Get started with your sustainable commute program with these basic elements:

1. Identify an Employee Transportation Coordinator who will be responsible for providing transportation information and resources to their coworkers.
2. Set up a Transportation Resource Hub like a corkboard in a break room, a page on an intranet, etc. where transportation information and resources can be made available.
3. Conduct a Site Evaluation Survey that identifies the physical characteristics of your worksite, including parking, access, and commuter amenities.
4. Write a Commute Benefits Document that lists all commute benefits and transportation programs that the company has in place.
5. Distribute Transportation Information to employees on a regular (annual, semiannual) basis, and make it part of new employee orientation.

Emergency Ride Home

Emergency Ride Home programs give commuters peace of mind so that they can use sustainable commute modes without worrying about getting stranded in an emergency. Emergencies include the illness of yourself or a family member or missing a carpool ride due to unscheduled overtime. Ecology Action’s Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program provides employees of member companies who use sustainable transportation with a free taxi or ride-hailing ride home in an emergency. To find out more about this and other benefits of Ecology Action’s Employer Transportation Membership Services, contact contact Matt Miller by email or phone at 831-515-1324.

Green Business

Being a Certified Green Business is the clearest way to show your community and customers that you care about sustainability. Learn how to get certified and find other local Green Businesses at Santa Cruz County Green Business. Call a Cruz511 Commute Counselor today at 429-POOL, or email us, to develop a sustainable commute plan as part of the Transportation Element for the Green Business Certification.

Tax Benefits

Green commuting can result in tax savings for both employer and employees. The IRS 2020 Employer’s Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits (see Transportation (Commuting) Benefits) specifies transportation expenses that can be exempted from payroll taxes, potentially saving money for both employers and employees. Note: In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit as it relates to the exclusion of qualified bicycle-related reimbursements from the income and payroll taxes relevant to an employee.