United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Best Workplaces for Commuters
Demonstrating Excellence in Commuting Options
That Save Energy, Money, and the Environment
2001-2005 Progress Report
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Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Background 2
What Is Best Workplaces for CommutersSM? 3
Summary of Key Accomplishments 5
3rogram Activities 7
The National Standard of Excellence 8
Employer Strategies 9
Commuter Districts 14
The BWC Network 15
Looking Ahead 17
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ntroduction
Background
The United States faces an enormous challenge
in reconciling the need for mobility with the
environmental and economic consequences of
our increasing reliance on personal vehicles. Travel sta-
tistics illustrate the challenge. The number of miles
Americans drive has tripled since 1970 to nearly 3 tril-
lion miles per year, and the rate continues to grow by
about 2 percent each year. The continuing growth in
vehicle travel has resulted in increased fuel consump-
tion, congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas
emissions. Cars burn about 8.5 million barrels of oil per
day, 42 percent of total U.S. daily oil consumption.
Emissions from passenger vehicles are a major cause
of smog in communities across the country, and today's
passenger cars are responsible for one-fifth of U.S.
emissions of carbon dioxide (C02)—more than a billion
metric tons annually (2002).
Commute trips to work account for 27 percent of U.S.
vehicle travel, and the vast majority of commuters drive
to work alone. These numbers, too, are increasing. The
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the labor
force will grow by 15 percent between 2002 and 2012. If
today's travel patterns persist, increased travel associat-
ed with drive-alone commuting will load the atmosphere
with 43 million metric tons of additional C02 annually
through 2012.
Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Workplaces
for Commuters™
What Is Best Workplaces for
CommutersSM?
Best Workplaces for Commuters is an innovative, volun-
tary, business-government program that encourages
employers to offer commuter benefits and incentives to
reduce the number of miles driven by employees to and
from work. It is the only EPA program specifically
designed to reduce transportation-related greenhouse
gases and fuel consumption by countering growth in
vehicle travel. Through partnerships with public and pri-
vate employers, transportation planning experts, and
others, Best Workplaces for Commuters is demonstrat-
ing that alternatives to drive-alone commuting are both
economically and environmentally beneficial, yielding
value to workers, employers, and our environment. The
EPA initiated Best Workplaces for Commuters in 2001.
Best Workplaces for Commuters recognizes employers
that offer commuter benefits such as subsidized transit
passes, vanpool subsidies, ridematching services, and
telework programs. Such incentives encourage employ-
ees to choose alternatives to driving to work alone. This
practical, non-regulatory approach appeals to both
employees and the business community. Employees
who change their commuting habits can save time and
money and reduce stress. Employers that offer com-
muter benefits gain a competitive edge in employ-
ee recruitment and retention. Employers can
also save money by limiting the amount of
parking and/or office space they need to pro-
vide and by taking advantage of federal tax
benefits that encourage alternatives to
drive-alone commuting.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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Best Workplaces for Commuters is built around four
core program areas:
• The National Standard of Excellence estab-
lishes a nationally recognized benchmark for employ-
ers offering outstanding commuter benefits. To earn
the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation,
employers must meet or exceed the standard.
• Employer Strategies develop national partner-
ships and business leadership resulting in adoption
of superior commuter benefits by employers in key
metropolitan areas, the largest U.S. companies, and
select industries.
• Commuter Districts are groups of employers
that receive commuter benefits provided by another
organization such as a business park, downtown
district, developer, or property manager.
• The BWC Network is an innovative support sys-
tem of more than 300 locally based organizations
that promote and transfer Best Workplaces for
Commuters know-how and best practices to com-
munities and workplaces across the country.
Best Workplaces for Commuters
C02 Reductions
Program indicators at a glance:
Best Workplaces for Commuters has achieved the
following:
• 1,443 employers have received the Best Workplaces
for Commuters designation.
• There are more than 300 BWC Network members.
• 89 FORTUNE 500 companies are represented.
• 2.1 percent of the nation's workforce is covered by
commuter benefits that meet the National Standard of
Excellence.
Today, Best Workplaces for Commuters is a national
partnership program involving thousands of participants
working to reach the goals of saving energy, making the
air cleaner, and reducing traffic congestion. We expect
participation to continue to increase substantially as it
has in recent years.
Best Workplaces for Commuters
Fuel & Monetary Savings
400 -
350 -
300
250 -
200
150
100 -
50 -
0
-Fuel Saved (Gallons)
-Dollars Saved (From Fuel Savings)
Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Summary of Key
Accomplishments
Since its inception, Best Workplaces for Commuters has
grown consistently. Not only have more employers seen
the value of the designation, but local organizations have
also acknowledged Best Workplaces for Commuters as a
perfect addition to their existing transportation programs.
This growth can be attributed to the implementation of
activities in the following core program areas:
National Standard of Excellence
• Best Workplaces for Commuters receives support
(though the BWC Network) from organizations around
the country as a standard in commuter benefits to
which employers should aspire.
• Employers recognize the value of meeting this stan-
dard and being designated as one of the Best
Workplaces for Commuters by using the brand and
logo on Web sites, job advertisements, and promo-
tional materials.
Employer Strategies
• The number of participating employers grew more
than 25 percent in 2005.
• The number of employees covered grew by more
than 40 percent in 2005—from approximately 2 mil-
lion to nearly 3 million.
• 389 million gallons of fuel have been saved; 3.4 mil-
lion metric tons of C02 have been reduced since
the inception of Best Workplaces for Commuters.
• The FORTUNE 500 effort grew by 50 percent in 2005.
Commuter Districts
• The number of districts grew from 12 districts to 20
in 2005.
• The number of employees in districts grew by more
than 100 percent in 2005.
• 31 million gallons of fuel have been saved per year.
BWC Network
• Established in 2004.
• Boasts more than 300 members that support
and work toward the goal of reducing drive-alone
commuting.
Through the implementation of these core program areas,
Best Workplaces for Commuters has grown exponentially.
The table below illustrates the growth from the first year
of Best Workplaces for Commuters through September
2005. The number of commuters covered by the National
Standard of Excellence is leading to notable reductions in
pollutants and gasoline use as well as increased monetary
savings.
Environmental and Energy Achievements by Fiscal Year
Fiscal Year
Oct. 2000 - Sept. 2001
Oct. 2001 - Sept. 2002
Oct. 2002 - Sept. 2003
Oct. 2003 - Sept. 2004
Oct. 2004 - Sept. 2005
Cumulative
Commuters working
lor BWC Employers
360,000
570,000
1,100,000
2,000,000
2,800,000
Metric
Tons CO 2
Reduced
165,000
261,000
500,000
1,042,000
1,459,000
3/427,000
Tons NOX
Reduced
400
700
1,400
2,800
3,900
9,200
Tons VOCs
Reduced
200
400
700
1,500
2,100
4,900
Gallons of
Gasoline
Saved
18,745,000
29,652,000
56,804,000
118,429,000
165,801,000
389/431,000
Dollars
Saved*
$28,913,000
$39,293,000
$89,494,000
$211,455,000
$364,775,000
$733,930,000
'Dollars saved based on the average of the monthly gas prices for each fiscal year.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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2004 Program Evaluation
• A 2004 EPA survey documented that
employees who have access to a
comprehensive package of com-
muter benefits are less likely to drive
to work alone than counterparts who
are not offered these benefits.
• The survey found a 15 percent shift
away from drive-alone commuting
among employees working at Best
Workplaces for Commuters desig-
nated worksites, relative to the
average for all commuters working
in the same zip codes.
What Best Workplaces for Commuters-Qualified
Employers Are Accomplishing
O
"l_
o
c
o
14
12
o 10
O
2.0 Million tons CO
2 reduction ) /
Emissions without commuter benefits
Emissions with commuter benefits
The survey also found that Best
Workplaces for Commuters pro-
duces an important "spillover
effect": Contractors and temporary
employees at designated worksites t
who are offered some commuter
benefits have a drive-alone rate of 7
percentage points lower than the
average for all employees working in the same zip
codes.
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
• The graph above illustrates the notable difference in
C02 emissions from Best Workplaces for Commuters
offering commuter benefits meeting EPAs National
Standard of Excellence and C02 emissions from
employers not offering these benefits.
Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Program Activities
As of September 30, 2005, EPA designated
more than 1,400 employers in 32 states—rep-
resenting 26 industry sectors and 2.8 million
employees—as Best Workplaces for Commuters. The
associated reduction in work-related driving by these
employees saves approximately 165 million gallons of
gasoline a year, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by
nearly 1.5 million metric tons of C02 while also reducing
nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions.
The structure, goals, and achievements of the four core
program areas of Best Workplaces for Commuters are
described on the following pages.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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The National Standard of
Excellence: Setting the Bar for
Employer-Provided Commuter
Benefits
The National Standard of Excellence for employer-provid-
ed commuter benefits is the basis of Best Workplaces
for Commuters. The standard establishes a baseline set
of benefits that encourage employees to switch from
drive-alone commuting to other more environmentally
friendly and energy-conscious transportation options.
To meet the National Standard of Excellence for com-
muter benefits, employers must provide:
• Access to an "emergency ride home" (typically, free
taxi rides or other emergency transportation for
employees who need to leave during the day and
do not have a car at work).
Houston-Galveston Area Council
The Houston-Galveston area illustrates the
power of a local campaign where a coali-
tion challenges employers to provide com-
muter benefits to help meet air quality
requirements as part of the Voluntary
Measure State Implementation Plan. In
August 2005, the third annual Houston Best Workplaces for
Commuters list recognized nearly 80 employers that provide
superior commuter benefits to 245,000 employees—a 100 per-
cent increase over 2004.
In 2005, the Houston-Galveston area:
• Reduced 112,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 300 tons of NOX
• Saved more than 12 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $28 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 266 million drive-alone commuting miles
• One or more of the following primary commuter
benefits:
• A transit or vanpool subsidy of at least $30
per month.
• Parking "cash-out" of at least $30 per month
(direct cash payments to employees who do not
use company parking).
• Telework program that reduces employee com-
mute trips by at least 6 percent.
• Employer proposal for a primary commuter ben-
efit that delivers environmental results equiva-
lent to the above options.
Three supporting commuter benefits such as
rideshare or carpool matching, bicycle parking or
lockers, or onsite amenities such as dry cleaning or
a cafeteria.
Meet a performance benchmark within 18 months
of earning the Best Workplaces for Commuters des-
ignation of at least 14 percent of employees not
driving alone to work.
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Why Establish a National Standard of
Excellence?
The National Standard of Excellence provides employers,
transportation services providers, and commuters with a
common benchmark against which commuter benefit
programs can be measured. By setting a high standard,
Best Workplaces for Commuters encourages employers
to upgrade or establish benefits at this level.
Studies have documented that employees who have
access to a comprehensive commuter benefits package
are less likely to drive to work alone. A 2004 EPA survey
found a 15 percent shift from drive-alone commuting to
transit, vanpools, and carpools among employees of
Best Workplaces for Commuters employers, compared
to commuters working for other employers in the same
zip code. In addition, the study found that contractors
and temporary employees with access to some but not
all of these benefits at Best Workplaces for Commuters
worksites had a drive-alone rate of 7 percentage points
lower than other employees working in the same zip
codes.
A recent Transportation Research Board study also docu-
ments that when employers provide commuter benefits,
transit agencies report a 10 to 60 percent increase in rid-
ership.The study found that in most cases, "over 80% of
new riders previously drove alone to work prior to using
commuter benefits...and 35% of these new commuters
reported increasing their use of transit for non-work
trips, further increasing the environmental and energy
benefits of employer-provided commuter benefits."1
Employer Strategies
Best Workplaces for Commuters uses an array of strate-
gies to introduce employers across the country to the
value of commuter benefits and challenge them to meet
the National Standard of Excellence. Best Workplaces for
Commuters:
• Articulates a strong business case for offering bene-
fits and being designated as one of the Best
Workplaces for Commuters.
• Targets key metropolitan areas, national employers,
and industry sectors that can serve as leaders in
providing commuter benefits.
• Provides national recognition, resources, and tools
for employers who are designated as Best
Workplaces for Commuters.
Hacienda Business Park(Pleasanton, CA)
Hacienda provides facilities and services for over 450 employ-
ers and 17,500 employees including free transit, rideshare
resources and amenities, cycling
and pedestrian accommodations,
an emergency ride home, and a
comprehensive library of commut-
ing information. Hacienda is unique
among business districts in integrating its park-wide trans-
portation services and amenities for businesses with trans-
portation services for residents, working towards the ultimate
goal of creating a low-mileage community.
HAClIiNDA
In 2005, Hacienda:
• Reduced 8,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 22 tons of NOX
• Saved 900,000 gallons of gasoline
• Saved $2 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 19 million drive-alone commuting miles
1 Analyzing the Effectiveness of Commuter Benefit Programs. Transit Cooperative Research Program Report 107. Pub. Transportation Research Board of
the National Academies, 2005.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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The Business Cose for Commuter Benefits
First and foremost, employers are providing commuter
benefits because it makes good business sense to do
so.
Best Workplaces for Commuters provides business
value while also having positive environmental results.
Commuter benefits:
• Cost less than straight salary increases for
employees.
• Reduce parking and facility costs.
• Provide certain tax advantages to employers.
• Improve worker productivity by reducing tardiness
and stress due to drive-alone commuting.
• Improve corporate environmental performance
and citizenship.
For many employers, parking costs are a significant
expense. Depending on location and type of space, a
single parking space can cost as much as $30,000 to
build and thousands of dollars annually to maintain.
Many Best Workplaces for Commuters employers are
finding that moving employees out of their cars saves
money. For example, Emory University estimates con-
struction costs for parking at $12,100 to $18,900 per
space, whereas providing annual transit passes costs
only $297 per employee per year. Walt Disney
Company in southern California saved more than $2
million in construction costs by reducing the size of an
employee parking garage by one level due to its ride-
sharing program.
Well-managed telework programs can save companies
on office space costs. For example, IBM has 25,000
employees who work out of their homes, saving the
company more than 9.5 million square feet of office
space. At $10 to $20 per square foot, IBM is saving
between $95 million and $190 million per year on office
space alone.
Salary Increase vs. Transit Subsidy
Providing commuter benefits encourages employees to
reduce their drive-alone commuting and also saves employers
money. It is less expensive for an employer to provide employ-
ees with a $50 transit subsidy than it is to provide them with a
$50 increase in salary.
Costs and Savings
Cost to Employer
Salary Increase
Initial cost
PICA cost (7.65%)
Parking space operational costs
Corporate tax savings (40%)
Net employer cost/month
$50.00
$4.00
$50.00
-$41.60
Transit Subsidy
$50.00
$0.00
$0.00
-$20.00
* Parking cost data from International Parking Institute 2004 B
An employee also receives a greater benefit by receiving a
transit subsidy instead of a pay increase.
Benefit to Employee
Costs and Savings
Initial benefit
PICA cost (7.65%)
State income tax (6%)
Federal income tax (28%)
Net employee benefit/m
Salary Increase
$50.00
-$4.00
-$14.00
Transit Subsidy
$50.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
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Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Metro Area Best Workplaces for
CommutersSM Campaigns
Best Workplaces for Commuters works with leaders in
key metropolitan areas to challenge local employers to
offer outstanding commuter benefits. Best Workplaces
for Commuters supports regional "campaigns" that
recruit employers and publicize lists of these local Best
Workplaces for Commuters. Since the first list of Best
Workplaces for Commuters was released in the San
Francisco Bay Area in 2002, EPA has worked with coali-
tions in 14 major metropolitan areas to increase the
prevalence of commuter benefits and the visibility of
the companies that have received the designation.
These campaigns highlight employers that are making a
difference, while underscoring EPAs commitment to
help communities address local air quality and traffic
congestion.
Most metropolitan area campaigns are run by a coalition
of organizations that reach out to local employers. The
coalitions typically include transportation, business, and
human resource organizations, along with some of the
Tucson, Arizona
In 2003, a coalition of local organizations challenged the busi-
ness community to be recognized as Best Workplaces for
Commuters. As a result of two campaigns there are currently
45,094 employees, or 10 percent of the Greater Tucson area's
workforce, working for employers designated as Best
Workplaces for Commuters, the highest percentage in the
nation.
In 2005, Tucson, Arizona:
• Reduced 20,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 55 tons of NOX
• Saved 2.3 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $5 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 49 million drive-alone commuting miles
region's leading employers. These campaigns are respon-
sible for reaching almost half of the companies that are
currently designated as Best Workplaces for
Commuters.
The National Reach of Best Workplaces for CommutersSM
States with >1 OOK Participating Employees
States with 50K -10OK Participating Employees
States with 1 - 50K Participating Employees
States which have/will release Best Workplaces for Commuters list
No participation at this time.
States with Best Workplaces for Commuters Districts
Fourteen metro regions have released Best Workplaces for Commuters lists: Colorado; Greater Washington DC Region;
Houston; Metro NY-NJ-CT; Minneapolis; New England; New Jersey; North Texas; Phoenix; Sacramento; San Francisco Bay
Area; St. Louis; Triangle Region, North Carolina; and Tucson.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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Best Workplaces for CommutersSM from
the FORTUNE 500 Companies
The list of Best Workplaces for Commuters from the
FORTUNE 500 Companies was released for a second time in
2005, again with significant results. In 2005, the list increased
from 69 to nearly 90 employers with one or more qualifying
worksites, with 52 companies having 10 percent or more of
their workforce covered by commuter benefits.
C02 Reduced (metric tons
per year)
NOX Reduced (tons per
year)
Fuel Saved (gallons per
year)
Dollars Saved
Drive-Alone Commuting
Miles Reduced
183,000
500
21 million
$38 million
435 million
275,000
738
31 million
$69 million
650 million
2005 Top 20 Best Workplaces for Commuters
from the FORTUNE 500 Companies
1. Intel
2. (tie) Oracle
2. (tie) QUALCOMM
4. Sun Microsystems
5. Microsoft
6. (tie) Cisco Systems
6. (tie) Texas Instruments
8. Advanced Micro Devices
9. Anadarko Petroleum
Corporation
10. Safeco Insurance
11. EMC Corporation
12. Boeing
13. (tie) Devon Energy
13. (tie) El Paso Corporation
13. (tie) Nike, Inc.
16. Hewlett-Packard
17. (tie) IBM
17. (tie) Reliant Energy
19. Wyeth
20. Apple
Best Workplaces for CommutersSM from the
FORTUNE 500 Companies
FORTUNE 500 companies employ approximately 24 mil-
lion employees in the United States, 20 percent of the
overall U.S. workforce. These business giants are some
of the most successful and well-known companies in
America, and they are viewed as market leaders for
workplace practices that eventually take hold across the
economy as a whole. Best Workplaces for Commuters
is working to significantly increase the number and visi-
bility of these national companies, which meet the
National Standard of Excellence, thereby increasing the
acceptance of commuter benefits.
EPA released the first list of Best Workplace for
Commuters from the FORTUNE 500 Companies in
2004. The list included 69 companies employing a total
of 400,000 employees and also highlighted the top 20
companies ranked by the percentage of their U.S. work-
force receiving benefits that meet the National Standard
of Excellence.
Intel
Intel was ranked #1 on the list of Best Workplaces for
Commuters from the FORTUNE 500 Companies in 2004 for mak-
ing commuter benefits available to more than 90 percent of its
48,000 U.S. employees.
In 2005, Intel:
• Reduced 20,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 53 tons of NOX
• Saved 2.2 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $5 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 47 million drive-alone commuting miles
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Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Industry Sectors
Best Workplaces for Commuters has identified key busi-
ness sectors that present especially good opportunities
to advance the market penetration of commuter bene-
fits. One such sector is colleges and universities. Over
the next decade, employment in this sector is expected
to grow by almost 30 percent, faster than the national
average employment growth.
In 2005, EPA conducted targeted outreach efforts to the
college and university sector, as many colleges and uni-
versities have traffic and parking problems that can be
alleviated through the implementation of commuter ben-
efits. By working with human resource offices and facili-
ties and environmental departments and by encouraging
friendly inter-university competition, Best Workplaces for
Commuters succeeded in qualifying 14 new colleges
and universities employing more than 150,000 people
since January 2005.
Additional industry sectors that have demonstrated
strong participation in Best Workplaces for Commuters
include information technology (IT), local and regional
government, health care, and financial services. Best
Workplaces for Commuters is developing strategies to
successfully address these sectors along with colleges
and universities in the future.
Texas Children's Hospital (Houston, TX)
Texas Children's Hospital offers its employees outstanding
commuter benefits—access to bus passes, vanpool vouchers,
a carpool allowance, shuttles, bike racks, and two different
emergency ride home programs—helping improve employee
morale and recruit new employees. Currently, more than 20
percent of the 6,100 employees participate in the transit elec-
tion program.
The Texas Children's Hospital has:
• Reduced 2,800 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 8 tons of NOX
• Saved 318,000 gallons of gasoline
• Saved $700,000 in fuel costs
• Reduced 6.6 million drive-alone commuting miles
University of Michigan (U of M) at Ann Arbor
At U of M, commuter benefits offered to 28,000 employees
include free bus passes, subsidized vanpools, park-and-ride
lots, preferred vanpool parking, membership in the transporta-
tion management association, and electric bicycle recharging
stations. These benefits have helped U of M avoid construction
of more than 1,300 parking spaces, saving nearly $17 million.
In 2005, UofM:
• Reduced 12,800 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 34 tons of NOX
• Saved 1.5 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $3 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 30.5 million drive-alone commuting miles
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
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Commuter Districts
Commuter Districts extend the potential of Best
Workplaces for Commuters to a different set of actors:
corporate and industrial business parks, shopping malls,
business improvement districts, and downtown com-
mercial areas. Developers, downtown managers, and
business park owners are finding that they can attract
and retain tenants more easily, charge competitive
rents, and maintain better relations with their tenant
companies by providing excellent transportation pro-
grams, including commuter benefits.
Currently, 20 districts around the country—representing
600,000 commuters—have earned the Best Workplaces
for Commuters designation. Common benefits include:
transit and vanpool subsidies, shuttle services, and bicy-
cle and walking infrastructure. The number of Commuter
Districts has increased more than 65 percent since
January 2005. EPA forged a new partnership with the
International Downtown Association (IDA) in summer
2005, and IDA issued a challenge to its members to be
"early leaders" by becoming designated Commuter
Districts. Within two months of this challenge, two new
districts were designated, including downtown Tampa
and Minneapolis.
Downtown Minneapolis
Downtown Minneapolis provides 83,000 employees who van-
pool and carpool an outstanding commuter benefit—parking
rates $40 to $115 less per month than regular rates. As the #1
ranked city in the nation for percentage of bike commuters.
Downtown Minneapolis also boasts one of the most compre-
hensive bicycle lane systems of any city and provides a system
of bike racks and enclosed lockers.
In 2005, Downtown Minneapolis:
• Reduced 38,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 102 tons of NOX
• Saved 4.3 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $9.5 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 90 million drive-alone commuting miles
Cumberland Business District (Atlanta, GA)
One of the Cumberland Community Improvement District's (CID)
most successful commuter services is a vanpool program—
with 42 vanpools transporting hundreds of commuters into the
Cumberland-Galleria area. The Cumberland CID's $50 Flat Rate
Vanpool Program is an outstanding example of a local commu-
nity showing its strong commitment to a desirable community
service.
In 2005, the Cumberland CID:
• Reduced 32,000 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 86 tons of NOX
• Saved 3.6 million gallons of gasoline
• Saved $8 million in fuel costs
• Reduced 76 million drive-alone commuting miles
Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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The BWC
Network
To achieve maximum leverage,
effectiveness, and reach across
the nation, Best Workplaces for
Commuters developed a broad-
based association of supporting organ-
izations known as the "BWC Network."
The Network includes national partners plus
more than 300 regional and grassroots leaders
across the country. Network members share a commit-
ment to increasing the availability of commuter benefits
expanding the visibility and effectiveness of Best
Workplaces for Commuters, and reducing traffic and air
pollution. Members include:
• State and local governments
• Transportation Management
Associations/Organizations (TMAs/TMOs)
• Rideshare organizations
• EPA regional offices
• Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)
• Consulting companies
• Air quality agencies
• Private and public sector employers
BWC Network at a Qlance
• More than 300 BWC Network members
represent 78 major metropolitan areas with total
population of 150 million.
• Active in 39 states and across 124 counties.
Race to Excellence
BWC Network members are committed to promoting
the mission of Best Workplaces for Commuters. It is in
appreciation of their enthusiasm and commitment in
supporting commuter benefits that, in 2005, EPA
launched the First Annual Race to Excellence. The Race
to Excellence is an annual challenge that recognizes ded-
icated professionals throughout the country who pro-
mote commuter benefits, transportation choices, and
the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation in their
workplaces and throughout their local communities.
The National Reach of the BWC Network
I j S,a e;- with Network Membe:
I | No participation at this time
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
15
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Tools for Network Members
In 2004, EPA developed tools to help BWC Network
members carry out their commitment to Best
Workplaces or Commuters. For example, EPA created:
• A suite of tools accessible at ,
including a promotional kit with brochures, banners,
posters, sample press releases, fact sheets, and
step-by-step instructions on how to utilize Best
Workplaces for Commuters in marketing and out-
reach efforts. All tools are available "off-the-shelf"
or are customizable by Network members.
• New guidance for states and agencies involved in
developing state air quality implementation plans
(SIPs) or transportation conformity determinations.
The guidance explains how these agencies can
incorporate into their SIPs and conformity determi-
nations those emission reductions resulting from
programs achieving the Best Workplaces for
Commuters designation.
• An updated, user-friendly calculator tool known as
COMMUTER, which can be used to estimate the
amount of criteria pollutants, C02 emissions, air
toxics, and gallons of gasoline saved by a Best
Workplaces for Commuters program.
These tools are indispensable to Network members by
assisting them in recruiting new employers. In 2005,
Network members helped 150 employers representing
more than 130,000 employees become designated as
Best Workplaces for Commuters.
For a complete, up-to-date list of Best Workplaces for
Commuters, BWC Network Members, and Best
Workplaces for Commuters Districts, please visit
.
City of Henderson, Nevada
The City of Henderson, as one of the Best Workplaces for
Commuters, offers its employees subsidized transit passes, pre-
ferred carpool parking, a compressed work week, emergency
ride home services, commuting awards programs, and carpool
matching opportunities.
The City of Henderson is also a member of the BWC Network
because it recognizes the role it plays as a community and envi-
ronmental leader. Working closely with the Regional
Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), it takes
the lead in encouraging the use of alternative commute choices
in the city of Henderson. It promotes commuter choices to other
employers throughout the city of Henderson and work closely
with the RTC to increase local transit ridership bus routes serv-
ing the community.
In 2005, the City of Henderson:
• Reduced 734 metric tons of C02
• Reduced 2 tons of NOX
• Saved 83,361 gallons of gasoline
• Saved $201,733 in fuel costs
• Reduced 1.7 million drive-alone commuting miles
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Best Workplaces for Commuters-2001-2005 Progress Report
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Looking Ahead
Best Workplaces for Commuters has already
reduced more than 3.4 million metric tons of C02
and saved more than 389 million gallons of fuel—
one of the most effective fuel conservation programs in
EPAs transportation portfolio. By 2012, Best Workplaces
for Commuters is poised to transform the market for com-
muter benefits covering 25 percent of U.S. workers. This
will result in annual greenhouse gas emissions being
reduced by 15 million metric tons and annual U.S. fuel
consumption decreasing by more than 1.7 billion gallons.
Best Workplaces for Commuters will continue to adapt
and improve to ensure these accomplishments are met.
Future plans include:
• Shifting EPA program leadership for metro-area cam-
paigns to proven local leaders in the BWC Network
who can take the Best Workplaces for Commuters
tools and create success in their regions.
• Engaging employers in industry sectors, such as IT,
healthcare, local government, and financial services,
and encouraging them to adopt outstanding com-
muter benefits and be designated as Best
Workplaces for Commuters.
• Increasing awareness of Best Workplaces for
Commuters at the national level.
Now more than ever, with concerns about fuel availabili-
ty and costs, the need for the United States to decrease
its dependence on foreign sources of oil, and the neces-
sity to reduce our impact on air quality and climate dis-
ruption, innovative programs like Best Workplaces for
Commuters are leading the way to market-based solu-
tions that meet all these goals.
Best Workplaces for Commuters - 2001-2005 Progress Report
17
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What People Are Saying About
Best Workplaces for CommutersSM
During President Bush's national call to conserve our country's energy resources,
small adjustments to our daily routine—like the way we get to and from work—can
produce enormous combined benefits.
— Stephen L. Johnson,
U.S. EPA Administrator
Getting and retaining the best employees is critical to success in today's business
world. Becoming a [Best Workplaces for Commuters] Employer is a win-win way to
benefit your company, your employees and your community. '
— Jim Fairbaugh, Director of EHS&S,
Hewlett-Packard Company
Pitney Bowes is proud to be one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters from the
FORTUNE 500 Companies. As a national leader in providing work/life benefits to our
employees, easing the pressure and cost of their commute is another key way that
we differentiate ourselves from our competition. '
— Edward Houghton, Director of Workforce
Effectiveness, Pitney Bowes
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We've promoted alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle commute for many
years—it's just the right thing to do. It's an added bonus that the EPA now recognizes
our efforts and we qualify to be on the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters.
— Dave Miller, Director of Parking and Transportation
Services, University of Michigan
America's way to work is often mind-numbing and time-consuming. [Best
Workplaces for Commuters] has helped employers de-stress the daily commute.
— Forbes Magazine
Companies that get on the EPA list can feature their Best Workplaces awards on cor-
porate Web sites and in recruitment literature. Intel, EMC, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals all added commuter benefits to increase their chances of
appearing on the list.
— Business Week Oniine
Indeed, parking, or lack thereof, is one of the primary reasons employers cite for cre-
ating an alternative transportation incentive program. Employers also cite increased
productivity, environmental and traffic concerns, and an edge in the competition to
recruit top talent.
— Voice of San Diego
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