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ETC finds ways to expand incentives to carpoolers and other modes
Amgen is a global biotechnology company that taps the power of scientific discovery and innovation to dramatically improve people’s lives.

It should come as no surprise that a company dedicated to helping people live longer, better lives is also committed to helping its employees do the same. One small way it does this is by providing an outstanding employee commute trip reduction program that saves employees time, money and stress each workday.

Further, it is no surprise that the employee transportation administrator for Amgen’s CTR program embodies that same dedication to helping her fellow co-workers identify better ways to get to work. For her outstanding efforts as ETC at Amgen, Jan Law has been awarded a 2004 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for ETC Leadership.

Long before Amgen’s relocation in 2004 from several central business district sites to its new state-of-the-art Helix Campus in the Interbay neighborhood north of downtown Seattle, Jan began planning for how the move would affect employees’ commutes. She knew the new site had limited transit service, plentiful parking, and stringent TMP requirements. She approached King County Metro staff to help her develop a comprehensive relocation plan. With Metro’s help, brochures were created to educate employees on their new commute options and several "zip to lunch" events were held to assist employees in finding fellow commuters with whom they could rideshare to the new worksite.

Jan applied for and received two Employer Services Grants to fund new additions to Amgen’s CTR program that would fill in the gaps and help ease the transition for commuters. The first grant funded a Flexcar and Guaranteed Ride Home pilot program that increased employees’ use of commute options because of a new ability to respond to family and overtime emergencies, and the accessibility of a vehicle for work-related errands and meetings. The second grant funded a Carpool Subsidy and Alternative Travel Mode Incentives program. This program allowed for the expansion of the Flexcar pilot project to include carpoolers, bicyclists and walkers in addition to the transit and vanpool riders who were already eligible.

"Jan is always proactive in looking for gaps in Amgen’s existing CTR program and identifying ways to fill those gaps through grants and other advocacy efforts with management," said Anne Ward-Ryan of King County Metro.
2004 brought other changes to an already robust CTR program that included 100% subsidy for transit, ferry, train and vanpool riders. Preferential parking for vanpools and carpools, onsite bike tune-ups, shuttle service from downtown Seattle to the Helix Campus, and shelters for both shuttle riders and bicycles were added to the program.

Amgen’s management has continued to fund improvements and expansions to the CTR program, including those elements initiated with grant funding, because of the positive impact they have made at the company and for Amgen staff. Each new element has allowed Amgen to meet its TMP requirements, and expand commute options for employees and improve work/life balance.

Management’s commitment to the CTR program is evident in the company’s internal transportation team. Jan works with a number of department heads to chart the course of the company’s CTR program. The team regularly reviews employee survey data to identify new program elements and to plan transportation-focused events.

"Amgen has made a top-down commitment to transportation," says Jan. "By offering many options, employees have the opportunity to choose the one that best fits their lifestyle."

Commute Program
Transit, ferry, Sounder train and vanpool subsidy
Carpool, bicycling and walking incentives
Guaranteed Ride Home
Reserved priority HOV parking
Covered bicycle parking
Showers and lockers
Flextime
Onsite Flexcar
Shuttle service
Onsite bicycle tune-ups

*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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