Most major employers in the Puget Sound region are required to implement and run an Employee Transportation Program at their worksites in order to comply with Washington State's Commute Trip Reduction law. Sound Transit's Customer Outreach Specialists offer a variety of free services designed to support businesses with their programs.
All Aboard – Commute Trip Reduction News
We're packaging our service-related news into a handy electronic newsletter for you to forward to your employees or professional network. Look for issues of All Aboard four times a year. If you have a transportation or wellness fair coming up, please let us know. We'd love to come and answer any of your company's transportation questions.
Benefits of an Employee Transportation Program
There are many sound business reasons to encourage your employees to leave their cars at home at least once or twice a week. Having an Employee Transportation Program can reduce the drive alone rate, support a healthy environment, and help reduce pollution, traffic congestion and fuel consumption. It also saves your business money, frees up worksite parking, helps your business attract and retain the best employees and increases employee morale and performance.
What is Commute Trip Reduction?
If your business has 100 or more full time employees, your site may be required to participate under the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Efficiency Act. This Act applies to all employers, public and private, that have 100 or more full time employees who work at a single worksite. The CTR law requires these employers to develop programs that encourage their employees to use alternatives to driving alone for their commute. Employers must make a good faith effort to develop and implement a CTR program, including:
- Designate an engaged Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC)
- Distribute information to employees about commute options other than driving alone — these could include carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, walking, taking transit and offering flex schedules/telecommuting
- Implement a set of measures geared toward achieving goals set by CTR law
- Hold at least one transportation event (commuter information fair) a year
Read more about the Washington State Commute Trip Reduction Law.
What services does Sound Transit provide?
If you have been designated as your company's ETC, and are in Sound Transit's current or near-term service network, and want to incorporate Sound Transit into your efforts, we offer a variety of free services to enhance your program.
- Transportation fairs: if you have a benefits fair, new hire fair, sustainability fair, new to ORCA event, or other employee event, we can team up with you to present information on commuting options.
- Printed rider information: we provide printed transit schedules and maps on request. Available items include our Ride the Wave Transit Guide, Link Light Rail and Sounder Commuter Rail schedules, Bicycle Riders Guide, Special Event Service brochures, ORCA pamphlets and more.
- Electronic updates with service changes and news: we distribute up-to-date information about Sound Transit service changes and promotions via email alerts and our electronic newsletter. Contact us to be added to our distribution list.
- Relocation services: we are happy to come to your worksite to help your employees with relocation services and trip planning.
Transportation fairs and events
Our staff can help Employee Transportation Coordinators promote and implement transportation and sustainability fairs, relocation events and other special events at their worksites. We can also provide customized presentations to smaller groups. Is it your first time planning a commuter fair? Drop us a line — we love working with ETC's to help make events a success. Contact your Customer Outreach Specialist to get started.