• Program Name: AACOG's RideShare Carpool Program


• Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation


• Sponsoring Agency: Alamo Area Council of Governments


• Program Description: Carpooling involves two or more people sharing a ride to a destination point rather than each person independently driving separate vehicles. Sharing a ride with someone that you work with is one of the easiest ways to alternatively commute to work.


• Participation Eligibility & Requirements: No requirements. Employees without vehicles can participate by sharing the commute costs with drivers in the carpool.


• Reduction Methodology: Reduces the number of vehicle commutes


• Costs: The Carpool matching service from AACOG is free. Carpooling saves the employee money.
  Log onto River Cities Rideshare to find out more about carpooling and identify possible carpool partners.

• Benefits: For the EMPLOYEE, carpooling cuts gas and parking costs; reduces vehicle wear and tear; reduces stress; lowers insurance costs; and fits individual work schedules. For the EMPLOYER, carpooling can improve productivity; reduce tardiness and absenteeism; improve employee morale; and enhance corporate image
.

• Other: Contact AACOG's Natural Resources Department at (210) 362-5275 to find out more information about corporate carpooling programs.
  

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• Program Name: AACOG’s RideShare Vanpool Program


• Funding Source: Texas Department of Transportation


• Sponsoring Agency: Alamo Area Council of Governments


• Program Description: A vanpool typically consists of a group of 7 to 15 people, or possibly less, who commute together on a regular basis in a van. One person volunteers to be the driver/coordinator of the van and the riders share a fee that covers the vanpool fare.


• Participation Eligibility & Requirements: Willingness to share in the costs of operating the vanpool. The riders usually meet at a general location, such as a mall, shopping center, etc. There can be more than one pick-up point, but the fewer the stops, the quicker everyone gets to work.


• Reduction Methodology: Reduces the number of vehicle commutes
.

• Costs:
Saves money. See benefits.

• Benefits: Vanpooling reduces stress; saves money (on average, vanpoolers save $800 per year on the cost of driving alone); provides a safe commute (most vanpool vehicles are new and undergo maintenance every 6,000 miles); and helps improve the environment by reducing air pollution.


• Other: Contact VIA Metropolitan Transit at (210) 362-2555 for more information about corporate vanpooling programs.
  

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• Program Name: Telecommuting Program


• Sponsoring Agency: Alamo Area Council of Governments


• Program Description: Telecommuting, or teleworking, provides employees with the opportunity to work from home or from a satellite location one or more days of the week.


• Reduction Methodology: Reduces the number of vehicle commutes
.

• Costs: Saves money. See benefits.


• Benefits: Benefits include improved employee work quality, higher employee satisfaction, increased available office & parking space, better access to diverse labor markets, and improved company image
.

• Other: Not all jobs are good candidates for telecommuting. Refer to the federal website http://www.telework.gov/candidate.asp for information on this topic.
  

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• Program Name: Best Workplaces for Commuters


• Funding Source/Sponsoring Agencies: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  U.S. Department of Transportation


• Program Description: Best Workplaces for Commuters is a public-private sector program advocating employee commuter benefits. The voluntary program highlights the efforts of many top employers to help get employees to work safely, on time, and free of commute-related stress. It provides the tools, guidance, and promotion necessary to help U.S. employers of any size incorporate commuter benefits into their standard benefits plan, reap financial benefits, and gain national recognition.


• Participation Eligibility & Requirements: Refer to http://www.bestworkplaces.org/index.htm  to determine whether your business qualifies.


• Reduction Methodology: Reduces the number of vehicle commutes
.

• Reporting and Other Obligations: If your company qualifies, you can apply by completing the online application form. As one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters, you agree to report to EPA your continuing participation in the program and to provide a few details about the commuter benefits you offer each year. It takes approximately 15 minutes to complete the Annual Program Update.


• Costs: Depends on strategies adopted
.

• Benefits: Cost savings to employees, possible cost savings (tax benefits) to employers, reduction in air pollution.
  

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For more information about the program or to consult with an ACAP team member about pollution reduction programs appropriate for your business, contact:

Brenda Williams
Projects Manager–Natural Resources Department
Alamo Area Council of Governments
8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700
San Antonio, TX 78217
(210) 362-5246
bwilliams@aacog.com