... SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT INFORMATIONAL REPORT ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMMUTE PILOT PROGRAM

Transcription

1 ... Agend Item No: 3.,-f Meeting Dte: December 17,212 Deprtment: CITY MANAGER SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Prepred by: Rebecc Woodbury, Mngement Anlyst City Mnger Approvll2~ SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL REPORT ABOUT EMPLOYEE COMMUTE PILOT PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION: Accept this written informtionl report. BACKGROUND. The City's 25 Greenhouse Gs Inventory showed tht employee commute ctivity is responsible for 4.8% of the City's totl government opertions emissions. The City of Sn Rfel is one of the lrgest employers in the city nd the City does not hve direct control over commute relted emissions. However, the City cn develop progrms nd strtegies to mitigte the use of single-occupnt vehicles by employees commuting to work. The following Generl Pln 22 policies relte to the development of commute relted progrms for city employees: Policy C11: Encourge nd promote individuls to, use lterntive modes of trnsporttion, such s regionl nd locl trnsit, crpooling, bicycling, wlking nd use of low-impct lterntive vehicles. Support development of progrms tht provide incentives for individuls to choose lterntive modes. (Specific progrms include support of cr nd vn pooling, cr shring, low-impct lterntive vehicles, bike to work dy, nd the reduction of single occupncy vehicles) Policy C12: Identify cost-effective City of Sn Rfel Trnsporttion Demnd Mngement progrms for City employees. Consider pproches tken by the County in its Employee Alterntive Commute Progrm. Policy SU13: Provide trnsit nd crpool incentives to City employees, including lternte work schedules nd telecommuting opportunities. Both the City nd its employees cn benefit from policies nd progrms tht reduce single-occupncy commutes. The City cn benefit from reduced greenhouse gs emissions, reduced need for prking, nd incresed employee productivity nd morle. cn benefit from reduced trnsporttion costs, reduced commute time, decresed stress, nd incresed helth outcomes. In July 212, the City discontinued city-sponsored vnpool serving five employees due to potentil libility issues. This service cost n estimted $5,4 nnully (gs nd mintennce, does not include risk or libility). This report provides n overview of more comprehensive nd inclusive progrm vilble to ll employees. ANALYSIS: In Februry 212, City stff committee ws formed to ddress the issue of employee commutes. The committee includes Anil Comelo (Humn Resources Director), Krig Tmbornini FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Council Meeting: Disposition:

2 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT I Pge: 2 (Senior Plnner), Courtney Bell (Environmentl Mngement Coordintor), Cory Bytof (Sustinbility Coordintor), Mrit Grci (Accounting Assistnt II), Vince Gurino (Prking Services Mnger), Richrd Lndis (Public Works Administrtive Mnger) nd Rebecc Woodbury (Mngement Anlyst). The committee begn its work by identifying the following gols: Reduce single-occupncy utomobile commutes Encourge nd incentivize ll lterntive trnsporttion modes Assist current vnpoolers with vible commute options fter their vn is discontinued In April 212, the Employee Commute Committee worked with 511.org to conduct survey of City employees regrding their commute ptterns. Out of 364 employees, 139 (38%) responded. Mjor findings include: Mny employees hve compressed work weeks nd don't work norml 8-5, Mondy to Fridy schedule. In ddition, employee strt times vry between 6-9 m. 41 % of survey respondents sid they did not crpool due to irregulr schedules or the need to work lte. More consistent employee work schedules would most likely increse ridership. 3 of survey respondents live within 5 miles of work; 9% live 6-1 miles wy; 23% live 11-2 miles wy; nd 37% live more thn 21 miles wy. 9 of those living within 5 miles typiclly drive lone to work while 28% of those living over 21 miles wy prticipte in or hve prticipted in crpool or vnpool t some point. 46% of survey respondents who usully drive lone to work sid they re willing to try crpooling; 43% sid they re interested in working from home one dy per week; 3% expressed interest in biking to work, 2 expressed interest in vnpools; 18% expressed interest in using public trnsit; nd 13% expressed interest in wlking to work. The tble below shows the current commute modes of City employees nd the 1-yer pilot-progrm gols: Trnsporttion Mode Drive Alone Crpool Vnpool Public Trnsit Bike Wlk Current 7 14% % 1-yer Trget 6% 2% RECOMMENDATION. Bsed on the survey dt nd recommendtions from 511.org, s well s reserch into other progrms, the Employee Commute Committee developed the following pilot progrm for ll city employees (volunteers re lso eligible for some progrms): Crpool Strtup - who prticipte in crpool receive one-time $5 stipend. Vn pool Strtup - An employee who leses or owns vn receives one-time $6 stipend nd pssengers receive one-time $2 stipend. Also, vnpools re eligible for n dditionl 2-yer $3,6 subsidy towrds the vehicle lese from Trnsporttion Authority of Mrin. Income Tx Svings - my set side pre-tx dollrs (up to $125 per month) for trnsit tickets or vn pool costs. Try Trnsit - who use public trnsporttion receive $2 Clipper Crd. Commuter Club - All progrm prticipnts (wlk, bike, crpool, vnpool, trnsit users) re eligible for qurterly rffles. Ridemtch - A free service for finding crpool I vn pool I or bike buddy to commute with. Prk Closer - who crpool or vn pool re eligible for prime prking spot. Emergency Ride Home - who use lterntive commute modes cn get free

3 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT I Pge: 3 ride home in the event of illness, or other emergency situtions. This progrm is provided by Trnsporttion Authority of Mrin. Chrge It - who lese or buy n ll-electric vehicle receive one-time $1 stipend. The pilot progrm will run from Jnury 1, 213 to December 31, 213. Further detils on ech progrm element cn be found in the User Agreement (Exhibit A). The City my modify or discontinue the progrm or ny services provided in the progrm. The Committee's long term ctivities include: Provide periodic updtes regrding the progrm to encourge nd promote employee prticiption. Trck emission reductions bsed on progrm prticiption, with ssistnce of 511.org. Explore opportunities for secure bicycle prking s well s employee shower nd locker fcilities. Explore telecommute opportunities nd lterntive work schedules. Explore the use of pool crs or bikes for certin errnds, such s medicl ppointments. Continue to explore dditionl strtegies to encourge employees to dopt sustinble nd helthy commute ptterns, such s encourging the use of electric vehicles nd creting crshre nd bike-shre opportunities. Support considertion of work schedules tht would encourge nd promote lterntive commute opportunities. Review nd evlute progrm periodiclly, including n nnul survey of employee commute ptterns. Recommend progrm modifictions, djustments, etc. s needed to support ongoing nd incresed prticiption. Explore dditionl funding sources for progrm support nd expnsion. FISCAL IMPACT. The progrm will cost n estimted $1, funded from current-yer' ppropritions in the Employee Benefit internl service fund mnged by Humn Resources. The previous progrm cost $5,4 nd ws dministered nd funded by Public Works. Considering tht the previous progrm cost does not ccount for insurnce nd libility, this new progrm is not likely to exceed the full cost of the previous progrm. After initil progrm development, the committee estimtes 1-2 totl hours of stff time per week spent on dministrtive duties ssocited to this progrm, primrily by Humn Resources, Finnce, Prking Services nd City Mnger's Office stff. On-going tsks include the mngement of pre-tx benefits, periodic incentive progrms, mngement of prking spces designted to crpools, nd informtionl mterils for employees. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept written informtionl report. EXHIBITS: A. User Agreement

4 City of Sn Rfel Employee Commute Pilot Progrm User Agreement Nme: Dte: Deprtment: The Employee Commute Progrm (ECP) is for the sole use of employees nd volunteers of the City of Sn Rfel (City). Eligible prticipnts will utomticlly receive the Emergency Ride Home Progrm Rules. Certin incentives will be reported s income. Crpool nd Vnpool Strtup incentives re issued one-time. Plese check the following incentives f services you would like to prticipte in (see progrm detils on reverse): ~ Incentive I Service Vlue Eligibility Income Tx Allows use of $125 pre-tx dollrs. Svings Crpool Strtup 2+ people: ech person receives $5 $6 for drivers; $2 for Vn pool Strtup pssengers; $3,6 towrds vn lese Commuter Club Qurterly rffle drwings with & multiple prizes (vlues vry) Volunteers Prk It Closer nf Try Trnsit Up to $4 in trnsit crds, while & supplies lst Volunteers Ride Mtch nf & Volunteers Emergency Ride Vries; not to exceed $5 per yer Home Chrge It On Us $1 This User Agreement is your cknowledgement tht you hve red, understnd nd gree to the following terms nd conditions regrding your prticiption in the ECP: 1. The City reserves the right to terminte your prticiption in the ECP under certin circumstnces nd t ny time nd without prior notice. Cuse for such termintion shll include, but not be limited to, () breches or violtions of this User Agreement or other incorported greements or guidelines, ndfor (b) discontinunce of services or content modifictions to this progrm. 2. The City reserves the right to modify or discontinue the progrm or ny services provided in this progrm nd ny conditions of use unilterlly. 3. By signing below, you gree to the eligibility requirements nd progrm detils (see reverse) outlined in this greement nd tht you will comply with the progrm requirements set forth in this greement: Employee Signture Dte* Deprtment Hed Signture Dte PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO HUMAN RESOURCES *Pilot progrm vlid through December 31,213 IEXRTfIIIAJ

5 City of Sn Rfel Employee Commute Pilot Progrm User Agreement Progrm Detils Incentive I Service Income Tx Svings Crpool Strtup Vnpool Strtup Commuter Club (Qurterly Drwings) Prk It Closer Try Trnsit Ride Mtch Emergency Ride Home Chrge It On Us Eligibility All employees who purchse public trnsporttion tickets or prticipte in vnpool. Prticipnts must complete the User Agreement nd the Voluntry Pyroll Deduction Authoriztion. Any employee who prticiptes in crpool with two or more pssengers. Employee must complete the User Agreement nd trck commutes with 511.org. Any employee who leses vn pool vehicle for shring the commute ride with t lest 5 other people. Prticipnts must complete the User Agreement. Any employee or volunteer who uses lterntive trnsporttion. Prticipnts must complete the User Agreement nd trck commutes with 511.org. Any employee who crpools or vnpools with t lest one other person to work my prk in designted crpool prking spces. nd volunteers who hve not used public trnsit to get to work during the lst 18 dys. Prticipnts must complete the User Agreement. Any employee nd volunteer interested in finding crpool, vnpool, or bike buddy my register with httq://rideshre.511.org/. Any employee who hs used n lterntive mode of trnsporttion to get to work on the dy tht the vlid emergency sitution rises. Limited to 4 trips per yer, not to exceed $5 worth of services. Any employee who leses or purchses n electric vehicle to commute to work. Prticipnts must complete the User Agreement. Detils This progrm llows the use of pretx dollrs (up to $125) per month on pproved commuting options (reducing your txble income). Guidelines re provided on the Voluntry Pyroll Deduction Authoriztion form which must be submitted to Humn Resources by the 1 st of the month. City employees tht prticipte in regulr crpool of 2 or more re eligible for n nnul incentive of $5 fter 2 months prticiption. An employee lesing vn for use in n employee vn pool receives $3 subsidy fter lese is signed nd nother $3 subsidy t six months. City vnppol riders receive $2 t six months of prticiption. Vnpool roster nd trcking informtion required. This is one-time incentive nd employees must submit supporting documenttion to Humn Resources. Progrm prticipnts my lso be eligible for $3,6 2- yer subsidy from Trnsporttion Authority of Mrin. Progrm prticipnts receive one drwing entry per trip using n lterntive mode of trnsporttion for their commute to or from work. Drwings will be held qurterly by the Employee Commute Committee nd multiple prizes will be wrded. Trips must be trcked using the 511.org Trip Diry. Certin prking spces will be designted for employee crpools/vnpools by Prking Services nd Public Works. Spces will be first-come, first serve. nd volunteers my request Clipper Crd from Humn Resources with $2 vlue. If not ble to use, the crd should be returned so tht it cn be recirculted. Crds re vilble while supplies lst. dd contct informtion to the crpool/vnpool/bike buddy interest list posted on 511.org. re encourged to contct others with similr commuters nd my be contcted directly by other employees. Vlid emergencies include: n illness or crisis of employee or fmily member; n unexpected requirement to work lte; the crpool or vnpool becomes unvilble; or bicycle problems. Progrm is dministered by Trnsporttion Authority of Mrin nd subject to Progrm Rules, requirements, nd documenttion. Visit httq:// for informtion. An employee who hs lesed or purchsed n ll-electric vehicle will receive $1 by submitting copy of the lese or proof of purchse to Humn Resources. The EV must run on electricity stored in btteries nd hve n electric motor. PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO HUMAN RESOURCES 'Pilot progrm vlid through December 31, 213