Introduction
On June 1, the North Texas Clean Air Coalition (NTCAC) kicked off its Best Workplaces for Commuters campaign as part of its Commute Solutions Month. NTCAC is encouraging North Texas employers to get on the list and receive the national and local recognition they deserve for offering outstanding commuter benefits and improving air quality, traffic congestion and their employees' quality of life. Employers who apply and qualify for the list will be recognized during an October media announcement and will earn the right to use the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation and logo on Web sites, storefronts, brochures, job advertisements and other materials.

Get on the List!
Three North Texas employers are already recognized as Best Workplaces for Commuters: Texas Instruments, the City of Richardson, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 6. To find out if your employer qualifies for this prestigious list, visit the DO I Qualify page. The application deadline is August 27 for the 2004 list.

Sample Employer-Sponsored Programs

Texas Instruments

• Transit Passes: Low-cost, subsidized bus and train passes are available to TI employees throughout North Texas. In 2002, following the extension of Dallas' light rail service past TI's Dallas and Plano locations, employee ridership increased by 70 percent. TI also works with DART to provide free shuttle service for employees to and from the rail stations and company work sites.
• Carpools & Vanpools: More than 350 employees use carpools and vanpools. This allows riders to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, cut commute times and reduce fuel use. TI sends targeted e-mails to employees to help establish neighborhood carpools or vanpools and gives carpoolers access to reserved, prime parking spots at TI buildings.
• TI Shuttles: A free, on-call special shuttle system is available for employee transit between buildings during the workday. This initiative eliminates driving expenses, maximizes productivity and reduces air pollution by using a mass-transit approach. Currently, TI Shuttles carry about 500 employees each day.
• Air Pollution Watch Notifications: During Ozone Season, the company displays prominent signs, which explain how to read the air quality index and reduce emissions. On ozone alert days, postings on the company's news Web site encourages employees to use alternative transportation.
• Special Events: TI is a supporter of the North Texas Clean Air Coalition and participates in the group's annual Commute Solutions Month program. TI also hosts special events such as Bike to Work Day and education campaigns, and it maintains an employee trip reduction Web site to keep employees informed.
• Telecommuting and Remote Work: By working from home or alternate locations, TI employees are helping reduce traffic congestion and auto emissions. Employees can securely access TI's network from almost anywhere in the world through broadband or dial-up connections. TI also provides up-to-date hardware and software and on-call tech support anywhere, anytime. Some of TI's semiconductor products are advancing such technologies making remote work possible for more people.
• Flex-time and Compressed Work Weeks: By working alternative hours or extended hours, employees are able to ñshiftî their driving from peak periods to off-peak periods. In addition to saving commute time, these options also help reduce peak emission levels.


City of Richardson

• Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Database: Using the information provided in their initial survey and adding information from monthly reporting forms, the City of Richardson T.D.M. Database calculates each individual employee's monthly vehicle miles saved, gallons of fuel used and pounds of pollution saved. Employees average a total of more than 500,000 miles of savings each year. A yearly awards luncheon is held for top participants in the program.
• Mass Transit: Monthly transit passes for employees are subsidized by the city at 75% of the cost. Employees attending work-related meetings or training are provided free daily transit passes.
• Vanpools: Subsidies provided by DART and the City of Richardson cover 75% of the monthly cost for each vanpool. In addition, the City provides $50 per month for fuel. Priority parking is provided for all vanpools.
• Variable Work Hours & Alternative Scheduling: While the city does not currently offer traditional flex scheduling programs (such as a 4-day/10 hour week, various departments stagger work schedules. Streets, Traffic and Solid Waste use an alternative schedule for regular work during ozone season. The Parks Department uses an alternative 6am to 3pm schedule year-round. In the event of an Air Pollution Watch day, schedules are further altered to reduce equipment usage during the most critical hours of the day.
• Telecommuting: Approximately twenty employees telecommute part-time as work schedules permit.
• Biking & Waking: While there is no organized bike/walk program at the city, the number of employees walking or biking to work increases each year. Showers are also available at several city facilities for freshening up if needed.
• Alternative Fuel Use: The City of Richardson actively purchases the most energy efficient vehicles and equipment available.
• Guaranteed Ride Home: In the event of emergency, participants in the T.D.M. Program are guaranteed a ride home at no charge to the employee.
• School Contacts: Understanding that our children represent the best long-term potential for enacting real change in commuting habits, the city has become very pro-active in its efforts to introduce T.D.M. concepts to school age children. Individual contacts are made throughout the year with principals to review traffic control plans and discuss T.D.M. methods. In the fall of 2000 our first School Pool program was initiated to begin organized car pool activities among families at each campus.
• Vehicle Maintenance: Realizing that some day's employees will need to drive their personal vehicles, vehicle maintenance is also an integral part of the City's program. Maintenance receipts may be turned in with the monthly reporting forms