What's Travel Demand Management?
for a 3% drop in vehicle miles travelled...there is a 30% reduction in congestion.
Travel Demand Management (TDM) addresses the demand side of travel behavior by reducing the number of vehicles that travel on roadways through the promotion of alternatives to driving alone. Common TDM strategies include ridesharing (carpool and vanpool), transit, biking, walking, telecommuting, and flexible work-hour scheduling. TDM projects and programs currently implemented in the Central Louisiana region help to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and increase the efficiency of our regional roadways. These programs include the Regional Employer Trip Reduction Program - WAYFARE and ridesharing resources. Click on the links below to learn more.
How much does your commute cost?
WAYFARE - Regional Employer Trip Reduction Program
RAPC’s Regional Employer Trip Reduction (ETR) Program, WAYFARE, is a free educational program aimed at reducing employee commute trips by marketing alternative commute options to driving alone like carpooling, vanpooling, transit, telecommuting, flexible work-hour schedules, biking, and walking. WAYFARE is aimed at private and public employers in the Central Louisiana region with 100 or more employees. Employers are assisted with the development of a company-specific ETR Program; education and recruitment assistance; program setup and maintenance; data collection and reporting of results.
WAYFARE Program Benefits:
- Increased employee productivity
- Reduced employee tardiness and absenteeism
- Expanded labor pool
- Enhanced public image
- Low-cost benefit to employees
- Increased employee satisfaction
- Reduced employee stress
- Decreased demand for parking spaces
- Qualified tax benefits
RAPC TDM staff is available for the following:
- Provide free educational and outreach materials
- Provide commuter surveys and alternative commute program policy templates
- Program coordination with employer designated Employee Transportation Coordinators (ETCs)
- Meetings with HR and Management
- Participate in “Lunch & Learns”, Transportation Fairs, information sessions, and outreach events
Interested in how WAYFARE can help with commuter information and assistance? Its easy! Complete the TDM contact form to find out how your company can save money on taxes while promoting alternative travel as an employee benefit in three easy steps.
Select Commute Mode
Finding a Travel Demand Management Option that Works for You
Save money on commute costs. Enjoy a stress-free commute. Help reduce congestion. Improve our air quality. Whatever your reason for choosing an alternative commute option to driving alone, there’s at least one TDM option that should work for you.
- Traditional Rideshare - Carpooling and Vanpooling
- Transportation Network Companies (TNC)
- Transit
- Active Transportation - Biking and Walking
The following alternative commute options are dependent on employer policies:
- Telecommuting
- Compressed Work Weeks
- Flexible Work-hour Schedules
Contact us for more information.
Rideshare, Carpool, & Vanpool
Traditional ridesharing occurs when people share a ride from a common origin, such as a residence or park-and-ride lot, to a common destination, such as an employer or special event venue. These rideshare participants normally share the cost of the trip and the volunteer driver does not earn a profit from the trip. Carpooling and vanpooling are traditional rideshare options available to you as an alternative to driving alone.
What's Carpooling?
Carpooling is defined as two to five people sharing a ride in a passenger car. There are two basic types of carpool arrangements: (1) Carpoolers can use one car owned by one driver and agree to share the commute costs or (2) Carpoolers can rotate car use so that each person's vehicle and driving time is shared equally. No money is exchanged in this arrangement.
What's Vanpooling?
Vanpooling is defined as a group of six to fifteen people share a ride in a high occupancy vehicle or passenger van. A member of the group volunteers to be the primary driver and is usually the person responsible for collecting the monthly fares and completing required paperwork.
Benefits of Carpooling and Vanpooling:
- Reduces commuting costs for the participants
- Reduces traffic congestion and air pollution
- Alleviates commuter stress
- People who carpool are eligible for discounts on their auto insurance
Interested in finding a carpool or vanpool match? Fill out the TDM Contact Form to get started.
Transportation Network Companies
Transportation Network Companies (TNC) are on-demand ride service providers, such as Uber, Lyft, or Waze Carpool, that offers for-profit driving services which allow passengers to connect with and pay drivers who use their personal vehicles for trips requested through an app-based service. The rides provided by TNCs are generally one-way in nature. Drivers are not volunteers, but are hired to provide the transportation service.
Try a TNC service with colleagues for your next commute!
Transit
There are three public transit providers operating in the Central Louisiana area. The main provider in the Alexandria-Pineville area is the Alexandria Transit System (ATRANS), which serves the Alexandria-Pineville area; Avoyelles Public Transit (ACOA), which serves all Avoyelles Parish; Rapides Public Transit (RSCC), with services rural Rapides Parish; and the Vernon Public Transit (VCOA), which serves all Vernon Parish.
Active Transportation - Biking and Walking
Biking and walking as alternative commute options are both cost effective and great for personal health. Using these commute modes, along with transit (if necessary) to get to and from work will make for more economical and healthy trips. A network of bike and pedestrian paths is also under development throughout the area to give a sense of comfort and safety when choosing to bike or walk.
Biking and Walking Benefits:
- Encourages a more active healthy lifestyle
- Save money by reducing commuting costs
- Reduces traffic congestion and air pollution
- Reduces commuter stress
Telecommuting
Telecommuting can eliminate a work trip completely by bringing the job to the person instead of the person to the job. In short, you work from home or a remote location close to home. Existing technology allows this alternative commute option to be efficient, easy, and effective. Employees can be linked to the workplace by computer or can do work that requires nothing more than a telephone. Telecommuting does not have to be an everyday occurrence; telecommuting once a week can still produce positive result. Telecommuting typically is right for employees that:
- have tasks that can be done at home
- need little face-to-face contact with customers
- are sales or field workers
- have access to the equipment they need to work at home
- are self-starters
- can work with little supervision
- don't need to be around people every day
Telecommuting Benefits:
- Save money by reducing commuting costs
- Allows a more flexible work arrangement for employees, thereby increasing their productivity
- Improved work environment
- Increase employment opportunities
- Reduce absenteeism and sick leave
- Reduce traffic congestion and air pollution
Although telecommuting may not be an option for all commuters, if your employer has an established telecommute program, then it’s definitely worth trying. Contact your employer’s Human Resources Department to determine if telecommuting is an available option.
Compressed Work Weeks
A compressed work week is a work option that allows employees to work more hours per day but fewer days within a one or two week period. There are several variations of compressed work weeks. Some employers may only offer one of these options, while others will allow employees to pick which option is best for them. The most common options include:
- 9/80 -- working 80 hours within nine days with the tenth day off
- 4/40 -- working 40 hours within four days with the fifth day off
Compressed Work Week Benefits:
- Helps reduce traffic congestion and air pollution during peak travel periods
- Has the potential to reduce vehicle miles of travel across the work week
- Reduce commute costs by eliminating one commute day from the work week or pay period
- Allows increased flexibility, thereby improving employee morale while decreasing tardiness and absenteeism
Flexible Work-Hour Schedules
A flexible work-hour schedule or flextime allows employees to modify their arrival and departure times to work. Most flexible work-hour schedule policies adopted by employers establish a core period of time that all employees must be present. Employees can then adjust their start and end times around the core period.
Flexible Work Schedule Benefits:
- Allows an adjustment in work schedule to better meet transportation needs
- Avoid traffic congestion during the rush hour
- Helps reduce traffic congestion and air pollution during peak travel periods
Although telecommuting, compressed work schedules, or flexible work-hour schedules may not be an option for all commuters, if your employer has an established telecommute, compressed work week or flexible work-hour schedule program, then it’s definitely worth trying. Contact your employer’s Human Resources Department to determine if these alternative commute options are available options through your employer.
Complete the TDM Contact Form for more information.
JOIN THE ALEXANDRIA IN ACTION! WORKPLACE COMMUTER CHALLENGE
To sign up for our Workplace Commuter Challenge or to request more information please contact: Nick Blackstone, TDM Program Manager: nick@rapc.info; (318) 487-5401 (ext. 34)
803 Johnston Street
Alexandria, LA 71301
Credits:
Created with images by marsblac - "arrow road road signs" • Thought Catalog - "Uber vs Lyft"