There could be a lot of reasons why you have to start your Commuter Program. It could be a hair brained idea from the CEO (that never happens), a new law or employee complaints about parking. While the reasons for starting could be different, everyone’s commuter program has a Day One.

It could be one item or everything below. Every organization’s program is different.

Employee Access to Information

Make information available to employees. This often considered a part of your program’s outreach effort The types of information to share are:
  • MARTA Schedules and programs
  • Neighborhood programs and support like the Midtown Alliance, PCID, which offer commute
  • Building or landlord programs

Don’t limit the number of places you share it. Here are all the places to consider. Meet employee where they expect to find information. Don’t wait for them to come to you.

You should seriously consider a launch event, like table in the lobby or break room announcing the program. The key to this step is continued outreach and updates to your program to meet the material fresh and relevant.

Insert Sample Promotional Material

Transit Pass Program

MARTA offers employer and discount programs for employees. They have a pretty good package to take and implement. Administering can be a little effort, but we can help with that. This can save your existing MARTA riders and as well as entice new riders. Something else is making all your MARTA commuters aware of each other. Build some camaraderie. Let them share success stories. Have them offer ideas for sharing information too.

CarPool Preferred Parking Space(s)

Whether you have a formal carpool program or not, one idea to get folks talking about the commuter program is offering preferred parking spaces for carpool participants. Here’s a link to how folks in the D.C. area launch their carpool initiatives.

Real-time Displays

Within the next couple of years, this will be in every company lobby and break room in Atlanta. If you knew about your commute options before you got on your road, how likely would you be to adapt or adjust. If traffic was already bad, perhaps you might stick around the office and finish a few more tasks.

Sample Real-time Display Example

Employee Surveys

The best way to improve your commuter program is to understand employee’s perspectives. A quick, three question survey every quarter will do the trick. The key is to ask the same questions to track improvements and observe changes.

  • Do you use MARTA discounts, real-time displays, bulletin boards offered by the commuter program?
  • On a scale of zero to 10 how would you rate the commuter program?
  • What is the one thing that could improve the existing commuter program?

Sample Survey Example

These five steps are a great and common way to get started. At OneCommute we’ve had a lot of success and experience implementing these solutions.

Need to brainstorm ideas, talk about employee outreach, hear about successful launches or want some help or implementing your program drop us a note at contact@onecommute.com