Many different alternatives exist to
driving alone. This
list gives a brief description of UTA Rideshare’s programs.
Alternative
Work Hours — A
reorganizing of the work week that helps you and your employer
develop flexible or compressed schedules instead of the
traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. routine.
Bicycle
Commuting/Walking and Bikes on Buses — A fast, healthy
way to commute. All
UTA buses except Special Service have handy bike racks on the
front.
Carpool
and Vanpool Match list — A connection to commuters who
live and work in the same area and want to share rides.
Eco
Pass — A discount transit pass sponsored by your
employer. Simple and easy to use, it gives you unlimited (except
special services such as Ski, Trolley, BYU Flyer, etc.) rides
and comes with a guaranteed ride home.
Guaranteed
Ride Home — A program that guarantees a ride home.
This program works with the UTA Van Leasing and Eco
Pass programs.
No-Interest
Van Loans — A plan that helps you buy a van at 0%
interest if you use the van to take a group of employees to
and from work each day.
Telecommuting
— A sensible use of technology that allows you to work at
home, at a satellite office, or at a neighborhood work center.
Van
Leasing — A leasing program that provides you or your
employer with a 15 passenger van.
Alternative
Work Hours
UTA Rideshare can help your employer set
up compressed work weeks or flexible work hours.
As a bonus, these alternative work hours also solve
office and parking space problems, extend business hours, and
make better use of technology and other resources.
Here's a sample of how compressed schedules can work:
9/80
Work nine hours for four working days,
then eight hours on the fifth day.
Then work four nine-hour days and take the tenth day
off.
4/40
Work ten hours for four working days,
then have three non-working days.
This became a popular schedule for employers during the
energy crisis in the 1970s.
3/36
Work twelve hours for three shifts, then
have four non-working days.
Commonly used in hospitals, police and fire
departments, and manufacturing companies.
Actual hours worked are 36, but most employers pay
their workers for 40 hours of work. (You can understand why!)
Here's a sample of how flexible hours can work:
Flextime/Flexible Work
Hours
Flextime
can positively influence behavior by allowing employees to
adjust their work schedules, usually by 15 to 30 minutes, to
meet their transportation needs, such as matching a bus or
vanpool schedule. Work
very early or late shifts.
For example, a shift from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 2
p.m. to 11 p.m. reduces traffic congestion during prime
commute time. These hours are beneficial for businesses with coastal or
international customers.
The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act
The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act
requires that some workers who put in more than 40 hours in a
work week be paid overtime.
In order to accommodate this act, some adjustment of
the official pay period beginning and ending times may have to
be made (e.g. start timekeeping for the workweek at noon on
Friday).
Bicycling/Bikes
on Buses
and Walking
Bicycling/Bikes on Buses
Bicycling works well for employees who
live within 10 miles of their work site.
Companies can encourage bicycling by providing secure
bicycle parking, lockers, and showers.
Cost savings and health benefits should be highlighted
when promoting these options.
To make things even easier, all regular UTA buses are
equipped with racks that carry two bikes.
The only exceptions are Special Services such as Ski,
Trolley, Flextrans, etc.
Bikes are also allowed on TRAX for commuters who want
to travel part way by bike. (Click
here for instructions)
Walking
Walking works best when sidewalks and
lighting are available and well maintained.
When employees use alternative transportation, walking
to lunch at nearby restaurants is a good mid-day travel
option.
As you encourage your employees to walk
or bicycle to work, there are several important rules of the
road they need to be reminded of in order to assure their
safety, as well as to limit your liability while they cycle
and walk to and from work.
Guaranteed Ride Home programs can be made available for
these modes even if your employer does not participate in Eco
Pass or UTA’s Van Lease Program.
Simply call your local taxicab service to set up an
“internal” company-sponsored Guaranteed Ride Home for your
employees who use alternative transportation.
If you need assistance, just call your UTA Rideshare
Specialist.
Carpool
and Vanpool
Carpool
When two or more people share an
employee-owned automobile to and from the workplace, they are
carpooling. The typical carpooler saves hundreds of dollars a year in
commuting expenses. In
addition, on the days carpoolers don’t drive they get to
work ready to work. Having
an extra opportunity to read, study, work, or rest.
Often, that can directly affect their productivity.
The greatest assistance an ETC can offer
to employees interested in carpooling is to put them in touch
with other interested potential participants.
Depending upon the size of your company, you can pursue
carpool marketing through one-on-one meetings, interoffice
calls, memos, or e-mails. Many companies designate priority parking for carpool
participants.
Vanpool
A vanpool is a group of six to fourteen
people who commute together each workday.
Drivers must be approved by the insurance company.
Passengers share the expenses of the van. UTA Rideshare suggests that the driver rides free; however,
the final decision is up to the company.
If your UTA Rideshare survey identifies
that a group of six to fourteen co-workers live in the same
area and share common work hours you will want to introduce
them to this option. UTA
Rideshare offers two types of vanpool programs;
company/employee leased vans and 0% interest vans.
Eco
Pass Program
The UTA Eco Pass is a company-sponsored
yearly transit pass that gives users unlimited rides during
the year except Special Service routing.
Eco Pass pricing is based on the level of bus service
at each work site and the total number of employees.
Companies may choose to subsidize the pass.
With a minimum of 35 employees, the Guaranteed Ride
Home is included with the Eco Pass.
The Eco Pass Program requires 100%
employee participation. Your
UTA Rideshare Specialist will help you determine which Service
Level category (shown below) your company is in.
If your company is in category A, a 50% discount for
the first year is available to new participating companies.
|
Service Level
|
Peak Period Trips
Within ¼ Mile
|
Yearly Cost Per Person
|
|
A
|
65 + Trips
|
$145.00
|
|
B
|
40 – 64 Trips
|
$ 110.00
|
|
C
|
25 – 39 Trips
|
$ 65.00
|
|
D
|
1 – 24 Trips
|
$ 30.00
|
|
A
- TRAX
|
1Businesses within 1/2
Mile of TRAX Station
|
$ 145.00
|
If the company guarantees that a minimum
of 20%* of their total employees will participate in a monthly
pass program, UTA will discount monthly transit passes by 20%,
and the company agrees to sell the passes at an additional 30%
discount. The
employees are then able to buy the passes at a significant
(50%) discount. The
company assigns an employee to oversee the distribution and
sales.
(*A
minimum of 35 employee participants is required for this
program.)
Guaranteed
Ride Home
Fear of being stranded at work during an
emergency may prevent some employees from participating in UTA
Rideshare programs. People
have more complex lives now than a generation ago:
·
Late night meetings that extend beyond bus
service hours
·
Kids at school needing to be picked up
·
Elderly parents who may need attention in the
middle of the day
·
Carpool drivers who may have their own
emergencies and have to leave work without riders, etc.
Guaranteed Ride Home takes all the worry
out of not having a car at work by providing a free ride home
up to six times a year. If
there is an emergency or a need to work unexpected overtime,
the ride is a just a phone call away, and at UTA's expense,
not the employee’s. The
Guaranteed Ride Home number is BUS-HOME or 287-4663. The Customer Service representative requires
·
The employee’s name
·
Their employer
·
The “to and from” addresses
·
An explanation of the emergency
The Eco Pass Program and UTA Van Lease
Program offer the Guaranteed Ride Home as an added benefit.
If your employer does not participate in
Eco Pass or the UTA Van Lease Program, you can set up a
company-sponsored Guaranteed Ride Home by calling your local
taxicab service. If
you need help, just check with your UTA Rideshare Specialist.
No
Interest Van Loans
This program is a great plan for an
employee wishing to buy a van and willing to drive six to
fourteen coworkers (including the driver) to and from work.
The rest of the time, the van can be used for personal
use. The
additional requirements that must also be met are as follows:
·
The van must be purchased through a bonded
dealer.
·
A down payment of 6.77% plus taxes and licensing
are paid to the dealer at time of closing.
·
The buyer must submit their credit application
and driving record to UTA Rideshare.
·
Reports and daily logs (provided by UTA
Rideshare) must be submitted each month.
Van
Leasing - Company or Employee
UTA provides a 15-passenger van with a
heavy duty chassis, tinted windows, front and rear heat/air,
all season tires, stereo, oversized fuel tank, and safety
equipment. UTA
can include insurance costs in the lease or the company can
provide their own insurance.
Included in the lease payments are:
·
Back-up vehicles
·
Warranties
·
Guaranteed ride home
·
200 free miles each month for maintenance and/or
personal use
The company or employee group pays a
one-time lease fee, plus the first month payment when the van
is picked up. Lease payments are due to UTA by the first (1st)
of each month. The
company or employee group is responsible for:
·
Daily maintenance
·
Rider fares
·
Maintaining riders in the van
Telecommuting
UTA Rideshare Specialists can work with
your employer to make them feel more comfortable with setting
up telecommuting programs.
Telecommuting is great for work that can be performed
on the phone or on a computer.
Technology eliminates the need for a physical group of
workers. A
"virtual" worksite can be your home or a satellite
office near your home.
Telecommuting has many benefits. Not only does it reduce traffic congestion and air pollution,
studies show that telecommuting enhances personal
productivity, while at the same time giving employees more
personal freedom and enhanced morale.
Transit
Transportation means different things to
different people. For
example, disabled individuals need enhanced mobility and
accessibility, while the average commuter may be more
concerned about a reliable and dependable service.
Sports fans, movie and concert-goers alike want to be
able to get there on time, and avoid the aftermath of traffic
snarls. Students
look for low cost and reliability.
Businesses delivering goods or services need maximum
schedule flexibility and predictable timing to and from their
customers. Neither
Single Occupant Vehicles (SOVs) nor a good mass transit system
can be the answer to every transportation need.
A good balance of both, however, can help improve the
quality of life for all of us.
Commuting on UTA's public transit system
gives your co-workers time to themselves.
While others are raising their stress levels by driving
alone, transit riders enjoy a relaxing ride while reading (for
work or for pleasure) or listening to music through a set of
headphones. For
those making long commutes, a nap can give them the extra
boost needed so more time can be spent working or with family
and friends in the evening.
The transit options along the Wasatch
Front are changing. Until
recently, the only public transit available along the Wasatch
Front was the bus system.
Within a few months the 15-mile light rail system
called TRAX will open. In
coordination with the bus system, TRAX will give residents and
visitors access to parts of Salt Lake City that were
previously unavailable by bus alone.
And because the train runs on an exclusive right-of-way
(synchronized with the traffic lights), there are no worries
about being delayed because of traffic congestion.
The 32-minute trip from Sandy to downtown Salt Lake
makes just 16 brief stops (of approximately 30 seconds each)
at stations rather than the 30 or so it would take using
surface streets.
TRAX Cost and Safety
TRAX and other light rail systems
actually cost 40% less
to operate and maintain than buses.
And, because they are electrically powered by overhead
wires, air pollution is non-existent and noise pollution is
kept to a minimum. Light
rail systems have a good safety history.
A federal report showed that non-fatal injury rates on
highways are three
times higher than commuter rail systems.
TRAX grade crossings have been improved
for safety with flashing lights, ringing bells, and crossing
gates to alert and protect drivers as well as pedestrians to
the approaching trains. Transit public safety officers will monitor all Park and Ride
lots and TRAX vehicles to help ensure public safety. Special programs have been developed to educate the public to
the new light rail system.
Schools, businesses, and community groups can call
287-4589 for special rail safety presentations—Train
for Safety and Operation
Lifesaver.
TRAX Hours
TRAX
will operate from 5:00 a.m. to midnight Monday through
Saturdays. At this time, no service is scheduled for Sunday.
During peak commute hours (6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and
3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) TRAX will stop at stations every 10
minutes, stopping every 20 to 30 minutes during off-peak
hours.
TRAX Fares
The low cost will be the same for TRAX as
for the bus. Monthly
or yearly bus passes will be valid on TRAX, and will
ultimately be called “transit” passes.
Ticket vending machines that allow purchase of a
variety of tickets types and amounts, as well as UTA tokens,
which may be used in the ticket vending machines to purchase
tickets. However
tokens are not valid as proof of fare.
Fare inspectors will check for valid proof of payment
and anyone without proof of payment may be fined.
Up to two children age five and under ride free with a
fare-paying adult. Standard
fares are good for two hours and can be used as transfer
between TRAX and buses or vice versa.
The table below explains the different fares available.
|
Full
Fare
|
Valid for 2 hours
May be used as transfer to a bus
|
$1.00
|
|
Reduced
Fare (Disabled or
Senior-65 or older)
|
Valid for 2 hours
May be used as transfer to a bus
|
$0.35
|
|
All
Day Fare
|
Valid all day on date purchased
|
$2.00
|
|
Premium
Fare
|
Valid for Light Rail/Provo Bus,
Light Rail/Ogden Bus
Valid for 2 hours
|
$2.00
|
TRAX Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs)
The ticket vending machines are located
at each TRAX station. It
is important to read the instructions to find out which type
of ticket is appropriate, insert money or token(s) and
purchase the ticket. On
the train, transit officers check to make sure passengers have
tickets. The same
ticket is good for two hours on either the train or the bus.
TRAX Park and Ride
Using TRAX is made easier by park and
ride lots. Ten of
the TRAX stations have convenient park and ride lots (similar
to other UTA Park and Ride lots throughout the Wasatch Front)
that allow commuting from home to the closest TRAX station.
(Only one, the 6400 South Station at Fashion Place
West, has a pick up/drop off only area without parking stalls,
which are sometimes referred to as Kiss and Ride lots.)
To date, 1,833 parking stalls exist in the TRAX Park
and Ride lots. However,
with the buses realigned to make it more convenient to use
TRAX, a shuttle to the closest TRAX station may be a more
reasonable option for many commuters.
Other
Services
UTA
Park and Ride Lots
Using park and ride lots provides a
convenient pick-up location for vanpools, carpools, and UTA
buses. There are many park and ride lots are located along the
greater Wasatch Front. For
a current list of park and ride lot locations, contact your
UTA Rideshare Specialist or visit our web site at
www.utabus.com.
Special
Services
Utah Transit Authority has developed a
package of educational programs aimed at providing children
and young adults a hands-on learning experience in public
transportation. For
more information on how this program can help your employees,
contact UTA Special Services at 262-5626.
Other special services UTA provides to
the community include the loan of transportation equipment for
special public safety exercises requested by law enforcement.
