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Employer Resources

Empower your Team’s Commute

The RIDE Solutions Workplace Partner program is designed to help you meet your business and sustainability goals by providing transportation options to your employees. Through our commuter assistance program, your workforce gains access to options that can save them money and provide regular, reliable transportation. You will have access to our expert assistance to help you set up and implement a commuter options program and ensure the program is working.

As a program of your local planning districts and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation, all RIDE Solutions employer services are free of charge. By encouraging your employees to take advantage of their commute options, you are contributing to a better travel experience for everyone on Virginia’s roads.

  • Our team can create a custom commuter benefits program for your company. We will analyze data to determine your employees’ transportation needs, help you start vanpools and carpools, provide transit assistance on bus routes, and make other recommendations.
  • We will connect you with tax incentives. Section 132(f) of the IRS tax code allows employers to provide tax-free benefits to employees related to transit and vanpools. Both employers and employees can save since they will not pay federal income or payroll taxes on these benefits.
  • We will create custom marketing materials including flyers, brochures, and meeting/event communications to educate employees on their commuting options.
  • If commuters have an emergency, we will give them a ride home. The RIDE Solutions emergency ride home program brings commuters access to a way home in the event of a qualifying emergency. So, your employee will not be stranded at work if they commuted via a vanpool, carpool, or bus transit.
  • Employees can earn rewards and get free ride matching services. Participants can use the free ConnectingVA app to find carpools, vanpools, and public transportation. When they track their trips, they can earn points to redeem for coupons, discounts and more at local and national retailers.

How can you know if a Commuter Benefits Program is good for your organization?

Follow these steps through the decision-making process.

Employer Services and Benefits

By encouraging your employees to take advantage of their commute options, you are contributing to a better travel experience for everyone on Virginia’s roads. Below is some of what RIDE Solutions can provide:

Analytics and Engagement

RIDE Solutions is committed to assisting your organization in creating a transportation program that meets the unique needs of your employees. Our program gives you a competitive edge in today’s market while giving your employees balance and benefits.

    • Worksite Evaluation: Conduct an analysis to assess the availability of transportation-related amenities, including bus stop proximity, active transportation facilities (e.g., bike racks, sidewalks), parking access, and other infrastructure.
    • Employee Surveys: Conduct employee surveys to segment the workforce by current commuting modes, preferences, and barriers to sustainable transportation adoption.
    • Employee Engagement Activities: Host educational sessions tailored to employee needs, focusing on topics such as using transit services, setting up vanpools, navigating the ConnectingVA application and more.

Communications

RIDE Solutions can help to create custom marketing materials for your organization and employees with information on alternative transportation modes available and encourage use of these modes.

  • Email Campaigns: Establish regular email outreach with commuter choice-focused topics to keep employees informed about commuter benefits and encourage participation in sustainable commuting programs.
  • Videos: Produce videos that can help your employees understand how to use their commuter benefits.
  • Employer-Targeted Advertisement: Use your organization’s social media sites to directly target employees with information and links to commuter benefits.
  • Posters & Fact Sheets: Provide eye-catching printed materials highlighting benefits of commuting options as a pocketable reminder of commuting options, ensuring employees are always aware of available resources.
  • Employer Guides: Provide materials specific to the employer covering Commuter Tax Benefits, accessibility to transit, biking or walking transportation and more.

Metrics and Evaluation

RIDE Solutions offers complimentary assistance to enhance commuter benefits offered at your workplace. When commuter benefits are successfully implemented, they positively impact both the employer and the employee.

  • Employee Participation Growth: Provide monthly tracking for employee registrations and trip logs in the ConnectingVA app.
  • Survey Results: Measure changes in employee awareness and satisfaction through pre- and post-program surveys.
  • Tax Savings Impact: Provide reports on estimated savings from commuter benefits.
  • Marketing Performance: Measure progress and changes for website traffic, email campaign engagement, and social media reach.
Downloable Resources

Employer Resources Brochure

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Tax Benefits Guide

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Emergency Ride Home

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The Bicycle Friendly America Program

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Materials credited to the League of American Bicyclists

How to Get Started

A commuter options program makes your business stronger

The Roanoke urban area is an employment hub, with more people traveling in for work than out. That can lead to greater congestion on our roads and have a negative effect on our air quality. When regional employers provide vanpool, carpool, biking, and transit benefits, they can encourage the use of alternative transportation options. Here’s how to get started:

Contact your RIDE Solutions employer program representative at info@ridesolutions.org.
Figure out if your commuter benefits program will be staffed internally or contracted.
Identify key departments and managers to be involved.
Determine what commuter benefits will be provided by your organization and to whom.
If employees are using pre-tax income, establish a deduction code for the benefit. Consult with your accounting or payroll department.
Distribute benefit program information to employees with instructions on how to sign up.
Update any changes to organizational personnel policies and participation information.
Promote the commuter benefits program to employees.

Have questions?

We’re here to help! Reach out to us anytime with your queries or concerns. Our team is eager to provide the support you need.

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