What Happened?
The state of Washington launched a transportation program that encourages residents to carpool or take public transportation to work in an effort to reduce congestion, pollution and energy consumption.
Goal
The Commute Trip Reduction program was first set into motion 25 years ago when the state of Washington realized employers can play a major role in persuading residents to not engage in drive alone commutes, but rather partake in carpools or opt for public transportation alternatives. The major goals associated with the trip reduction campaign include:
- Reduce traffic congestion
- Cut back on car-related pollution
- Lower energy use
The CTR program specifically aims to work with large employers across the state that operate in heavily populated areas. These companies are encouraged to implement programs to reduce the number of employees driving to work alone. The state provides assistance and oversight to whatever programs the companies decide to design and adopt.
One way the program worked to change the behavior of local residents was to convince employers to not provide workers with ample parking spaces at their place of employment. If parking was not readily available, workers would be more inclined to commute in a carpool or via public transportation.
Other more common programs deployed by employers include:
- Flexible work and telecommute options
- Parking fees
- Enhanced transit pass programs
- Favorable carpool incentives
- Mortgage discounts to move close to work
- Money to furnish a home office
- Vanpools
According to the latest report on the program’s progress, the rate of driving alone among CTR participants dropped 3 percent and vehicle miles declined 4.6 percent between 2007 and 2012. The results are significant considering the cost is $6 million in taxpayer dollars every two years, CityLab reported.
A Nudge In The Right Direction
An analysis of commuter benefits reported by Virginia Tech transportation scholars revealed how commuters in the metro Washington, D.C., area would adjust their transit choices if various employer benefits were offered. If employers did not offer any type of transportation benefit, 76 percent of those surveyed would drive alone to work and 22 percent would take public transportation. However, transit benefits were made available, 76 percent said they would take the bus or train.
Similarly, a group of psychologists conducted an experiment in the UK surveying the commuter habits of workers before and after the company changed its office location. The study revealed the share of employees who walked to work fell from 55 percent to 23 percent one week after the office relocated to a city with increased public transportation options. The number of employees using the train jumped from 18.5 percent to 56 percent just 7 days after the move.
Paris Focused on Cycling
While some cities and states are working to better optimize their public transportation resources and reduce personal vehicle use, Paris has set a goal to become the world capital of cycle through a series of transit-related policies changes.
Paris recently announced a $164.5 million program to transform the city into a cyclist haven within the next five years. One major component of the bike-friendly transformation is doubling the city’s bike lanes. By 2020, Paris plans to add 50 more miles of bike lanes with improved routes including a grid of five bike highways that will be protected from vehicular traffic by barriers. The new routes of some of the bike lanes will cater specifically to the tourist crowd, and will be accompanied by increased bike rental infrastructure for sightseeing, CityLab reported.
In addition, Paris will eliminate major roadway obstacles that make it difficult for cyclists to safely navigate the city. Paris will add 7,000 new alternative corner crossings to enable easier cyclist traffic flow, as well as reduce the citywide speed limit to 18 miles per hour and up to 30 miles per hour on major roadways. The city will also be equipped with 10,000 new parking spots for bikes, CityLab reported.
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