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Rideshare Program Basics

Not only is Southern California renowned for smog and traffic, but we are also at the forefront of innovations and efforts to battle those challenges. Thousands of worksites throughout the region offer rideshare programs to their employees to reduce the number of cars traveling to the worksite.

The following are just some of the program strategies that have proven to be successful for many employers. Consider implementing these options at your worksite:

Services

Select an Employer Representative/Employee Transportation Coordinator at your worksite to develop and/or run a commuter assistance program.
Offer ridematching services via CommuteSmart.info or call 1.800.COMMUTE to help employees find carpool partners, vanpools, or personalized itineraries to ride Metro Bus or Metro Rail to work.
Sell Metro transit passes onsite using one of Metro’s many employer transit pass options. Call 213.922.2811 for more information.

Subsidies and Incentives

Subsidize all or a portion of your employees’ transit passes and/or pay parking costs for carpoolers and vanpoolers
Offer incentives in the form of cash bonuses, gifts or time off with pay for employees who share the ride
Designate preferential parking spaces for carpoolers and vanpoolers
Offer tax breaks by allowing employees to set aside rideshare commute expenses as pre-tax income through a Commuter Benefits program

Special Programs/Strategies

Start a vanpool program. Purchase or lease vanpools for employees’ commutes
Provide bicycle lockers, racks, and changing/shower facilities to encourage bicycle commuting
Offer a Variable Work Hours program, allowing flexible work schedules and/or compressed work weeks to reduce the number of trips to the worksite.
Implement a Guaranteed Ride Home the regional program that offers employees who rideshare to work a free rental car or taxi ride home in case of an emergency or unexpected overtime.
Allow some or all employees to Telecommute by working from home occasionally or on a regular basis

Marketing and Promotion of Ridesharing

Disseminate rideshare information; let employees know about alternatives to driving alone by distributing bus and rail schedules, carpool/vanpool information, etc.
Promote ridesharing via events, contests, posters, newsletters and other marketing strategies

Disincentives

Charge a fee for parking at the site to encourage non-driving alternatives as well as provide an incentive to save money by carpooling or vanpooling