NORTHERN VIRGINIA EMPLOYER-BASED TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS – FOCUS GROUPS WITH NON-PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS

(RELATED TO I-66 CONGESTION MANAGEMENT PLAN)

SPONSOR:

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation

Contact: Charlene “Gus” Robey, TDM and Marketing Section

RESEARCH VENDOR:

THE MARKETING SOURCE, INC., Chester, VA. Conducted 1994

Contact: Joni Carter

Telephone: 804-438-6091

Email: marksorc@crosslink.net

OVERALL PURPOSE:

The primary purpose of the study was to better understand employers’ motivations for choosing to participate or not participate in employer-based transportation programs. Input from the focus groups was used in the I-66 Congestion Mitigation Plan (CMP) to help ease traffic congestion during the construction of the I-66 HOV Lanes.

OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH:

Ž Measure the awareness level of different employer-based transportation alternatives and their respective attractiveness to employers.

Ž Identify key employer benefits and costs that occur when these programs are implemented.

Ž Determine effective ways to promote employer-based transportation programs.

METHODOLOGY:

Mode of Data Collection	Focus Groups
Number of Groups	2
Survey Population	Northern Virginia employers who are currently not participating in Employer-Based Transportation (EBT) programs. One group had not been approached by ridesharing organizations and one group had been approached by these organizations.
Survey Instrument	Moderator’s Guide
Criteria for Participation	Persons participating in the focus groups were those within the qualifying organization that would be most instrumental in implementing an EBT program for the organization. In most cases, this was the human resource manager.

SELECTED KEY FINDINGS:

Ž Employers feel a limited responsibility for their employees' quality of life beyond the 8 to 5 workday.

Ž However, employers do believe that long commutes affect productivity, retention, and recruitment efforts.

Ž Employers are willing to do "minor" things to help their employees (such as flextime, compressed work week, Metrochek). However, they must be convinced of the impact on the bottom line before committing to a substantial EBT program.

Ž Employers want to implement programs that benefit most of the employees.

Ž There is concern among this group that EBT programs will only benefit a few.

Ž Currently, employers see little financial benefit from EBT programs. They perceive it as an "employee benefit" and some also see these programs as ways to decrease employee absenteeism.

Ž Employer mandates from the CAAA had the most impact on employers in terms of promoting EBT programs. Overall, the Green Theme had little impact.

Ž Human Resource persons as well as senior management should be approached when promoting EBT programs.

Ž Presentations to this audience should be short and to the point. Key messages should revolve around the dollar impact of EBT programs on the bottom line. Also, the presentation is an opportunity to educate employers about the impact of potential reclassification to the Washington Metro area under the CAAA.

AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS:

Moderator’s Guide

Final Report

KEY WORDS:

Carpool, commute mode, commuter, employer, employer-based transportation, Guaranteed Ride, Northern Virginia, Rideshare, ridesharing, traffic congestion, transit