TDM Toolbox

Subsector: Trip Reduction Programs (Employer Sponsored)
Subsidized Non-Single Occupancy Vehicle Modes
VMT Reduction Potential: 1
Cost: 2
ROI: 2
TAM Relevancy: 3
Land Use Content: Urban, Suburban, Rural
Trip Type: Commute
Scale: Site
Timing: Short Term (1-3 years)
Implementors-Private: Campus Developers: Medical, Schools, and Offices, Developers (Employment), Employers, Property Managers
Eligibility Status: Feasible, Currently Exist, Implementable/Expandable, Applicable Funding

Description

This measure provides financial incentives or subsidies for non-single occupancy vehicle modes. Subsidies or incentives can be implemented through active transportation (walking or biking), vanpool/ride sharing, or transit fares.

Implementation Details

  • Provide subsidies for transit fares for participating employees to reduce the cost associated with transit
  • Partner with private providers such as Enterprise to establish an account and program for commuters to use.
  • Subsidize the cost of bike/e-bikeshare programs for participating employees.

Mitigation Potential

Providing subsidies to use alternative modes of transportation reduces vehicle trips and therefore VMT. Related quantification methods include:

Linked Strategies

Equity Considerations

Prioritize subsidies for low-income households and communities with low vehicle ownership rates. Ensure subsidies support access to affordable and reliable multimodal options such as transit, biking, and walking. Monitor equity outcomes using disaggregated data on program usage by income and geography.

Funding Sources

Funding sources include CMAQ grants, Surface Transportation Block Grants, state and regional TDM program funds, Safe Routes to School funding, employer commute program budgets, and developer mitigation funds.

Implemented in TAM Area

Current TDM Implementation

Marin Transit Connect and the County have a partnership with Commute with Enterprise to provide vanpool services to County employees. Benefits-eligible County employees also receive $60 per month in RideGreen incentive towards their portion of the vanpool fare. Throughout the county, the Bay Area Vanpool Program from MTC’s 511 provides benefits of up to $500 a month off vanpool prices.

TDM Benefit Locations

Other agencies and jurisdictions can implement vanpool benefits like the County of Marin for their employees and encourage local businesses to do the same. This TDM measure can benefit a wide range of employer types, but particularly those whose employees have limited access to transit or a lot of employees coming from zero- or one-vehicle households.