BART Strike 2013 Planning Tips for Businesses and Employers A BART strike could delay deliveries, client visits, and make employees late for work—even if they don’t ride BART. Advance planning will help your business. 1) Consider how your organization will be impacted: a. How do customers access your business? Can you provide alternate transportation information or reschedule business to a later date? b. How do employees get to work? Look at alternatives for those who ride BART or will be impacted by additional traffic (see below). c. What scheduled meetings/events (on and off-site) occur during the strike? Can meetings change or convert to a conference call? d. Which deliveries can be advanced, delayed or postponed? 2) Encourage employees to make a back-up commute plan regardless if they take BART or drive to work. x Find carpool matches at http://rideshare.511.org. x Look for transit alternatives at http://transit.511.org. Select “additional options” on the trip planner form to exclude BART from your trip plan. x Check the 511.org special strike information page at http://alert.511.org/ for current updates on service status, commute alternatives and commuter tips. (Special pages will go live close to the strike date.) 3) If possible, allow employees to telecommute or work flexible schedules to avoid the most congested commute hours. 4) If employees must drive, encourage them to check the 511 Traffic page for current traffic conditions and driving times, including possible alternative routes. http://traffic.511.org. 5) Appoint an employee transportation coordinator or ask for a volunteer. This staff member can contact the Rideshare Program’s employer services representative for your area and get free expert assistance. http://rideshare.511.org/employers/services.aspx or call 511 and say “Rideshare”. 6) Establish a guaranteed ride home (GRH) program. Most county transportation agencies offer these services for free – employers just need to register. http://rideshare.511.org/rewards/guaranteed_home.aspx for details. 7) Allow temporary use of fleet vehicles. Employees can carpool home and back, returning the cars to the fleet for business use during the day. 8) Encourage employees to get a FasTrak® tag to avoid long lines at the toll booths. http://www.bayareafastrak.org/dynamic/signup/index.shtml 9) Get FasTrak® toll tags for your fleet vehicles to help your employees stay on schedule for deliveries and meetings. Pick them up at select Safeway and Costco stores. https://www.bayareafastrak.org/vector/dynamic/signup/instructions.shtml 10) Promote car sharing to employees. http://www.511.org/go-green-carshare.asp 11) If you operate a shuttle service to/from a BART station, develop an alternative route and/or additional pickup locations. If your employees use a shuttle service to/from the BART station, find out what the contingency plans are for this service and inform your employees. If you need help contacting the shuttle providers, call 511 and say “Rideshare.” For questions, contact the employer services representative in your area or call 511 and say “Rideshare.” http://rideshare.511.org/employers/services.aspx BART Strike 2013 Planning Tips for Commuters In the event of a BART strike, 511 has many features and tools to assist you in getting around the Bay Area. Use these tips and plan ahead. Telecommuting Ask your employer to adjust your work hours, or arrange to telecommute and work from home. Carpooling Start a carpool using the 511 RideMatch Service (http://rideshare.511.org/). It’s easy, fast and free. Carpooling will be your best option. Other transit providers have limited capability to expand service and will be heavily burdened if BART is not available. Register now and establish your carpool early. You can even select company-only matching, where you will be paired with fellow co-workers. To reduce your delay at the toll plaza and receive carpool toll discounts, be sure to have a FasTrak® (http://www.bayareafastrak.org/dynamic/signup/index.shtml) toll tag. Already carpooling? Ask people to join yours. If you know friends, co-workers and neighbors who use BART, ask if they need a ride. Or, try casual carpooling. With casual carpooling, you wait at a pick-up site for a carpool destined to your location. Visit the casual carpool website (http://www.ridenow.org/carpool/) details. Vanpooling – Seats are Available Join a vanpool. Vanpooling, like carpooling is easy and economical. Many vanpools have established long-term arrangements, but may currently have one or two seats available and would welcome a temporary rider to help share some of the costs. Click here (http://rideshare.511.org/vanpool/seats_available.aspx) for a list of vanpools with available seats. Transit Options Transit operators have limited capability to expand services during a strike. 511 will provide updates on available services during a strike; riders should check often for updates. If you plan to ride transit, take advantage of free parking at BART stations and Park & Ride lots (http://rideshare.511.org/511maps/park_ride.aspx) to meet your local transit bus. Go to transit.511.org to plan a transit trip on non-striking agencies and get transit schedule information. If You Must Drive Call 511 or click here (http://traffic.511.org/index) for real-time driving and traffic conditions. Peak commute hours will become increasingly congested during a BART strike. Try leaving earlier or later to avoid the busiest times. Get a FasTrak® toll tag to reduce your delay at the toll plazas. You’ll find FasTrak® tags at select Costco, Safeway or Walgreens locations, and get up to $5 in free tolls. Click here (http://www.bayareafastrak.org/dynamic/signup/index.shtml) to get started. Car Sharing Car sharing services are ideal for daytime appointments and errands. You have wheels during the day, and can keep your sanity by taking a carpool, ferry or bus between work and home. Click here (http://www.511.org/go-green- carshare.asp) for a list of companies. Silver Lining – There are rewards, too! Check out the carpooling and transit incentives (http://rideshare.511.org/rewards/). You could be eligible for rewards just for trying a different kind of transportation. Many county organizations also offer incentive programs, too. Click here (http://rideshare.511.org/rewards/county_benefits.aspx) for info. .