South Florida Commuter Services: Providing Transportation Solutions for Employers

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South Florida Commuter Services Providing
Transportation Solutions for Employers
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How long are we stuck in traffic?
Miami Areaincluding West Palm Beach and Fort
Lauderdale Data from 2005 Urban Mobility
Report, Texas Transportation Institute.
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Gas Prices
Gas Prices are over 1.25 per gallon more today
than one year ago
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How much is this costing us?
Fuel wasted 87 millions gallons Congestion
costs Nearly 2.5 million
Miami Areaincluding West Palm Beach and Fort
Lauderdale Data from 2005 Urban Mobility
Report, TexasTransportation Institute.
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Environmental Impact

• The cumulative effect of millions of individuals
  can and does create, promote, and sustain change.
  
• Every five-person carpool means there is only one
  polluting vehicle on the road instead of five.
  That means there are four less vehicles
  contributing to ozone depletion, acid rain, and
  traffic snarls.

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How Carpooling Cuts Emissions

• 100 employees who normally drive 20 miles
  round-trip to work decide to commute in pairs
  instead of driving alone.
• In two weeks, their choice would eliminate 10,000
  miles of vehicle travel. They would save 75
  pounds of hydrocarbons, 30 pounds of nitrogen
  oxides, 550 pounds of carbon monoxide, 9900
  pounds of carbon dioxide, and 500 gallons of
  gasoline.
• - Tarrant County Public Health, Main
  Campus1101 S. Main Street, Fort Worth, TX 76104

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How do we encourage change?
Get companies to offer commuter benefits!
Employees with commuter benefits are more than 4
times more likely to use transit than those who
dont have them.
4xs more likely to use transit
36 billion spent on parking
US employers spend 36 billion annually on
employee parking.
10-20 willshift modes
When employers provide an outstanding level of
commuter benefits, 10-20 of employees will shift
modes.
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Mission To improve the quality of life in
South Florida by increasing the use of
alternative modes of transportation
What is SFCS?
Tri-county commuter assistance program
Employer outreach and marketing to individual
commuters
Funded by Florida Department of Transportation
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Our Network

• When you meet with South Florida Commuter
  Services, you get our network of partners who
  bring you better opportunities.

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SFCS Website Call Center
Log on to www.1800234RIDE.com Or
Call 1-800-234-RIDE
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Regional Call Center 1-800-234-RIDE

• Answer commuter questions
• Provide rideshare information and instant sign-up
• Access to transit information
• Bilingual call center

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RidePro Database

• Matches individuals in the tri-county area based
  on home address, job location and work schedule
• Instant matches online
• Personal information is kept private only work
  information is provided
• Currently tens of thousands registered commuters
  in RidePro

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South Florida Vanpool Program

• Group of five or more commuters sharing a ride to
  and from work
• Average cost 80 - 120
• 400 subsidy from Miami-Dade County
• Month-to-Month Lease RISK FREE
• 1 million insurance policy
• Full maintenance
• Personal use of van
• Currently 163 vanpools in South Florida

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Driver Requirements

• Must be 25 years of age
• Light credit check
• Five year safe driving record
• Florida Drivers License

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Preferential Parking Program

• SFCS can provide these signs
• Ideal for situations with limited parking
• Great way to promote program to other employees
• Allows more parking for residents, guests and
  other employees

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Best Workplaces for CommutersSM

• Similar to other Best lists like Fortunes 100
  Best Companies to Work for
• By joining employers gain exclusive use of the
  identifier, Best Workplaces for CommutersSM
• Requirements for the Program
• Offer 30/month subsidy per employee
• Ridematching (SFCS)
• ERH (SFCS)

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Emergency Ride Home Program

• This program provides a free taxi ride from work
  in the event of an emergency
• Available to commuters in the tri-county area who
  use an alternative mode of transportation at
  least three (3) times per week
• Service is available 24/7 to all commuters
  registered in our database
• Up to six (6) vouchers issued per year

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What are Commuter Benefits?

• Federal law allows employers to provide transit
  and vanpool benefits to employees on a tax-free
  basis (no federal payroll or income taxes)
• How much? Up to 115/month
• Why? It is considered a type of qualified
  transportation fringe benefit. Part of the
  federal tax code Title 26 Section 132(f)
• Requires employer involvement
• Ways to participate
• Employer-paid subsidy
• Pre-tax
• Combination

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Miami-Dade TransitWhat is the Corporate Discount
Program (CDP)?

• A tax-free program offered by Miami-Dade Transit
  allowing for both employers and employees to save
  on commuting costs.
• The CDP provides a monthly Metropass allowing you
  unlimited rides on Metrobus and Metrorail every
  day of the week (Metromover is free to everyone).
• You can use transit to go just about anywhere in
  Miami-Dade County and to do anything (work,
  sporting events, concert/theater events,
  shopping, movies, the beach, etc.).

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Savings on Metropass

• Regular price 75 per month
• Groups between five and 99 people signing up for
  the Corporate Discount Program can save 7.50 per
  pass every month.
• Metropass 67.50
• Groups of 100 or more people save 10.00 on each
  monthly Metropass.
• Metropass 65.00

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Three Ways to Participate

• The employee pays for the entire cost of the pass
  with pre-tax dollars.
• Employer pays for the entire cost of the pass
  through a tax deductible subsidy.
• Employer and employee share the cost of the pass,
  both paying for it with pre-tax dollars.

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95 Express Bus

• Runs from Golden Glades to the Civic Center,
  Downtown and the Brickell area
• Depart every 3-5 minutes
• Follows HOV lane on I-95
• Free parking at Golden Glades
• Security from 6 am to 1 am

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SFRTA/Tri-Rail

• Employer Discount Program
• 25 discount on monthly and 12-trip tickets
• Enrollment is easy
• Both employers and employees save money
• Convenient ticket purchase at all train stations
• Free bus and Metrorail connection from train
  station

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How can we help?

• Evaluate company needs
• Survey and match employees (over thousands in
  database)
• Design a specialized transportation program for
  your company
• Assist in implementing and maintaining program
• Provide collateral/marketing materials

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Contact Information

• Suzell Hopman
• Miami-Dade Outreach Manager
• 305-401-9880
• boglehopman_at_pbworld.com
• Nicole Phillips
• Outreach Consultant
• 305-606-6478
• Phillipsn_at_pbworld.com
• Cyncia Celestin
• Corporate Outreach Coordinator
• 786-469-5402
• ccelestin_at_miamidade.gov