Employee Incentives to Reduce Commuting

Since commuting to work can be a significant source of auto traffic, employers can provide their employees with incentives to lessen transportation demand associated with single-occupancy car commutes. Some creative strategies that employers can use include:
1) permit flexible work schedules to facilitate employees' use of transit or other alternative transportation options,
2) provide commuter ride matching services to facilitate ridesharing,
3) provide vans for vanpools,
4) provide disincentives for parking, such as rebates for employees who don't park,
5) provide subsidies for transit fares,
6) relocate the worksite to an area where employees will find it easy to walk, bicycle, or take transit, and
7) allow a compressed work week, or telecommuting option, so employees don't have to commute every day.

Additionally, employees who choose to commute in other ways than driving their personal vehicles are often concerned about how to get home if they work late or have a personal emergency. Employers may institute guaranteed ride home programs and give these workers the reassurance they need by providing them with free or subsidized emergency transportation, such as subsidized taxi rides.

Employers and employees can also take advantage of provisions under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), which provide a combination of tax benefits (such as commuter tax rebates) to employees and employers for using transit and/or vanpools.