Employer Frequently Asked Questions

• What do EPA and DOT provide?
• Are all participating employers required to provide the same commuting benefits?


• Does our organization need to meet the requirements before applying?
• How did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) decide on the minimum percent participation requirement?


• Is information submitted to EPA in the annual program update or commuter survey considered confidential?


• What are EPA's and DOT's roles in this project?

Q. What do EPA and DOT provide?

1. Public recognition and employee recruiting. EPA and DOT provide credible, third-party public recognition to employers making the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters^SM, helping these employers gain recognition as commuter friendly and environmentally responsible. EPA has protected the term Best Workplaces for Commuters^SM, so that only those employers who meet the National Standard of Excellence may use it to describe themselves. To view a list of media results, visit the Media section.
   
   
2. Commuter Benefits Seminar. The American Management Association, in cooperation with the EPA, DOT, and the Association for Commuter Transportation, developed a one day seminar (262K PDF) designed to help employee benefit managers create, implement and integrate a commuter benefits program into their organization.
   
   
3. Technical briefs and assistance. EPA and DOT, with help from our partners, have developed commuter benefit briefs that answer commuter benefit implementation and management questions. We also provide employers technical assistance in meeting the National Standard of Excellence.
   
   
4. Web tools. EPA has developed a Web-based calculator that allows an employer to assess the tax and overall financial, environmental, and traffic impacts of commuter benefits.
   
   
5. Exchange ideas. We provide phone forums for exchanging ideas among employers meeting the National Standard of Excellence for employer-provided commuter benefits.
   
   
6. Comparative benchmarking. As employers report their results, EPA will compile this information and give it back to those companies in very useful ways. EPA will provide information that allows an employer to see how they are doing compared to others in their region or industry or the program as a whole.

Q. Are all participating employers required to provide the same commuting benefits?
A. No. We allow employers to offer a flexible combination of commuter benefits that can be tailored to a particular company, its employees, and the community. All participating employers, however, are required to offer their employees at a qualifying work site at least one of the following primary benefits:

• Employer-paid tax-free transit/vanpool benefits.
• Telework.
• Parking cash-out.
• Another commuter benefit proposed by the employer that would have a similar impact on the number of people driving alone and that represents a significant workplace benefit.

Employers must also pick three additional commuting benefits from a list of options and provide an Emergency Ride Home.

Q. Does our organization need to meet the requirements before applying?
A. No. The employee participation requirement of 14 percent or more must be met within 18 months of applying. The other requirements must either be currently met or imminent, where imminent means that someone with the authority and resources to implement the requirements is tasked, has a deadline, and is currently undertaking activities to meet them.

Q. How did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) decide on the minimum percent participation requirement?
A. The 14 percent represents the average percent of commuters outside major metropolitan areas who do not drive alone to work. EPA and DOT require this minimal participation level to ensure that employers with low participation rates are not given the same recognition as those with more effective programs.

Q. Is information submitted to EPA in the annual program update or commuter survey considered confidential?
A. It's up to each employer to decide if the information they submit to EPA is confidential, or if it can be made public in marketing materials. EPA will respect the wishes of the employer.

Q. What are EPA's and DOT's roles in this project?
A. EPA and DOT are working together to promote commuter choice across the country. EPA is taking the lead on the environmental component, including:

• Working with environmental stakeholders.
• Defining and tracking progress towards environmental goals.
• Working with supporters to develop successful regional/metro area campaigns.
• Providing public recognition to employers demonstrating environmental leadership.

In turn, DOT is contributing by:

• Offering expertise in transportation choices and advanced transportation information systems and services.
• Using its network of relationships with state transportation offices and transit companies.
  

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