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Who will win? All who commit to clean the air, and all who breathe
it. Hey, that's all of us! Other metro areas with transit systems
are also expected to join in as the Best Workplaces initiative grows.
EPA offers a wealth of materials, training, presentations and other
aids to groups in metropolitan areas in Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana,
New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas) and across the country who would
like to partner with the two federal agencies in the Best Workplaces
for Commuters network.
North Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth) and Houston-Galveston each are
involved in many clean-air programs and issues in addition to air-friendly
commuting. Each has a strong coalition promoting employer and employee
participation in Best Workplaces. Their stories follow:
North Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth)
The North Texas Clean Air Coalition was formed in 1993 when several
local organizations realized the importance of achieving clean air
compliance. From the beginning, the Coalition's mission has been
to improve air quality in North Texas by promoting voluntary actions.
Founding members included the North Texas Commission, the Fort Worth
and the Greater Dallas Chambers of Commerce and the North Central
Texas Council of Governments. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and
the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) quickly came aboard.
Most harmful air emissions in the North Texas non-attainment region
come from automobiles and other mobile sources. Projected commuting
miles driven per day in the four core counties --- Dallas, Tarrant,
Collin and Denton --- for 2007, are 166 million! That's 21 million
more miles per day than miles projected for the eight-county Houston-Galveston
area for 2007. The Coalition encourages individuals to change commuting
patterns to attack the problem.
To reach more people through employers, the Coalition promotes
employer-organized ridesharing programs. These include transit passes,
vanpools, carpools and other incentives for taking part in trip
reduction programs. Miles currently driven in high-occupancy vehicle
lanes in North Texas are only about 880,000, leaving room for a
substantial increase in multi-occupant vehicles.
The availability of light rail is a boon for commuters, too. DART
has 44 miles operational, and is slated to have 93 miles by 2014.
The Trinity River Express, linking Dallas and Fort Worth, adds another
35 miles to the rail mix.
The Coalition kicked off its participation in Best Workplaces earlier
this year, announcing that the city of Richardson and Texas Instruments
are qualified to participate in the Best Workplaces for Commuters
program. The organization also launched its 2004 Commuter Challenge.
Every time a commuter used an air-friendly alternative to commuting
in a car with a single occupant during the summer, he or she could
register for a chance to win valuable prizes. Entries helped the
Coalition monitor its progress toward making the air in North Texas
cleaner.
We expect 30-35 companies to qualify for the 2004 Best Workplaces
for Commuters list, but "even more are possible," said
Shannon Morris, Regional Best Workplaces coordinator for the Council,
which is running an extensive public information program to encourage
employers to sign-up and employees and individual commuters to participate
Houston-Galveston
Similar to the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the
Houston-Galveston Area Council is a voluntary association of local
governments and elected officials from the 13-County Gulf Coast
Planning Region, a 12,500 square mile area with more than 5 million
people. The Council serves as a problem-solving and information
forum for local governments. Also it helps local governments, businesses
and civic organizations analyze trends and conditions affecting
the area, to better identify and respond to needs.
A Council program, Commute Solutions, is the one-stop air-friendly
commuting resource for the eight-county Houston-Galveston area.
Commute Solutions gives free advice and assistance on all commuting
options in the area, including vanpooling, regional mass transit,
tele-working, car-pooling, bicycling, walking, alternative work
schedules and a guaranteed ride home program.
Commute Solutions also helps employers save tax dollars by developing
transportation benefit programs for their employees. Grants are
available, and many consulting services are offered at no cost.
Commute Solutions participated in the Best Workplaces initiative
for the first time in 2003. It was a rousing start. Thirty employers
qualified. At least 30 more are projected to join the 2004 list!
"As the roads in our region continue to become more crowded,
we want employers to experience the advantages of providing commuter
benefits to employees," said Shelley Whitworth, Houston-Galveston
Area Council Transportation Department Program Manager. "There
are many options for all types and sizes of businesses to help their
employees save time and money and reduce the stress associated with
traffic congestion."
The draft Travel-Demand Model for the eight-county urban area
forecasts145 million commuting miles a day in 2007, and 220 million
miles a day in 2025.
The METRO (Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County) opened
its first 7.5 miles of light rail in January 2004. Over the next
20 years, plans call for 64-plus miles of light rail, and an eight-mile
commuter line to points in Fort Bend County.
"We are very pleased with the progress Houston-Galveston is
making," said EPA Best Workplaces for Commuters Program Manager
Stephan Sylvan. "They are doing as well as or better than all
but one of the metro areas in the program. Consider also that their
commuters have very long driving distances and, as yet, limited
miles of light rail."
For more information -
The Commuter Challenge
Houston-Galveston
Area Council Commute solutions
North Texas Clean Air Coalition
Information
current as of September 2, 2004
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