Cool Commutes Competition
Frequently Asked Questions

Why focus on reducing solo driving?

How can I encourage my employees to use commute alternatives?

What do I need to do to participate?

What will you do with the data?

What are the size categories for employers?

What department typically coordinates alternative commute programs?

How are you measuring success?

What’s the most effective way to encourage participation?

1. Why focus on reducing solo driving?

Passenger vehicles, freight, rail, and aviation account for more than 40% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions (50% in the San Francisco Bay Area). Two-thirds of those emissions are generated by passenger vehicles, which consume 42% of US oil. Transportation is also one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions and a driving force in growing US oil consumption.

 One step all of us can take now to reduce our nation’s oil dependence, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and concurrently reduce traffic congestion, is to reduce the number of solo driving trips we make—to bicycle, carpool, use transit, carpool or telework even once or twice a week. Carpooling and bicycling won’t end global warming, but our collective actions can significantly decelerate the process and inspire others to become part of the solution.

2. What can employers do to encourage their employees to use commute alternatives?

There are a variety of programs you can employ to encourage your employees to try commute alternatives to solo driving, including a number of free and low cost programs. The January 31 st workshop will highlight a variety of them.

One of the most powerful things you can do is communicate to your employees that you think it’s important that your company take a leadership role in helping to reduce greenhouse gases and increase our nation’s energy independence. Participating in the competition is one way to demonstrate that leadership. To the extent your company’s executives can lead by example—even if it is infrequent—also makes a big impression.

3. What do you need to do to participate?

1. Let us know you are interested in participating and tell us who on your staff we should work with on the competition.
2. Optional – Send a representative to a practical, half-day workshop at Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto on January 31 to learn more about creative, free and cost-effective ways to create a commute alternative program or boost the effectiveness of an existing program.
3. In February, survey your employees about how they currently commute to work each day to establish a base line. (If you have an existing program and collected data in late 2006 you can use that as your baseline). Set a stretch goal for your company.
4. In mid-October, survey your employees again to determine how nearly you met or exceeded your goal.
5. Communicate your results to the Leadership Group.

4. What will you do with the data?

Employers will compete against similarly-sized firms that, like your company, are either new to the game or old hands, We will publicly acknowledge all participating employers, publicize our collective accomplishments, and shine the spotlight on employers that are able to generate the greatest level of participation in their size category. .

We will keep individual company results confidential, unless we have your permission to release the information.

5. What are the employer size categories?

6. What department typically coordinates alternative commute programs?

Most alternative commute coordinators work in HR, facilities, security or environmental compliance departments.

7. How are you measuring success?

To measure our success at increasing alternative commuting (and reducing greenhouse gases), we need the answers to the following questions:

• How many employees in your organization used commute alternatives during a one-week period in mid-October?
• What was the level of increase over your base?
• How many miles did they travel between home and work?
• How frequently did they use that alternative during the given week? It would also be helpful to know what kind of commute alternative they used. For example if it was carpooling, how many people were in their carpool?

A simple way to gather this information is to use a short survey form developed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Regional Rideshare program. A sample is posted at http://rideshare.511.org/survey/standard/

The questionnaire can be posted at a URL exclusive to your employees. The Rideshare program will tabulate the data, calculate your participation rate, level of increase, and greenhouse gasses averted and send the data to you. The information will be kept confidential. Employees that elect to participate in the Regional Rideshare program will be given a list of potential carpool or vanpool partners.

Information on other painless methods of measuring participation rates will be discussed at the January 31 workshop.

8. What’s the most effective way to encourage employees to participate in the survey?

The best way to encourage a high response rate is for a senior executive to send several reminder e-mails (the Rideshare program can provide templates) and offer incentives, such as a drawing for a prize eligible only to those who fill out the survey.

Fun and effective strategies to boost participation in your program and survey will be discussed at the Jan. 31 workshop.

For more information, contact Laura Stuchinsky.