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Grants, partnerships and enthusiasm are tools this ETC uses to help commuters
The staff at the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Capitol Hill Community Service Office (CSO) work tirelessly to improve the lives of the people of Washington. Colleen Young, employee transportation coordinator for the Capitol Hill CSO worksite is no exception. For her tireless work to improve alternative commute options and the lives of her fellow co-workers, Colleen has been awarded a 2004 Commuter Challenge Diamond Award for ETC Leadership.

Since 1998, Colleen’s goal as ETC has been to represent the alternative commute needs of employees to management and to maintain, if not increase, the quality of CTR incentives offered. She is quick to identify gaps in program offerings and find a way to successfully address those needs.

A great example of how Colleen has succeeded at this is her collaboration with her fellow ETC for DSHS’ Division of Developmentally Disabled, Cindy Trokey, on two Employer Services Grant projects. The first project allowed for the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for caseworkers to use during the workday for their appointments, bicycle racks located inside the building for safe storage during the day, and loaner bicycles for employees to use for short-distance errands. Prior to the purchase of the hybrid vehicle, DSHS caseworkers had to use their own vehicles to drive to their various appointments throughout the workday and were unable to take advantage of transit or ridesharing opportunities. Now that there is a hybrid car available for them, caseworkers are able to take the bus or bicycle to work without having to worry about how they’re going to get to their appointments across town.

In addition to working with Cindy internally, Colleen looks for external partnerships as well. She has collaborated with the ETC of nearby Swedish Medical Center to find ridesharing partners for employees at the two worksites, and to encourage King County Metro to provide additional transit service to the worksites. "Colleen seeks out partnership opportunities to help her leverage more options and incentives for DSHS employees," says Anne Ward-Ryan of King County Metro.

Young herself credits these partnerships as a constant source of new ideas. Being creative comes from collaborating with others, reading about programs at other worksites, and the suggestions that come from employees," she says.

DSHS employees who ride the bus, Sounder train or ferry are reimbursed for their transit expenses up to a total of $65 per month. Vanpool riders, carpoolers and even bicyclists and walkers receive reimbursement for choosing an alternative commute mode too. Over 50% of DSHS’ employees also take advantage of work options including telework, flextime and compressed workweeks.

Colleen’s enthusiasm for her job is truly infectious. She makes informing her co-workers about their alternative commute options fun with monthly luncheons and contests. She is eager to help other ETCs with ideas and encouragement and has, as she puts it, let CTR become her middle name.

Commute Program
Transit, ferry, Sounder train, vanpool, carpool bicycling and walking subsidy
Guaranteed Ride Home
Reserved priority HOV parking
Covered bicycle parking
Showers and lockers
Flextime and compressed workweeks
On-site hybrid vehicle for work-related trips
On-site "loaner" bicycles

*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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