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Category: Parking Management Qwest
Communications,
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Qwest encourages
trip reduction through transportation program
Qwest Communications is a reliable and secure
provider of communications services to corporate and
individual subscribers. Headquartered in Denver,
Colorado, Qwest employs a total of 71,000 people
worldwide, serves 29 million customers, and is present in
over 14 countries. It hosts one of the most advanced and
massive communications networks in the world with over
104,000 miles of the newest optical networking equipment
across the globe. Qwest knows that taking care of details
is important to a strong CTR effort. This year Qwest
Communications' 720-employee Bellevue location is
recognized as a Diamond Award winner for its parking
management program.
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Jan. 18, 2001 Awards
Ceremony Barb Norquist and Alicia Luna accept a Diamond Award in parking management for Qwest Communications. |
Qwest's commute trip reduction program was implemented in 1993. Since then, company efforts have resulted in significant commute reductions of employees in single occupancy vehicles. Employees are eligible for guaranteed rides home, and participation in contests and transportation fairs. Promotional contest awards consist of transit vouchers, monthly prize incentives and eligibility for other commute subsidies.
“Qwest offers a comprehensive trip reduction program that includes carpool and vanpool formation assistance, transit vouchers, monthly contests for participants, transportation fairs, a Guaranteed Ride Home program, and preferential parking,” Qwest's Barb Norquist said. “A full-time program manager administers these efforts.”
Parking policy
takes cars off the road
The company's program at the Bellevue location
is centered on its parking management system. This
location has a four-story parking facility in which two
floors are reserved for carpool parking, one floor houses
fleet vehicles, leaving only one floor for single
occupancy vehicle parking.
Carpools represent a significant portion of the alternative commute modes at the Bellevue Qwest location. Employees are encouraged to make use of carpool ridematching services and are given incentives to do so. “When a carpool is formed, employees are eligible for discounted or free preferential parking, the Guaranteed Ride Home program, and monthly prizes,” Norquist elaborated.
Additionally, all employees, including those who use alternative commute modes at least three days a week, are allotted three “Free Park Days” per month. Free park spaces are very limited, strictly monitored, and days cannot be accumulated.
Qwest's future plans for its CTR program include enhancement education programs with new and innovative marketing of commute alternatives. Company benefits of the CTR program go beyond good corporate citizenship and the reduction of employee impact on the environment. In the case of Qwest, quality employees in various positions have been recruited using the CTR program as a company benefit, in addition to retention of existing key personnel. The company is also saving money by eliminating the demand for more parking with its parking management program.
Commuting
program
Results 23% decrease in SOV use in 1999, 73 people take transit to work, 453 people carpool to work |
*Some definitions: An “ETC” is the staff-level employee transportation coordinator responsible for the daily administration of the transportation program; “PM” is the transportation program manager; and “CEO” refers to the top management-level person at the worksite. “SOV” stands for single-occupant vehicle, and “CTR” for commute trip reduction.