Module 5: Alternative Transportation

Identifying Options

Flextime

More than a third of the daily traffic volume on metro Atlanta roads occurs during just four hours each day: the morning rush hour (7 to 9 a.m.) and the afternoon rush hour (5 to 7 p.m.), according to GRTA. Not only does all this congestion result in lost time and personal stress, it can also exacerbate the air pollution problem during hot summer months.

Flextime means allowing employees to arrive before 7 a.m. or after 9:30 a.m., and leave by either 4 p.m. or after 6:30 p.m. These schedules are designed to help employees avoid being on the road during the most congested times of the day.

The benefits to flextime are numerous, especially in cities other than Atlanta that don’t suffer from the already-plaguing traffic congestion that the Atlanta metropolitan region does. These benefits include less stress upon arrival at work each day, undisturbed work time, and the ability to accommodate your commuting needs—such as adjusting to match a vanpool or carpool schedule.

Alternative schedules

Ever wish for a four-day workweek? With compressed workweeks, employees can commute fewer days and still meet a 40-hour workweek requirement. The options include a 4/10 work schedule (four days a week, 10 hours per day), or a 9/80 schedule, where the employee works 80 hours over each two-week period, but works only nine of the 10 days.

Keeping more cars off the road means less congestion and reduced air pollution for the whole region. Many employers now offer alternative or compressed workweeks. With different office hours, an employer may be able to extend business hours, while the employee saves on commuting costs.

Walking

Look around your worksite and see if there are places you can walk to for lunch, for banking, or for running errands.

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise, and just increasing the number of steps you take each day can help get you in shape and improve the air. Even on Smog Alert Days, it’s safe to walk in the morning and early afternoon hours before the air quality reaches unhealthy levels—the peak time to limit or avoid outdoor exertion on high-ozone days is between 2 and 7 p.m.

Biking

Nearly 25,000 metro Atlanta workers bike or walk to work each day. With a 20 percent increase (between 1990 and 2000) in the number of commuters who are biking and walking, we can clearly see that more metro Atlantans are learning bicycle commuting is not only possible, it’s a great way to get healthy by combining your workout with your commute!

Even if employees can’t bike all the way to work, they can consider combining a bike commute with transit. Bikes are allowed on MARTA, CCT, C-Tran, and Gwinnett County Transit at any time of day. The Xpress system cannot yet accommodate bikes, but it is working on adding bike racks to the coaches. Riders should call ahead for more information. Bicycling commuters are also eligible for the Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program, when the employer is enrolled.

Many bike-riding employees will elect not to ride to work unless their office offers two amenities: secure bike parking, and shower and locker facilities.

A bike rack is inoffensive and unobtrusive and makes a quiet statement about a company’s commitment to the environment. Make the bike parking visible and accessible, and consider covering it.

Lockers and showers are other valuable amenities for bike riders or those who exercise during their lunch hour. When available, these facilities get frequent use. Bike riders will often use them in the morning, and runners will be there during the lunch hour. Where showers and lockers aren’t feasible on site, there may be a place nearby that will allow access to such facilities.

Guaranteed Ride Home

The Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program was created to alleviate employee or tenant fears of becoming stranded at work without their personal vehicle. Both the employer and employee must sign-up for the free program. Participating employees are then given a voucher for a free taxi ride or rental car—up to five times a year within a 12-month period—in the event of an emergency.

Valid emergencies include the following situations:

• You or an immediate family member suffers an illness during a workday.
• A supervisor requires you to work unscheduled overtime.
• A serious problem arises at your child’s school or daycare.

• Your home or property is damaged by burglary, fire, etc.
• Your carpool or vanpool driver must leave work due to any of the above reasons.

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