register the carpool with RIPTA. If an emergency arises, carpoolers are provided a free indicate that by 2018, nearly two-thirds of cab ride home. health and personal care workers will be em- and personal care workers may not have • frequently travel to multiple job site loca- ployed in jobs that are based in the home or in much disposable income to spend on getting tions, the community. to work, making it more important that they fi nd affordable transportation to work. In • require access to early-morning or late- Most home health care and personal care night transportation, positions pay low wages, with annual salaries addition, several characteristics of their work averaging about $21,000. Nearly 25 percent make their transportation needs more com- • may not be able to use shared ride op- of home health and personal care aides are plex than those of traditional commuters, as tions because of state-specifi c confi dentiality foreign-born, and many have limited English they: guidelines, profi ciency. • often must be available 24 hours per day, 7 • may need travel information in languages Anticipation of Transportation Needs days per week, other than English, and

With their lower salary levels, home health • routinely travel across jurisdictions to mul- • may need to arrange transportation to child tiple clients, www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 27 Sector-Based Strategies care on their way to work. Innovative Hotel and Motel Workforce Transportation in Action Because of their unconventional commutes, the types of transportation options that might • In North Carolina, the Charlotte Area Hotel Association (CAHA), fi t their specifi c needs are those that in partnership with the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), affords hotel workers the opportunity to purchase discounted CATS bus • allow them to travel alone to diverse loca- passes for use by themselves and their families. tions, if confi dentiality concerns apply; • In Santa Ynez Valley, Calif., the Marriott Hotel encourages employ- • facilitate traveling to residences or facilities ees to rideshare by sponsoring a monthly raffl e for ridesharing work- during off-peak hours when public transpor- ers. tation options are limited; • The Dulles Area Transportation Association, a Transportation Management Association • facilitate travel to multiple jobs or diverse near Washington, D.C., designated a bilingual “rotating rideshare coordinator” who visits job locations; local hotels and shares information on existing transportation options with workers.

• can connect them to rural or suburban • The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., subsidizes 50 percent of the cost of monthly areas, where public transportation may be transit passes and pays up to $30 toward the cost of commuter rail passes for its workers. limited, or to dispersed campus locations; Nearly 40 percent of the hotel’s employees participate. The hotel also provides workers and with secure bicycle parking and showering and changing facilities.

• can allow them to combine work trips with • Approximately one-third of employees of the Millennium Hotel in Durham, N.C., depend travel to off-site training locations, such as on public transit to access their jobs. The hotel partnered with the Durham Area Transit community colleges. Authority to provide a covered bus stop shelter at the hotel entrance. The hotel also ad- justs shift schedules for late-night and weekend workers to accommodate bus schedules Hotel and Motel and encourages carpooling by trying to schedule carpool groups together.

While many indus- • To help transport kitchen and housekeeping staff to work, the Holiday Inn in Solomons tries struggled with Island, Md., owned and operated a vanpool service that transported workers from Calvert employment in 2011, and St. Mary’s Counties to the work site. The $3.00 daily cost was paid by participants growth in the and counted as a pre-tax deduction through the Commuter Choice program. The service leisure and hospitality industry remained increased retention and reduced absenteeism among hotel workers. consistent; between 2010 and 2020 this sector is projected to add 1.3 million jobs each • Many transit agencies operate circulators that provide access to hotels and other ame- year, many of these in hotels and motels as nities located in central business districts; these often are free fare routes. Baltimore’s tourism and business travel increase. For Charm City Circulator travels three routes within the city, serving downtown employees, many workers in this industry sector, how- residents and other riders. It also serves as a connector to other forms of transit, including ever, earning levels will remain low. Hotel light rail and a shuttle serving the eastern part of the city. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 28 Sector-Based Strategies and motel workers working in the lower-wage Manufacturing can be realized by relocating to small U.S. jobs, such as housekeeping and food prepara- towns and rural communities, where lower tion, often have diffi culty fi nding affordable The U.S. manu- costs of living may mean lower wages. transportation to work. facturing job scene has changed dra- In fact, many states, anticipating increased Anticipation of Transportation Needs matically in the job availability in the manufacturing sector, last decade: as the are offering incentive packages to manufac- For those hotel or motel workers who earn number of tradi- turers to locate in their state. low wages with minimal benefi ts, transporta- tional machinery tion costs can be a large expense in propor- jobs has plummet- Some businesses are also looking favor- tion to their earnings no matter how they get ed, the demand for workers with high-tech or ably on American communities that are to work. For those who do not drive, their “mechatronics” skills has increased. Overall, cultivating manufacturing-related economic commutes are even more complicated be- manufacturing still remains a strong sector clusters—or geographically grouped produc- cause they may: of the economy, representing about 9 percent tion, training, and support services related to manufacturing. These linked industries and • work multiple shift times and durations of the American workforce. Current fi gures indicate 600,000 new high-tech manufactur- services create natural pipelines for innova- that require commuting during off-peak tion, job growth and promotion for workers. hours when transit services are less frequent; ing jobs remain unfi lled. Much of the demand for skilled workers arises because the Transportation is part of an attractive total • work in “on-demand” positions that re- automated factories demand workers who package to support homegrown and incom- quire last-minute changes to shift scheduling can operate, program, and maintain the new ing manufacturing businesses and supportive based on customer volume; computerized equipment. organizations, and maximize recruitment and retention of manufacturing workers. • travel to locations in suburban, dispersed Manufacturing companies are also recon- central city, or outlying locations; sidering using job outsourcing as a cost- Training for Tomorrow’s Manufacturing Jobs savings strategy, looking at “rural outsourc- With the greater use of complex machine • attend language or skills training before or ing” and “on-shoring” as viable alternatives. after work to improve their job prospects; tools, computer-aided manufacturing, au- Part of the motivation to look at relocating to tomation, and robotics in factories has domestic sites is that businesses have experi- • need to access other destinations on their come an increased demand for a workforce enced unexpected direct and indirect hidden way to work, such as child care; and skilled in advanced math, problem solving, costs to outsourced operations, including and technology to operate those machines. • have diffi culty understanding transit route unfamiliar international laws and business These new workers will most likely receive and scheduling information because of a practices, corruption, weak intellectual their training in the nation’s community and limited profi ciency in English. property protection, distance from domestic technology colleges, which are now in the research and development, higher trans- forefront of worker preparedness. portation costs, and more. Some of the cost savings originally associated with off-shoring Among other training initiatives, partner- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 29 Sector-Based Strategies

ships are emerging between employers and Innovative Manufacturing Workforce Transportation in Action community colleges. For example, the Manu- facturing Institute, a joint venture between • A small foundry in rural Idaho established a vanpool for machinists the National Association of Manufacturers traveling from neighboring towns to the foundry and other nearby and community colleges in 17 states, will businesses. provide career ladder training opportunities in various manufacturing ﬁ elds. • In Florida, Ride Solution sponsors a vanpool to transport workers from Gainesville, Jacksonville and St. Augustine to a water manage- Anticipation of Manufacturing Transportation ment facility in Palatka. Vans operate on four different schedules, Needs enabling some staff to commute in on one vanpool and out on another.

The developments in manufacturing ulti- • For the past 11 years, Sundrella Furniture’s subsidized vanpools have transported nearly mately affect manufacturing workers’ com- one- third of its employees to and from work. Most vanpool participants earn $11–$12 muting patterns and travel needs. For those per hour and struggle to maintain vehicles. Initiated when the Arizona factory moved to manufacturing workers who earn low wages, an area with limited public transportation access, the program has signifi cantly reduced transportation costs can be a large expense in absenteeism and resulted in a more productive workforce. Morning work shifts are sched- proportion to their earnings. Factories loca- uled to reduce employee time spent in rush-hour traffi c. According to one Sundrella tions along rural highways not readily served manager, commuting camaraderie among riders has signifi cantly diminished “watercooler by transit and round- the-clock shifts and time.” unanticipated overtime complicate workers’ efforts to access lower- cost transportation • Window and door manufacturer Pella Corp., draws employees from a wide geographic options. Consider also the following: area to its Pella, Iowa location, with some workers travelling as far as 90 miles one way to work. The plant’s vanpool program has been operational • Lower wages and rising gas prices have since 1978, and today more than 150 employees participate in the program. Fees are caused many manufacturing workers based on distance traveled and are paid for through the Commuter Choice tax benefi t to forego commuting by private vehicle and payroll deduction. Pella considers the vanpools part of its benefi ts package that helps at- look to alternatives means to access work. tract and retain top talent.

• Manufacturing workers seeking access • Bridgestone Americas Inc.’s production facility in Aiken, S.C., offers preferred parking to to training require reliable transportation employees who carpool. Carpooling is popular among shift workers, who work extended options that accommodate both additional hours. Employees commuting from neighboring Georgia are eligible for rewards based on hours spent on-site and access to community the state’s clean air initiative. Bridgestone routinely shares information on carpooling op- colleges and other training facilities at off- tions with qualifying employees. site locations. when fi xed-route transit may be unavailable • Commuters traveling from suburb to sub- • Workers traveling to factories and other fa- need access to shared ride options to accom- urb, or to rural communities where many cilities during nontraditional commute hours modate second- and third-shift schedules. manufacturing sites are located need access www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 30 Sector-Based Strategies to shared rides, especially if regular public Innovative Retail Workforce Transportation in Action transportation is unavailable. • Starbucks employees are eligible to participate in the Commuter • Shift work and unscheduled overtime also Choice tax benefi t program. Deductions are taken from employees’ affect available transportation options for paychecks on a pre-tax basis. Refer to the company benefi ts guide for many workers. more information. Retail • REI, the nation’s largest consumer cooperative, offers all employees, Retail workers including part-time staff, a 50 percent subsidy for commuting via pub- deliver valuable lic transit. For more information, contact REI public affairs. in-person ser- • Employees of Macy’s, Inc., and its sister store Bloomingdale’s as well as Nordstrom’s em- vices to millions of ployees can choose to participate in the federal Commuter Choice tax benefi t program Americans each day, through a pre-tax deduction to pay for parking or public transit. whether working for discount mer- • CVS Caremark employees, including workers at distribution centers, are eligible to par- chandisers, in traditional department stores ticipate in the Commuter Choice tax benefi t program. Those who carpool receive free gas or specialty shops, or in grocery and “big cards. The distribution center in Chemung, NY., allows bus drop-offs and pick-ups at the box” stores. According to the U.S. Bureau of facility. Local and New Jersey Transit bus services accommodate fi rst- and second-shift Labor Statistics, 14.4 million people were workers. employed in the U.S. retail industry as of April 2010, and the National Retail Federation • Social media networks such as Facebook facilitate individuals participating in informal projects continued growth for the next fi ve carpooling. Social media networks, such as Facebook, enable individuals to participate in years. This sector typically experiences high informal carpooling. Zimride uses Facebook to connect drivers and riders, allowing drivers turnover, but the recession has made workers to sell empty seats in their car by matching them with passengers traveling along the same less likely to leave their retail jobs. route.

Despite this growth, retailers are still cau- they can work by their employers, with some Moreover, the sudden scheduling changes tious about spending on their workforce. As a employers considering 30 hours full time; they may be asked to work leave them with- result, many continue to pursue cost- saving and the need to adjust their work hours to out regular, routine commuting options. measures, such as hiring workers avoid reaching overtime status. Given the location of retail centers in more on an as-needed basis. These on-demand suburbs than city centers, their commute workers may be designated as “just in time” Anticipation of Transportation Needs patterns may take them against the fl ow of employees, meaning they work extra hours or much commuter traffi c, from suburb to city shifts during busy times or leave early dur- The characteristics of retail jobs make transportation to work challenging. For center, and instead require a suburb-to- sub- ing slow times, all with very little advanced urb commute. notice; be limited in the number of hours example, these employees’ shifts generally do not coincide with peak-time commutes. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 31 Part-time workers are likely to earn up to one-third less per hour than those work- where will you venture? ing full time. As a result, many part-time employees may work more than one job to afford their living expenses, increasing the number of commute trips they make in a day. In addition, for retail workers earning low-to-moderate wages and minimal benefi ts, transportation costs can be a large expense in proportion to their earnings.

To make their commutes more manageable and affordable, retail workers may beneﬁ t from access to

• information on public transportation routes

and schedules to facilitate their traveling to The MV-1 is the only mobility solution built work at different times of day and night, from the ground up. Designed with best- in-class accessibility, durability, and proven • route and scheduling information in mul- safety, the MV-1 provides independence tiple languages and possibly training on how wherever your travels may take you. to use the transit system, • Spacious front-row wheelchair access • Meets or exceeds all ADA guidelines • commuting options that can accommodate • Integrated side-entry ramp stores under stops at job-related locations, such as child the floor

care providers, and • Independent driving solutions readily available • affordable alternatives to their driving • Fully FMVSS certified from the Original alone. Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) with a bumper-to-bumper warranty For more information on CTAA’s Joblinks Ini- • Produced by Mobility Ventures, a new tiative, please click here. wholly-owned subsidiary of AM General

www.MV-1.us 1-877-MV1-FORU [email protected]

All features subject to change. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 32 CalVans Fall-Winter 2014 CalVans: An Easy Ride to the Hard Work on a Farm

festooned with two bright orange water cool- crops rows and groves more often than not By Rich Sampson ers above its bumper. Part of the California requires steady streams of farmhands work- Vanpools are not an urban-only solution. Vanpool Authority’s CalVans program, the state ing from sun up to sunset. This is especially Rural transit providers —Section 5311 opera- provides easy-to-use and reliable mechanisms true in the Central Valley – which produces tors — are using vanpools to offer cost-effective to connect agricultural workers to housing more than eight percent of the nation’s agri- public transportation to their communities, as locations and farming sites across one of the cultural output on less than one percent of is chronicled below. Interested in launching or world’s most fertile agricultural regions. its total farmland – where tens of thousands of workers need to reach sites every day. The adding to an existing vanpool service? CTAA’s A Problem With A Ready Solution Vanpool Works is just a click away. challenge becomes even more complex when Farmlands are hardly thought of as areas many of the workers come from outside the It’s hardly an uncommon sight these days to where large groups of people need to travel United States and speak a different language. observe a transit vehicle carrying a rack with to together. The image of a lone pickup truck That predicament – an affordable and re- a bicycle or two at its front, bridging the ﬁ rst rambling down a dusty road is a classic sym- and last miles of mobility needs. More unusu- sponsive way to move farmworkers between bol of rural America, a stark contrast to the where they live and work – brought together al – but just as crucial – are a series of vans jam-packed buses and trains of large cities. travelling across California’s Central Valley transportation leaders from seven counties But the hard work done in the nation’s ﬁ elds, in the Central Valley (Kings, Tulare, Fresno, www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 33 CalVans

Madera, Kern, Monterey and Ventura) in the with bilingual customer service, a $10 million get where they’re going For more late 1990s to craft a solution. Many farm- insurance policy on each vehicle, a gas card in a reliable manner and information on workers do not own their own vehicles and for the driver’s for easier-to-manage fueling contribute to a healthier Vanpool Works hard-earned wages are often diminished by and a responsive repair and maintenance pro- environment. click here raiteros, private individuals with a vehicle gram to address breakdowns on-site as they charging often-exploitative fees to take work- occur. By combining reliable vehicles with a “CalVans offers safe ers to job sites, occasionally in unsafe or proactive support network, AITS was able to and reliable transpor- unregistered vehicles. attract a strong portfolio of vanpool groups to tation for employees, make the service an early success. allowing them to save The goal was simple, according to Ron money on transportation costs and gives em- Hughes, who oversees the California Vanpool Today, the program has expanded to an- ployees a new sense of pride and well-being Authority while also serving as the Execu- other fi ve counties – Merced, Napa, Santa in their community,” explains Hughes, at tive Director of the King County Area Public Barbara, Santa Cruz and San Benito– and once describing both the attributes of his pro- Transit Agency (KCAPTA): “To provide quali- consists of more than 150 agricultural farm- gram and the universal outcomes of all those fi ed agricultural workers with safe, affordable worker vanpools as part of the statewide connecting people with mobility options.” vehicles they could use to drive themselves CalVans network, itself comprised of another and others to work.” 200-plus vanpools primarily geared towards commuters and students. The California In order to realize that goal, the partnership The fertile farmlands of California’s Central Valley are a natural Vanpool Authority is structured as a joint incubator for CalVan’s agricultural worker vanpools. that would eventually result in the creation powers authority under state law, allowing of the California Vanpool Authority needed agencies to serve mobility needs across a to overcome a handful of regulatory barriers multi-county region. at both the federal and state levels, including working with the California Highway Patrol A Succinct Set of Benefi ts to update interpretations of the state’s vehicle code to allow a comprehensive vanpool pro- Many community and public transportation gram and the U.S. Department of Labor to providers do an excellent job of explaining restructure some hourly wage worker rules to how their service operates and where it goes. make vanpooling a more attractive option. A smaller number are able to communicate the important individual and societal benefi ts The regulatory reforms allowed for the those services realize. CalVans – and its agri- 2001 creation of Agricultural Industries Trans- cultural farmworkers program – are as adept portation Services (AITS) under the auspices at any as clearly and repeatedly delineating of the KCAPTA’s Kings Area Rural Transit those attributes. Regardless of whether a van- system. The program included the purchase pool takes a rider to work in an offi ce or work of a fl eet of new, 15-passenger vans – later in an orange grove, or to school or to home to enhanced with GPS technology – supported their family, CalVans helps riders save money, www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 34 Job Access Solutions Fall-Winter 2014 Meeting Complex Job Access Solutions with Community Partnerships & Buy-In By Pamela Friedman Coastal Bend, Texas

CTAA’s Joblinks team can bring its Design- While members of the Coastal Bend JAMI Thinking approach to the job access transporta- team saw several job access needs facing tion challenges in your community. Our team has their region, they saw signiﬁ cant local sup- a demonstrated history in forging unique, cost- port for improving access to education and effective and successful approaches. training opportunities within their communities. With this support, the team imple- In 2012-2013, with funding from the mented a shuttle service so that high school Federal Transit Administration, CTAA’s Job students from an extremely rural area could Access Mobility Institute (JAMI) brought to- attend a week-long career academy, introduc- gether seven communities to build local part- ing them to potential careers in the emergen- nerships and think innovatively about solv- cy response ﬁ eld and encouraging greater ining job access transportation needs in their teraction among students, meeting their food communities. The challenges tackled were and other social needs. Among the stake- as unique as the communities themselves holders represented on the team were the and included meeting the job access needs chamber of commerce, a local health educa- of low-wage residents in a suburban setting, tion center, a community college, workforce supporting high school graduates in extreme- board, the MPO, the Transportation Coordi- ly rural communities in reaching higher nation Network, and a career academy. education, linking low-wage urban residents with round-the-clock employers in an indus- Although the Coastal Bend area of Texas trial park, and improving job access mobility encompasses a 12-county region, the team the poverty level. options for people with disabilities and older focused on two rural counties, Brooks and adults. The teams applied a design thinking Jim Wells. That region includes many colonia Access to available employment is limited process to learn more about local challenges settlements, which have limited public tran- and expensive for the residents of Brooks and to develop a variety of different potential sit options to job and training opportunities and Jim Wells counties. Area residents must solutions for each local challenge. available in nearby communities. The colo- travel long distances to work, and without a nias have the highest percentage of people in car, must rely on the limited hours of public The two teams highlighted below have ini- Texas with less than a high school education, transportation (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., with tiated new services that are making a big dif- the lowest per capita income, and the second no evening or weekend service). The aver- ference for residents. highest number of individuals living below age fare required to transport individuals www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 35 Job Access Solutions • People were unaware of existing services • Schools and colleges needed/wanted additional transportation access for students • The lack of available transportation negatively impacted area businesses

Once they began brainstorming phase, the team’s work led to four possible solutions:

• The creation of new/expanded services including late night service, carpools and vanpools • Activities to increase public awareness about available services • Efforts to connect residents with speciﬁ c employment and training opportunities • Creation and testing of a pilot program

The Texas Coastal Bend team has sustained its momentum following its work at JAMI. The team narrowed its focus to that of between home and training sites is $20-$25 convening town hall meetings to gather addi- meeting the employment and training needs round trip, an unaffordable cost to many. tional community input, and providing feed- of students, and worked on designing a pro- The vastness and low-density population of back to the Texas A&M team commissioned gram that would promote high school stu- the region make it diffi cult to establish effec- to complete the plan. dents’ access to information and training on tive public transit service. In addition, many emergency services careers. A local training Designing Customer-Responsive Solutions view public transit as serving only older institution offered an introduction to these adults and persons with disabilities. Team members began their work by exam- careers during a 3-week summer academy. But, students living in Jim Wells and Brooks One asset that assisted the team in work- ining how to make transportation to jobs and counties had no transportation to access the ing on employment-related transportation training convenient and affordable to county academy. A solution emerged when the team issues during JAMI was that many of them residents. Their research, based on inter- communicated this challenge to a diverse had collaborated in the creation of the Com- views with employers, staff, agency leaders stakeholder group. The Coastal Bend fi re prehensive Transportation Plan in 2011. and other community sources, elicited three marshal offered to cover the costs of future Their involvement included coordinating fo- key fi ndings: participants to attend the academy, and the cus groups to gather input on survey design, city offered to sponsor another ten. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 36 Job Access Solutions As it worked with stakeholders, the team • In Alice, a local college is re-establishing emphasized how support for expanded trans- dual training programs based on student portation options was an investment in com- travel schedules and local high schools munity-wide development. Team members are working to link access with recruit- sought to build and maintain established ment efforts. partnerships with “investors” and encour- • The Jim Wells County chief of police is aged academy students to become for the reviewing bus access to a new police fa- program and for public transit. The students cility. were also given an opportunity to share the • Stakeholder involvement increased and outcomes of their experience with commu- stakeholders are collaborating with the nity leaders in graduation activities upon regional planning offi ce to improve travel completion of the academy. training opportunities. • Team partner, the Rural Economic Assis- In 2014, a second route was added, trans- tance League (REAL, Inc.) incorporated porting rural participants from outlying areas academy activities as part of their regular to the training college. The number of par- services and has expanded their service ticipating partners increased and diversifi ed area to include three counties, with more and now includes the City of Alice, the Jim to come. tion facilities, allowing for the shipment of Wells County Commissioners Court, the Al- goods along the entire East Coast. The most ice/Jim Wells County Economic Development Greater Mercer TMA, New Jersey prominent distribution centers and jobs are Corporation and a private developer. concentrated in the eastern section of the The Greater Mercer team’s service area county. This area combines easy access to Outcomes encompasses the eastern section of Mercer I-95 with remoteness of expansive ware- County N.J. Its boundary to the north is house facilities, resulting in large distances • The team gained support for and pro- Monroe Township. The southern boundary between population areas and job location. vided 40 students access to the academy is Hamilton Township. Mercer is the 7th Locations are diffi cult to access without cars. experience. largest county in population density among Overall, east to west connectivity is incred- • A second route was added to accommo- the state’s 21 counties. Recent reports indi- ibly limited, if it exists at all. Relatedly, most date rural participants in year two. cate that portions of Mercer County contain of the location and layout of the distribu- • The city incorporated transit information some of the highest and lowest poverty rates tion facilities closest to the highway are not into their various projects. in the state, with nearly 2 million individuals conducive fi xed-routes services that cannot • The team sponsored a local media day, living at or only slightly above federal poverty afford to make deviations through each of providing community leaders and region- levels in 2009. these industrial parks and maintain a reason- al media the opportunity to hear from able service frequency. Those traveling to students and learn about emergency ser- The project area’s proximity to I-95 makes these jobs (low-income, unskilled, basic edu- vices. it a prime location for commercial distribu- cation, non-native English speakers) cannot www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 37 Job Access Solutions afford to own and maintain cars. labor market origins, public transportation While conducting research relevant to their and job destinations, resulting in late arriv- project, team members met with industrial Exit 7A on the New Jersey Turnpike in als, absenteeism and turnover, costly to both park employers human resource staff to learn Middlesex County has the single greatest workers and employers. about the challenges they faced in recruit- concentration of warehousing the State and ing and retaining workers. Concurrently, the is one of the most desirable locations for Challenges: Mercer County One-Stop Career Center this activity in the nation. However, the lack worked to connect those interested in work- of transportation access to the exit required • The mismatch between labor market ori- ing at the facility with jobs. Trenton residents to incur greater expense gins, public transportation and job desti- and travel longer distances to access employ- nations. Following the Institute, Amazon became ment. Depending on where they traveled • Travel to the facility was not seamless. one of the major employers housed at the from, workers relied on cabs to complete • Travel to the facility was expensive. newly constructed Matrix Business Park. their commutes, a costly alternative for those • Informal carpools are often not depend- Recognizing the need for dependable trans- earning lower wages. able. portation access to the site, NJ Transit, Mer- • Long, diffi cult commutes caused diffi cul- cer County, and Amazon partnered to design (Taken from an online article in The Times ties in arranging for child care. a shuttle service which now picks up riders of Trenton, January 24, 2013 – ed) at an existing NJ Transit stop (at Hamilton Designing Customer-Responsive Solutions Square) and transports them to the industrial Just south of this area, located in the town park. Amazon contributed a substantial fi - of Robbinsville in Mercer County, is another In addition to the Greater Mercer TMA, nancial amount to support shuttle operations warehouse center where a number of large team members included representatives from and matching funds from a NJ Transit Job companies have located. The area requires a the Mercer County Community College, Access and Reverse Commute ensured its steady labor force to meet the demand cre- Rise of Hightstown (a community service operation for two years. ated by these distribution facilities. organization), the County Planning Commis- sion, Chamber of Commerce and Robbins- Whether the weather is warm or drizzly, the ZLine shuttle connects The important need for public transporta- ville Township Community Development. as many as 250 riders a day to Mercer county job sites. tion access was exemplifi ed when Amazon JAMI team particularly the TMA, forged opened a facility at the Matrix Business Park partnerships with numerous stakeholders in in Robbinsville, and needed expanded ser- the area, including a social service provider vices to accommodate 1,400 new employees, and community resource that provided a 700 of each working two different shifts. The strong voice on behalf of workers. The coun- 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse is located ty’s Department of Economic Development nearly fi ve miles from the nearest bus stop. operates a Job Access Reverse Commute A route, installed prior to the recession, was (JARC) route along the Route 130 Corridor, discontinued when ridership fell. The team who’s administrative and monitoring respon- worked to address the mismatch between sibilities were recently given to the TMA. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 38 Job Access Solutions

In addition, NJ Transit adjusted specifi c Before ZLine After ZLine bus schedules in order to improve connectivity with the free shuttle, providing a more Trenton Trenton cost effective round trip for anyone who can access the stop. Expanded services include early morning and more frequent weekend Bus ($1.50) Bus ($1.50) service to meet the commuting needs of shift workers. Expanded services also provide additional access to Hamilton Square, where a Hamilton Square Hamilton Square number of large retailers are located. Cheryl Kastrenakes, Executive Director of the Greater Mercer TMA notes that these ser- Call a cab ($20 - $25) ZLine (free) vice changes benefi t go beyond meeting the [five-mile ride] needs of workers commuting to the industrial park, “benefi tting all people in Mercer County.” Matrix Business Park (Robbinsville) Matrix Business Park (Robbinsville) Known as the ZLine, service began in July 2014. The ZLine connects with three NJ Transit bus lines, 601 serving Ewing, Tren- creased*Amazon ridership. warehouse jobs in Robbinsville pay up to $14.25/hour ference in elevating the concept. ton and Hamilton, 606 serving Princeton, • One thousand full-time employees have Lawrence, Trenton, Robbinsville and Hamil- Prior to the ZLine, workers relied on infor- been hired as of November 2014. Ama- ton, and 613 serving Lawrence, West Wind- mal carpools or cabs to transport them from zon is continuing to hire seasonal work- sor, Trenton, Yardville and Hamilton. Some Hamilton Square to the industrial park. Cab ers, many of whom are expected to be- Route 130 buses also connect. Since July, fare for the fi ve mile ride averaged $20-$25. come permanent employees. 12,000 passenger trips have been made from The ride is now free, a signifi cant savings to • Dependable shuttle service saves workers Hamilton Square to the park. During peak workers earning less than $15 per hour. both time and money. holiday season, the shuttle is providing 250 • ZLine added a second bus to keep up passenger trips per day. Outcomes with demand. • Transit provided a backup to informal The shuttle operates 7 days a week, in the • Employers saw the value of the service in carpools, providing access when the car- morning and evening hours. The shuttle reduced employee turnover, eliminating pool did not operate. makes three runs each way, 35 to 50 min- the need to recruit and train new work- utes apart. As Amazon continued its hiring, ers. ridership on the line continued to expand. A • Having a myriad of players involved in second line was added to accommodate in- the design process, made a signifi cant dif- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 39 Commuting Technology Fall-Winter 2014 Smartphones & Apps: Empowering the Commuter

By Scott Bogren media sites like Facebook had launched, as well as content designed directly for the phone It is hard to believe that it was only seven platform or mobile operating system. years ago that the iPhone was launched by Apple, thus introducing Americans to the What’s more, something was needed to smart phone. In short order, these devices weave together streams of content on the have changed the way we communicate with Internet into a more manageable, useful and one another, as well as how we process and simple package on a smartphone. And so was share information. Look around you: Smart born the App (short for, of course, applica- phones are now ubiquitous. tion).

Employment transportation, too, has been It wasn’t long before Apps were developed transformed by the combination of geographic that focused exclusively on the transit expe- locating data, smartphones and apps. Seem- rience. The initial smartphone users were ingly overnight, commuters now interface young, professional and urban dwellers — an with the varying transportation systems that almost perfect match with regular transit rid- take them to-and-from work everyday, rais- ers. The required data also was either imme- ing expectations with real-time information, diately or soon-to-be available — many transit mapping connectivity and — soon — fare agencies had geo-coded their routes for use payment. on Google maps, real-time transit technologies were coming on-line in many cities and Apps Emerge and it All Changes the smart phones, themselves, doubled as NextBus The real game changer for commuters is the geographic positioning system locators. In its arrival. App. From their introduction, smartphones other words, data streams were available that Initially, the transit/mobility App evolution- allowed users to access the internet in the revealed the exact location at any given time ary cycle focused almost exclusively on fi xed- palm of their hand. But simply viewing web- of the bus/train and the passenger, and the route operations. More recent Apps, however, site content on a smartphone platform wasn’t necessary routing and scheduling data was are starting to weave together bike share, car nearly enough. Smartphone users wanted the also available. Thus, an App could fi nd you share and the controversially dubbed rideshare participatory, interactive experience that social on a map, and tell you where the closest local fi xed-route transit is available and the time of operations like Lyft and Uber. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 40 Commuting Technology In many ways, transit Apps have swiftly in the popularity of transit Apps. One of the moved through their own evolution to meet major impediments to many Americans’ in- ever more demanding users and to take advan- creased use of transit is the understandable tage of both more sophisticated data streams fear of the unknown. When will a bus arrive? and phones. Initially, these Apps served as What are the stops? Transit Apps answer these marginally interactive transit schedules with questions — and many more. There is also email/text notifi cations of service informa- the important issue of extreme weather condi- tion. Next, they were able to locate both riders tions. On extremely hot or cold days, an App and various transportation modes. Today, can greatly reduce outdoor wait times for pas- transportation Apps can suggest alternative sengers, which is a signifi cant safety boost to routes and modes based on real-time traffi c the overall system. and service information; they can pay system fares with a tap or swipe; they can calculate Downloading a transit App can suddenly calories burned and or fi tness levels achieved place a powerful set of trip planning data at while traversing a transportation system; and, a users fi ngertips. Transit Apps represent an in some cases, Apps are the means by which a excellent marketing opportunity for transit user summons a ride. San Francisco’s Bay Area systems and advocates alike, making sense of Rapid Transit even has an App that can tell often complicated routes and operations and, you how crowded its trains are, allowing users ideally, allowing multiple transit modes to sud- to avoid peak ridership periods. denly work more seamlessly.

Why Download? Apps: What’s Available?

Say you’re in a new city, and therefore don’t To get an idea of just how many transit Apps already know all the route numbers and line have sprouted up in recent years, one need names. In this scenario, the App again ﬁ rst only to search the term in the Apple or An- locates you, and then asks where you’d like to droid (Google’s smartphone operating system, go. Key in an address or even a neighborhood that has eclipsed Apple’s installed base) App or town name, and the App instantly provides Store. With well over 1,000 hits, it becomes several transit options across, again, a variety clear that transit-based Apps deploying geo- of modes with time estimates, costs and con- graphic positioning data to connect rider with nection timeframes. And it does so all in an route are available in a variety of formats for easy-to-read map format, allowing the user to virtually every major metropolitan area of better understand the nature of the selected the world. Portland’s Tri-Met transit agency, route and its transfers. alone, counts more than 57 free and commercial Apps that use its data. Ridescout Safety and comfort are another key factor www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 41 Commuting Technology

And that is a primary delineation in the Moovit is similar to the Transit App, but with transit App market: Some are designed to a more whimsical interface that focuses on provide multi-modal trip-planning within a the map fi rst and lists of nearby options and single metropolitan area while others provide routes second. Moovit works well with step- such services for multiple areas. Another key by-step travel tips, breaking down the various distinction is in the modes that a transit App modes into single trips and then instructing brings together, with some focusing purely on the user how and/or where to go to get to the fi xed-route public transit with others adding in next mode. Finally, when designing a transit such important options as car share and bike route for the user based on origination and share. Some Apps, like Google Maps, provide destination, Moovit allows users to simply transit directions — including step-by-step request a pick-up with the rideshare service, instructions — to get from one location to Lyft. another, but without real-time transit system data integration. Some Apps assume you know The family of Next Bus Apps offer great your transit line(s) names or route numbers. If value to the regular rider or commuter who so, the App lets you know when the next bus already knows his/her bus stop(s), route or train is arriving, simply and effectively. It’s numbers and destinations. These Apps locate handy for multi-modal connections and reduc- the user on a map with color coded pins for ing wait times — which is especially valuable nearby bus stops. Touch the pin and the App during particularly cold or hot weather. immediately tells you how long until the next bus arrives. For stops with multiple routes, the Let’s explore a few Apps. App organizes the incoming buses and trains by route. This App allows users to better man- One such App is known, simply, as Transit. age their time before heading out to work in This App — writer’s admission, I use the Tran- the morning, and if nothing else, it provides sit App daily in my commute — immediately a sense of security for those depending on locates the phone, and thus the potential tran- transit. sit rider. Next, it presents a color-coded screen full of what it calls nearby lines, which here in Ridescout takes the transit App a step fur- Washington, D.C., include subway lines, bus ther by offering bike share, taxi, ride shar- routes, commuter rail lines, intercity bus con- ing and car sharing options all in one handy nectors and more. A new feature in the Transit interface. The ability to compare prices for App added the Capital Bikeshare to its maps, a selected trip based on modes is a unique showing the number of bikes and docks avail- feature of this App as is its integration of other able in real-time at each bikeshare location. Apps like Sidecar, Hailo and Zipcar. The Transit App www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 42 What’s Next: Fare Payment Apps • In Texas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), Fort Worth’s The T and Denton The next technology revolution to come to County Transit riders can how use their smart- transit will assuredly be to bring together the phone for mobile ticketing. Using GoPass, smart phone, app and fare payment. Currently, riders can buy, store and activate passes for the most likely scenario appears to be a smart- DART, The T and DCTA. Studies of passen- phone payment app that displays a unique gers in the region indicated more than half design or pattern that is touched onto a reader possess smartphones and wished to simplify at which point a fare or payment is deducted their lives by having their farecards on their from an account. The account may be (but phones. doesn’t necessarily have to be) connected to a credit card that is set to replenish the account • In New York City, Visa rolled out a new upon reaching a certain minimum balance. pilot program that allows New Yorkers to pay subway, bus and train fares with a wave Here’s an early look at what some transit of their iPhones. New York City Transit, NJ agencies are testing with fare payment tech- TRANSIT and the Port Authority of New York nologies: and New Jersey are participating in the program. As part of the program, Visa is testing • TriMet (Portland, Ore.) — The TriMet both payment cards and Visa payWave-enabled Tickets App lets you purchase and use tickets smartphones. Within the next fi ve years, MTA and passes instantly on your smartphone. passengers will be able to use their key chain, Passengers can buy Two-Hour tickets, One- credit card or smart phone to pay says agency Day passes, Seven-Day passes, 14-Day passes spokesman Aaron Donovan. Riders would or 30-Day passes. They can choose to use benefi t by not having to deal with swipe errors, tickets and passes immediately or store them or paying to replace the card. MTA would see on their phone for future use. signifi cant savings by eliminating card production and vending machines.

• The Washington Metropolitan Area Trans- Only the Beginning portation Authority (WMATA) announced in Today, more than half the American popula- January 2014 a new $180 million fare collection has a smartphone (Pew Research Center’s tion project designed to continue customers’ Internet & American Life Project). By 2018, use SmarTrip cards, while expanding fare that ﬁ gure is expected rise to two out of every payment to chip-enabled credit cards, federal three Americans. Clearly, the smartphone government ID cards, and mobile phones us- revolution is not going away — and neither is Moovit ing near ﬁ eld communications (NFC) the increased dependence on the part of many www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 43 SUN SUN small urban network

Commuting Technology Americans on the Apps that run on these phones. In recent SUNyears, some ofsmall the most signiﬁ cant — and controversial — additions to the Ameri- can surface transportationurban network have been developed speciﬁ cally with the smartphone and App in mind. Rideshare services like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar are examplesnetwork of this trend. The reason: simplicity.

The majority of people depend on their smartphones now for so much more than simply making a phone call. They bank, chat, small trip plan, watch movies, control their home SUN thermostats, change television channels, take urban photos, make movies, review restaurants, buy and read books, shop, play games, buy movie tickets and so very much more. Americans’ network ability to cost-effectively get around their com- CTAA’s Small Urban Network (SUN) is a munities (whatever the purpose), to navigate CTAA’s Small Urban Network is forming right group of members operating transit services and to pay for their travel will assuredly all run now! If you represent a transit operation in a through their smartphones. in small-urban areas that focuses on policy, small-urban community, please contact Scott Transit Apps in the future will evolve right training and legislative outcomes. Through Bogren at [email protected] and be sure to get along with the technological power of the the end of 2014, CTAA has a specially-dis- smartphone and with Americans’ needs. One on our SUN mailing list. The first full meeting of thing’s for certain, there will be no going small counted membership price for small urban the SUN will take place on September 5. Stay back. The combination of real-timeSUN data, GPSurban transit systems seeking to join the SUN. Con- and smartphones has already fundamentally tuned to the CTAA FastMail for the lastest de- changed the transportation equation for mil- tact Scott Bogren for all the details. lions of Americans. In the future, they will networktails. only expect more.

The Community Transportation EXPO — May 31-June 5, 2015 in Tampa, Fla. — will feature a workshop session on this key topic. www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 44 ANNOUNCING The Competitive Edge: Making Community and Public Transit the Best Alternative for Medical Transportation

Today there is never-before-seen complexity in the non-emergency medical transportation field. Limited funding combined with growing patient loads has states seeking intermediaries that can control costs through competition. Community and public transportation providers must become efficient, safe, cost- eective and accountable to maintain these important medical transportation services. The Community Transportation Association, in response to requests from its members, is introducing a new initiative this fall —the Competitive Edge — which will give community and public transit providers the tools, resources and benefits they need to make them central players in this new medical transportation environment. Here’s what the Competitive Edge encompasses:

The Competitive Edge Training CTAA has developed an all-new training course that combines and emphasizes the following topics: • Value: Determining the true cost of service • Pricing: Lowering your costs to be competitive • Negotiation: Winning through persuasion • Accountability: Building a recordkeeping and reporting process 1 • Training: Focusing on the patient Access to the Transit Industry’s Best Resources and Training You don’t need to have all the answers, you need to have access to them when you need them. Here’s how the Competitve Edge helps: • Peers and Information Sharing: CTAA will put you in contact with The Center was created in 2014 in response to the your industry peers, where you can learn from experience outpouring of interest in volunteerism related to the • On-Line Library and Resource Holdings: The most timely resourc - es, news and research, all housed on CTAA’s medical transporta - delivery of transportation services to many population tion website groups including children, work force participants and • CTAA sta: Our professional sta are always available to oer 2 analysis and insight older adults. Each of the founders have extensive expe- - rience in studying, supporting, and delivering volunteer transportation and are aware of the positive experience of those who volunteer to provide services as well as Valuable CTAA Member Benefits As part of the Competitive Edge initiative, the Association has the many benefi ts accorded to those who receive the developed a cohesive set of benefits to ensure your operation is services. The founders are: Community Transportation efficient and cost-eective: • The Insurance Store: Through an exclusive agreement with Newtek, Association of Washington, D.C.; the Beverly Foundation members can access the best coverage at the lowest price. of Albuquerque, N.M.; Ride Connection of Portland, Ore.; • Energy Program: CTAA members pay less for fuel and energy with 3 our FleetCards program and other energy management initiatives CIMA Volunteers Insurance of Woodbridge, Va.; and AlterNetWays of San Francisco, Calif. Please go to www.ctaa.org/competitiveedge to learn how you can bring the Competitive Edge to your state. As always, CTAA training sta are available to help tailor this new program to your precise needs. Please call Charles Dickson at 202.247.8356 or email [email protected] for all the details on this unique opportunity! www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 45 The CT Interview Fall 2014

The CT Interview: Bridj Marketing Manager Ryan Kelly

DigitalCT recently spent some time with Ryan Kelly, Marketing Manager for Bridj – an innovative, new private for-proﬁ t mobility company in metropolitan Boston. Bridj links riders — largely commuters — with vehicles in real-time and could eventually compliment local transit services.

DigitalCT: Tell us more about Bridj... Where is it operating today and how does it provide service? What makes it different than traditional urban ﬁ xed-route transit operations?

Kelly: Bridj is your everyday transportation muter, more than two-thirds of jobs in the DigitalCT: Is Bridj viewed exclusively as system that adapts in real-time to where you nation’s largest metro areas are inaccessible commuter transportation? live, work, and play. Powered by data, we use within an hour and a half by way of existing a network of express shuttles that offer effi - transit systems. We’re looking to fi ll that gap. Kelly: Not at all, we’re creating so much cient and fl exible trips that are as dynamic as more than another commuter bus. Bridj is a the city you call home. For the typical com- living, breathing, learning, smart mass tran- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 46 The CT Interview

Bridj utilizes a ﬂ eet of privately-owned shuttle vehicles and advanced ride-matching software to serve customers in Boston.

Bridj’s easy-to-understand interface is shown above for a morning commute route in Boston, offering several pick-up times. sit system that can scale to multiple cities Kelly: One of the reasons we can cut down across the globe. A system that makes cities commute times is because every Bridj trip is smarter by crunching millions of data points express. We take great pride in making sure DigitalCT: Do you envision Bridj services to see how people are traveling and conforms our schedules are reliable so you don’t waste as augmenting current public transpor- to meet their needs. Ultimately, we look at time waiting to get on our shuttles. With tation operations, or replacing them? ourselves as a technology and a big data pro- express service, fewer stops, no transfers and How would Bridj best fi t into the grow- vider. The output happens to be transporta- our smart route planning that takes into ac- ing network of mobility alternatives tion rather than the other way around. count traffi c patterns, you take the most effi - (rideshare,carshare, bikeshare, transit, cient way to get you from your origin to your etc.) in a community? DigitalCT: Explain how technology and destination. And when you take Bridj, you data make Bridj unique? How can the sys- are guaranteed a seat and access to WiFi, so Kelly: We think there will always be a need tem so dramatically cut down on commute the time you spend traveling is not only more for public transportation and Bridj is a com- times and avoid congestion? comfortable, but can also be productive. plementary option to existing systems. Many www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 47 The Director’s Corner destinations are diffi cult to access through public transit, raising the standard of excellence and cross-city trips can take over an hour. Packed buses and train-cars in rush hour can make a ride very uncomfortable, Community especially with passengers moving in and out at the many stops along the way. The other alternatives consist of taxis transportation or small luxury vehicles, both of which are incredibly costly. Bridj allows for fast travel from one location to the destination in a comfortable environment. We’re creating new paths of transportation where public ones did not exist, al- training lowing for easy commutes for travelers between the specifi c Passenger Service and Safety (PASS) locations. Services like ridesharing, carsharing, bikesharing, The PASS program has become the industry standard in ensuring community transit drivers have current expertise in passenger assistance techniques, sensitivity skills, and emergency prepared- We can be your partner in devel- public transit, and Bridj allow people to live a car free life- ness. This program trains and certifies both drivers and their trainers. Drivers can now receive PASS oping customized training courses in any certification in a new two-part process consisting of both online and hands-on training – visit: area of critical need. We will help to meet style by providing multiple ways to get around and connect training.ctaa.org your customized training needs with our with their city. own staff and resources, or will help you Certified Community Transportation Supervisor (CCTS) identify and obtain the particular training CCTS is a training and certification program for front-line transit supervisors. It addresses core assistance you need for any conceivable supervisory skills in human resource management, operations and safety management, and situation. DigitalCT: What’s next for Bridj? performance monitoring. Program topics can be selected from the Professional Dispatching and Scheduling (PDS) existing courses or can be custom designed Kelly: The plan is to cast a city wide network that gives This course is relevant for any demand-responsive environment, whether urban or rural, general based on the interests and needs of the public, paratransit or human services transportation. It expands proficiency in maximizing the group. Several organizations with the same thousands more Bostonians the opportunity to take Bridj efficient delivery of demand-responsive transportation, conveying riders’ requests into affordable needs may collaborate to reduce costs. All and appropriate trips, and in making effective use of the system’s transportation resources. courses are coordinated by our Training and then scale to other cities across the U.S. We’re still very Coordinator, who will also assist in identi- Vehicle Maintenance Management and Inspection (VMMI) fying potential partnerships and collabora- much so in the early stages of our beta! We only launched The Vehicle Maintenance Management and Inspection training program promotes the commu- tions. in Boston this past June. nity transportation industry’s commitment to safe, reliable transportation through building up the professional skills of maintenance personnel and managers. Many of our courses are offered on-site at different organizations, tailored to meet Certified Community Transit Manager (CCTM) specific needs. This on-site training is CCTM status marks the greatest performance and highest efficiency in the community transpor- convenient, cost effective and allows you to assist in the design and delivery of the Bridj’s staff – led by CEO Matt George (2nd from right) – is re-envisioning how new tation industry. It is proof of the ability to manage a comprehensive and dynamic community program. travel options appeal to commuters, particularly younger workers. transportation system. The program is built around a rigorous professional exam, for which we offer a two-day study class. Join the organization that’s working for you as it represents its members before Con- Certified Transit Programs Administrator (CTPA) gress, working closely with Federal agen- Developed in partnership with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation cies advocating for equitable funding and Officials (AASHTO), this professional certification program is designed exclusively for the state reasonable transportation policies. Join agency personnel who work in our industry. Through a rigorous testing and evaluation process, now and save on training and certification this certification affords states’ highest-caliber public servants with recognition for their knowl- programs. Call Caryn Souza, Member- edge and accomplishment In working with public and community transportation grant programs. ship Director at 202.294.6527 or e-mail [email protected] today! Certified Safety and Security Officer (CSSO) CTAA has developed the CSSO program as the first step in a two part process to provide accreditation to transit organizations in the critical areas of safety and security. In its essence, this protocol allows for assessments by Certified Safety and Security Officers (CSSO) of their respective transit systems prior to an on-site review by the CTAA accreditation panel. Following the review and assuming the transit organization meets all eight areas of the program’s benchmarks, CTAA For information on course offerings, will then issue the organization a Community Transportation Safety and Security Certificate of scheduling a session directly or developing Accreditation, valid for three years. An excellent way to comply with the elements of FTA’s Transit customized training, email [email protected] or Bus Safety Program! visit www.ctaa.org/training www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 48 Telework Fall-Winter 2014 Telecommuting: The Road Less Traveled – Or Not Traveled At All

By Kevin Oliff

Telework is an arrangement between and business and its staff that allows one or more employees to work from remote areas instead of commuting to a central location during any regular, paid hours on a full-time or part-time basis. Typically, teleworking is done from the employee’s home, but it can also be at remote offi ces, telework centers, or any other approved location. Teleworking doesn’t have to be a full-time arrangement. The average teleworker works remotely 2.4 days per week and spends the rest of the work week in the central offi ce location. the private sector: In 2005, only 34 percent increase in productivity on average. When Although larger companies are more like of companies had employees that worked working from home, an employee won’t be to offer teleworking opportunities, any com- from home. In 2012, that number reached 63 tardy and usually won’t have to take an entire pany is able to effectively manage a telework percent. There are expected to be 63 million day off for a doctor’s appointment or other ob- arrangement with its employees. Today, one American’s working from home by 2016. ligations. There is a decrease of 60 percent in can securely work from a remote location and employee absenteeism for those who telework. Why Is It Good? What Are The Benefi ts? remain in close contact with other staff mem- The company benefi ts in many other ways: bers regardless of proximity. Technological By teleworking, the employee avoids all of Decreasing a company’s offi ce space can yield advancements and innovations have made re- the expense, time, and stress levels associ- huge dividends. In 2010, the average real es- mote working more common. While telework- ated with daily commuting. No uncomfort- tate cost per employee was $10,000 per year. ing is not a new concept, it is growing fast. In able dress codes, getting up early to hear the This doesn’t take into account the expenses 2000, a legislative mandate was passed stating traffi c reports or worrying about inclement for offi ce furniture, maintenance, water cooler that “Each executive agency shall establish a weather and road conditions, just a comfort- service, etc. It also doesn’t include the park- policy under which eligible employees of the able, distraction-free work environment. With ing costs or the public relations advantages of agency may participate in telecommuting to a more fl exible schedule, employees are more reducing the company’s carbon footprint. A the maximum extent possible without dimin- effective and productive. Contrary to popu- company that offers telework can also ensure ished employee performance.” Meanwhile, in lar belief, teleworking results in a 22 percent www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 49 Telework and virtual communication skills. Once every- thing is ready, try starting off with a small pilot business continuity in the event of a weather munication simple. Teleworkers can reach program with a few employees and managers. emergency, or other natural disaster or nation- workers in the offi ce through emails, phone This will help you solve any arising issues and al emergency. Finally, there is the issue of re- calls and conference calls, video chatting, and fi x any bugs before the teleworking arrange- cruiting and retaining the best talent available. various other forms of virtual communication. ment is company-wide, as well as help the There is a large pool of talented workers that Thanks to these available methods of commu- company adjust with a small number instead want the ability to telework, and offering the nication, up to 45 percent of the U.S., work- of overwhelming both management and hu- benefi t not only makes your company more force performs a job that can realistically be man resources. attractive to them, but also widens the pool performed from home at least part-time. The because locality becomes less of a concern. biggest barrier to teleworking in many cases As more companies continue to recognize Surveys show that up to 72 percent of work- is management fear and/or distrust. Those the benefi ts of offering telework opportuni- ers would choose one job over another due to who are approved to work from home should ties, it will continue to become more common. the availability of fl exible work arrangement. then work with their managers to develop a Those that don’t offer it will be left behind, There is also a 20 percent decrease in em- telework agreement, which will include any losing their best talent, recruiting inferior ployee turnover for those who telework, due to schedule for the employee’s telework, as well talent, and sacrifi cing from their bottom line. the higher morale and personal savings associ- as any measurables that the teleworker will be With the correct policies, training, and tech- ated with telework. It can cost between 90 to expected to meet. The same standards should nology, telework can benefi t a company, its 200 percent of an annual salary to replace and be used to evaluate teleworkers and those employees, and the environment. RideShare- train a new employee. working from the central location. Finally, the Nation has all the tools a company needs to company must ensure that the employees are get started, including sample telework poli- How To Implement It? equipped with the necessary technology. This cies, training modules for both managers and includes any computers or mobile devices, as employees, and even discounts to the technol- A telework arrangement is not diffi cult, but well as any security programs or other soft- ogy needed to telework effectively and se- there are important steps that must be taken ware. The Federal government has spent an curely. Watch for a new product coming soon to ensure a seamless transition for employ- estimated $373 per worker to provide this that will bring together all these tools and ees to begin working remotely. The fi rst step necessary technology to teleworkers to ensure resources to make implementing a telework should be to establish a company-wide tele- effective results. arrangement at your company easier, cheaper, work policy. This policy should include any and more benefi cial than ever. policies or requirements to ensure effective Before implementing a telework arrange- communications between teleworkers and ment, a short amount of training is recom- Telework is a key component of CTAA’s Ride- those in the offi ce, both managers and co- mended for both the managers and telework- ShareNation. For additional information about workers. It should also include guidelines and ers. While a manager might need to be trained this topic, please click here. requirements to setting up a home offi ce that on how to manage a remote workforce and meets the company’s standards, especially in ensure the employees still meet their expecta- regards to safety. The company then needs to tions, the teleworkers’ training will include decide who is allowed to telework. This should basics, such as time management strategies be fairly simple, as technology has made com- www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 50 www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 51 Where’s Transit Notes? Many long-time readers of Community Transportation Magazine — in both its print and digital formats — might recognize that this is the first edition of the publication in more than a decade to not include a Transit Notes section. This is no oversight. CTAA now provides both daily and bi-monthly collections of national transit news and notes in its twitter feed and FastMail e-newsletter, respectively. In other words, you don’t have to wait for the next edition of DigitalCT to get the community and public transportation news coverage you’ve come to expect from us. Just follow @CTMag1 on twitter or subcribe for free to FastMail right on the CTAA website homepage at www.ctaa.org.

www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 52 About Us

ABOUT US New Beneﬁ ts for Members!

Community Transportation Magazine is the voice of the Community Transportation Association, a na- Join Today! tional association dedicated to making mobility alternatives available to all Americans. The Association’s Becoming a member of the Communi- Board of Directors provides national leadership and direction for the Association. The Board relies on the ty Transportation Association of Amer- special expertise of its State and Tribal Delegate Council to assist in their important efforts. ica presents an ever-growing pool of

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Rochelle Cotey, President; William McDonald, Vice President; Moses benefi ts and services, including: Stites, CCTM, Treasurer; Fred Schmidt, PhD., Secretary; Charles Carr; Ann Gilbert; Santo Grande, CCTM; Jo Ann Hutchinson; Robert P. Koska; Dave Marsh; John McBeth; ; Elaine Wells; David White, CCTM; • New Certifi ed Safety and Security Barbara Cline, CCTM; and William Osborne. Ex-Offi cio Directors: Dan Dirks CCTM; Reginald Knowlton, Manager (CSSM) Training CCTM; Richard Doyle; Roland Mross. • Access to the Insurance Store at OUR STATE & TRIBAL DELEGATE COUNCIL: Alabama • Taylor Rider; Alaska • John Kern, CCTM; Arizo- CTAA na • Jeff Meilbeck; Arkansas • Ken Savage; California • Ron Hughes; Colorado • Hank Braaksma, CCTM; Connecticut • Kim Dunham; Delaware • Ken Bock, CCTM; Florida • Steve Holmes; Hawaii • Harry Johnson; • The Latest Policy Analysis and an Georgia • Barbara Hurst; Idaho • Heather Wheeler; Illinois • Tom Zucker, CCTM; Indiana • Rebecca Allen, Effective Voice in Washington CCTM, CTSR; Iowa • Mark Little, CCTM; Kansas • R.E. (Tuck) Duncan; Kentucky • Beecher Hudson; Loui- • Discounted PASS Driver Training siana • Donna Lavigne; Maine • Jim Wood; Maryland • Nancy Norris, CCTM; Massachusetts • Anthony Ngethe; Michigan • Dan Wedge; Minnesota • Mike Ness; Mississippi • John Johnson; Missouri • Doro- and Certifi cation thy Yeager, CCTM; Montana • Ron Wenger; Nebraska • Charles McGraw; Nevada • Debbie Dauenhauer ; New Hampshire • Van Chesnut; New Jersey • Carol Novrit, CCTM; New Mexico • David Harris, AICP; Become a member of the Community Transportation Association today by New York • Damon Mustaca, CCTM; North Carolina • Randy Bass; North Dakota • Linda Freeman, CCTM; contacting our Membership Director, Ohio • Kristina Reider, CCTM; Oklahoma • Charla Sloan, CCTM; Oregon • Julie Stephens, CCTM; Penn- Caryn Souza, at 202.294.6527 or sylvania • Leeann MacWilliams, CCTM; Rhode Island • Mark Therrien; South Carolina • Lynnda Bassham; [email protected]. South Dakota • Ronald Baumgart; Tennessee • Chris Kleehammer; Texas • Lyle Nelson; Utah • Todd Beutler, CCTM; Vermont • Jim Moulton; Virginia • Josh Baker; Washington • Kelly Scalf; West Virginia • David Bruffy; Wisconsin • Greg Seubert; Wyoming • Renae Jording, CCTM. Tribal Delgates: Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians • Kathi Littlejohn; Navajo Nation • Lee Bigwater • Corky Sias www.ctaa.org CONTENTS 53