Reinventing the CommuteHow Employers are Greening the Trip to Work

“Smart Commute makes smart sense! “The Brampton Board of Trade is pleased to support this initiative which will help make commuting easier, healthier and more enjoyable for many residents.”

- Gary CollinsCEO, Brampton Board of Trade

Outline1. Background2. Employers: WIFM?3. Get with the Program4. Effective Congestion Relief5. Corporate Leaders6. Greening the Trip to School7. What the Future Holds

Ryan LanyonTeam Lead, Smart CommuteMetrolinxNovember 19, 2009

Background Initiative to take action on congestion and

climate change through transportation efficiency Provincial-municipal partnership

Background GTHA - Metrolinx 2001: BCRTMA / NTV 2004: 404-7 2005:

Mississauga NE Toronto

2006: Brampton-Caledon Halton

2007: Central York Durham

2008: Toronto-Central 2009: Airport?

Background Local Smart Commutes are membership-based

Employers: What’s in it for me? Solve Transportation Challenges

Parking shortages Site expansion or relocation Lack of access or options Localized congestion

Employee Benefit Employer support and subsidies Reduced stress Increased retention and productivity

Smart Move:Two thirds of

employees feel the commute

affects their job satisfaction

Employers: What’s in it for me? Corporate Image

Positive association Environmental stewardship Community involvement

Environmental Benefits Reduce GHG emissions Reduce CAC emissions

Smart Move:Employers

contributed 8% of the program costs

in 2008-09

Get with the Program Determine needs Sell the employer Assess the current situation Create a plan to improve it Implement the plan Monitor results Evaluate the plan Reassess needs

Get with the Program Smart Commute Solutions

Active transportation– Bicycle parking– Cycling skills workshops

Transit– Discounted transit passes– Shuttles

Carpooling– Ridematching– Priority parking

Cobourg

Stratford

Elmvale

Welland

Carpool Zone UsersMississauga - Inbound

Get with the Program Smart Commute Solutions

Vanpooling Alternative work arrangements

– Telework– Compressed work weeks

Emergency Ride Home Special events

– Bike to Work Day– Clean Air Commute– Carpool Week

Effective Congestion Relief Primary Mode Shift

2

5

7

34

50

0 20 40 60

%

1

6

13

28

48

0 20 40 60

%

1

4

12

31

48

0 20 40 60

%

Drive alone

Public Transit

Car/vanpool

Walk/Jog

Bike

20062005 2008

Effective Congestion Relief Driving less

100 million km of car travel eliminated

Fewer trips 1.8 million trips by lone

drivers eliminated Fewer cars

+15,000 cars removed 7.8 million litres of gas

Cars Off the Road

Effective Congestion Relief Climate change

24,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions reduced Enough to fill the Rogers Centre about eight times

Air Quality 135,000 kg of air pollution avoided Equivalent to smoking more than 4 billion cigarettes

Corporate Leader Hatch Ltd.

Launched - January 2007 Carpool incentive Reserved parking Cycling subsidy Emergency Ride Home Transit discounts - 2010

Corporate Leader Hatch Ltd.

Smart Commute Mississauga Employer of the Year 36% of staff have changed their commute

– 13% decline in commuters who drive alone Carpool Zone – 246 users and 35 carpools Eliminated 7,800 trips and 309,000 km of car travel Eliminated 38,000 kg of total emissions Reduced parking demand by 20 spots per day Deferred construction of parking which saved

“several hundred thousand dollars”

Corporate Leader York University

Improved transit service, particularly from suburbs 30% more York University commuters NOT driving 3,000 fewer cars each day 144% increase in transit service 68 tonnes of GHG emissions avoided per day;

roughly 12,000 tonnes per academic year $80 million saved by not building two parking garages

Greening the Trip to School School Travel Planning

Active and Safe Routes to School Smart Commute Site improvements

Pilot Project Transport Canada ecoMobility funding 2009-2011 30 schools in Hamilton and Peel

Greening the Trip to School Lessons to be learned

What works? Who can change their behaviour? What are the differences between AM and PM trips? What’s the distance at which behaviour changes? What are the primary motivations in mode selection? How does the modal choice of parents affect

children?

Greening the Trip to School

70% 18%

7%

5%

16%

4%

41%

2%

3%

2%

16% 17%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Total

Total

Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don't know

I'm interested in considering alternatives to the way that my child currently travels.

It is important to me that my child gets to and from school in an environment-friendly way.

Greening the Trip to School

29%

21%18%

43%36%

40%36%

2%

3%3%

2%1%

21%21%

1%1%

19%20%

41%41%

3%4%

1%2%

8%10%

37%40%

76%78%

28%32%

7%9%

1%1%

1%1%

3%3%

34% 2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

To school

Home from school

To school

Home from school

To school

Home from school

To school

Home from school

Driven Carpool School bus Public transit Walk Bicycle

Overall

Live within 1 km of child’s school

Live between 1 and 2 km of child’s school

Live more than 2 km from child’s school

What the Future Holds Increased outreach Additional options

Vanpooling? Telework

Travel Planning Workplace Personal Special events

Thank you!Ryan LanyonTeam Lead, Smart CommuteMetrolinxryan.lanyon@metrolinx.com416-874-5933www.smartcommute.ca