Are transportation benefits worth the cost?

Dear Flummoxed:
We're all a bit disappointed about having the second worst traffic, but that doesn't mean that our efforts haven't had an effect. CTR programs removed 8,171,000 vehicles from Washington state roads in 1999. Seattle's terrible congestion can be helped by reducing SOV trips whenever possible. One way of achieving this is for employers to provide transportation subsidies to their employees. How many employees at your company take the bus? Carpool? Vanpool? Work a compressed workweek? Expect a “good news” update on those statistics soon. Imagine if every organization decided to save some short term cash by eliminating some or all of their employee transportation subsidies! There would be that many more people driving on Seattle area roads.

Transportation subsidies go a long way to helping keep employees out of their cars and sometimes it takes only one day a week of riding the bus, carpooling, or teleworking to make a difference. The answer is not in giving up, and though it may be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when dollars are spent and traffic seems to get worse, continuing trip reduction efforts can help alleviate the congestion. Transportation options do make a difference.
HOV