2002
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Category: Transit HNTB Corporation,
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Listen to one of the radio spots featuring this winner! |
Bellevue firm makes riding the bus
an easy choice
The
HNTB Corporation is a leading provider of architecture, engineering and
design services worldwide. The choice to keep the Seattle area office
located in downtown Bellevue near the transit center is no accident. HNTB
provides a variety of commute options to its employees, focusing in large
part on the easily accessible public transportation services. For its
continued success in promoting transit use to its employees, HNTB has
earned a 2002 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for transit.
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Jan. 22, 2003 Awards Ceremony
Accepting HNTB's Diamond Award for Transit are Employee Transportation Coordinator Laura Valentine and Vice President Dan Dixon. |
.“The continued success of our program is due in large part to the subsidies we provide and our close proximity to the transit center,” said Employee Transportation Coordinator Laura Valentine. Employees receive a subsidized FlexPass that can be used for trips on Sound Transit and Metro and a guaranteed ride home in case of emergency or illness. A parking fee of $141.44 per month is collected from SOV drivers, which helps to persuade employees to leave their car at home. Carpools and vanpools receive priority parking spaces as an additional perk.
Management continues to support the subsidies given to employees and understands that the work site’s location in close proximity to the transit center is an important part of continuing the high level of transit use among employees. The impact commuter traffic and stress can have on both the workplace and the environment is also something HNTB understands and works to help alleviate through its CTR program.
But the benefits are not one sided. HNTB has seen business benefits as a result of its commute trip reduction program. “Our program has definitely helped retain employees because they see it as another benefit they receive,” said Valentine. “Also, it has helped recruit employees because they don’t feel they need to drive and pay for parking with the FlexPass benefits.”
The combination of close proximity to transit services, extensive transportation subsidies, and effective parking management add up to an outstanding commute trip reduction program with an SOV rate of only 31%.
Commute Program
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*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.