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77% of EPA staff walk the talk by riding the bus
Since 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has been working toward a cleaner and healthier environment for all Americans. It comes as no surprise then that the EPA provides a variety of alternative commute options that not only benefit the employees, but also reduce the environmental impact of drive-alone commuting. Because of its commitment to these principles, the EPA has been awarded a 2004 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for Organizational Leadership.

The Seattle EPA office has been consistent in its commitment to commute trip reduction over the years and has regularly been a CTR credit site due to its extremely low SOV rate of only 5%. This commitment, no doubt, comes from the interconnectedness of the EPA’s mission and the goals of CTR. "The CTR program is furthering agency goals of helping to reduce air emissions and providing employees with a direct benefit," says Employee Transportation Coordinator Brenda Mirasol.

The EPA office in Seattle was one of the first U.S. government sites to offer the federal FlexPass back in 2001, due to its cultural investment in and commitment to reducing traffic congestion, energy consumption and vehicle pollution. In fact the EPA was an active partner in developing the federal FlexPass, which is now used by over 4,000 federal employees in this region.

As such, the federal FlexPass is the most comprehensive FlexPass offered in the Puget Sound region. It includes fares on every transit service in the region, the state ferry system, regional vanpool services, discounted Flexcar memberships, "FlexPerks" merchant discounts and Home Free Guarantee. It’s no wonder then that transit is the number one mode used by EPA employees. Fully 77% of the total employee population commutes in this manner.

In addition to the federal FlexPass, EPA employees can make use of covered on-site bicycle parking as well as showers and lockers for those who go the non-motorized route to get to work. Employees also have the option of various compressed work schedules (such as 4/10, 5/4/9, etc.), or to flexiplace (telework rather than going into the office) and a maxiflex work program.

Employees are regularly reminded of the EPA’s commuter program through information posted on the agency’s intranet InfoPage. Employees can find a comprehensive summary of all the elements that go into the federal FlexPass as well as external links to regional transit agency websites and other CTR-related links. Employees can also see the EPA’s results from the most recent state CTR survey and excerpts from the state’s Legislative Report on Commute Trip Reduction. "EPA’s culture encourages alternative work schedules and site practices such as teleconferencing whenever possible," says Mirasol. "We work hard to reduce commute and travel impact while raising environmentally conscious behavior in employees."

Commute Program
Transit, ferry and vanpool subsidy
Guaranteed Ride Home
Covered bicycle parking
Shower facilities

*Some definitions: An "ETC" is the staff-level employee transportation coordinator responsible for the daily administration of the transportation program. "SOV" stands for single-occupant vehicle, and "CTR" for commute trip reduction.

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