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The purpose of the TIS Update is to inform, update, and educate members of the University North
Transportation Initiative and the public on local mobility issues,
projects and developments.
Rising
Gas Prices Strain the Wallet & the Commute
Gas prices have been rising steadily across the nation over the
past few months. According to AAA Auto Travel, gas prices in Florida
have risen from an average of $1.43 in December '02 to about $1.70
this March. If gas prices hold steady at these all-time-high rates,
or escalate further, commuters may look for ways to reduce the
amount they pay at the pump. Consider the following suggestions
& tips for decreasing travel costs.
How can commuters reduce miles
and save on gas expenses?
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Walk or bike
to work, to lunch, or to other destinations. |
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Vanpool or
carpool. Find rideshare partners by filling out a
rideshare application at http://www.tampabayrideshare.org/ or
call 1-800-998-RIDE. |
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Establish a
School Pool program, where parents share the
responsibility of taking children to school and picking them
up. |
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Combine errands
into one trip. Consolidate trips to destinations that
are near one another. Once you arrive, park and walk between
destinations. Save errands for one afternoon and plan your trip
so you don't retrace your route. Not only do you save gas this
way, but reduce wear-and-tear on your car. |
According to the EPA, drivers
can also get better gas mileage when driving is necessary, by
following these tips:
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Go easy on the brakes and gas pedal.
Accelerate gradually whenever possible. Also, anticipate stops
to avoid sudden braking. |
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Avoid long idles. Turn off the
engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. Instead of idling at a
drive-up window, park the car and go in. Idling burns more gas
than restarting the engine. |
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Avoid high speeds. You can improve
your gas mileage about 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather
than 65 mph. |
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Use your air conditioning only when
necessary. Roll down the windows or open the air vents to keep
your car comfortable on not-so-hot days. |
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Keep tires properly inflated and
aligned. Periodic wheel alignments and keeping tires inflated to
the maximum recommended pressure can improve your gas mileage. |
Traffic
Calming
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Traffic Calming addresses negative driving behavior on a
street or a network of streets using operational measures such
as enhanced police enforcement, speed displays, and a
community speed watch program. Additionally, physical measures
such as edgelines, chokers, chicanes, traffic circles, speed
humps, speed tables and raised crosswalks are used to reduce
traffic speeds and/or cut-through volumes, in the interest of
street safety and neighborhood environment.
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After results from a study showed 67% of drivers in
Hunter's Green exceed the speed limit, the Community
Association decided to pursue traffic-calming plans
costing an estimated $35,000 for speed tables on three
thoroughfares.
The City of Tampa Neighborhood Speed Watch Program actively
involves citizens in addressing speeding concerns in their
neighborhoods. In this program, a City transportation
technician, assisted by a local resident, conducts a radar
speed survey on the residential street identified by residents
as having a high incidence of speeding. This allows residents
to witness firsthand if speeding is real or perceived. If
speeding is real, traffic calming may be considered as a way
of slowing drivers down. Contact a City Traffic Studies
Engineer, (813) 274-8122 for more information.
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The Neighborhood Speed Watch
Program promotes more cooperative working relationships
between the neighborhoods and City staff by actively
engaging residents in planning efforts to address traffic
concerns in their neighborhood.
City of Temple Terrace neighborhoods can request traffic
calming speed humps by submitting a petition to the City
Manager's office. The petition should contain signatures of at
least 50% of the residents on the section of street where
installation of speed humps has been requested. Upon receipt
of a request from the City Manager, a city engineer then
conducts a study to determine if speed hump installation is
warranted. For speed hump installation on a section of road,
the City Council requires a minimum of 1,000 vehicles per day,
with more than 15% of the traffic traveling at speeds greater
than 35 miles per hour. Contact the Engineering Department at
(813) 989-7144 with your request.
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Commuting
Options
Financial
Incentives & Flextime
Commute Option:
Financial
Incentives
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What are Financial Incentives for
Commuters?
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Offering financial incentives encourages employees to use
various commute options other than driving alone. Incentives
can be in the form of cash, cost reimbursements, subsidies,
tax benefits, or discounts. They can also be given for either
first-time or continued use of commute choices. Choose
incentives that complement the options you'd most like to
promote. The most commonly used are: ·
· Commuter
tax benefits (employees pay for transit benefits pre-tax)
· Transit/Vanpool
subsidy programs (e.g., discounted or free bus passes or
vanpool vouchers)
· Parking
discounts for people who carpool or vanpool
· Indirect
incentives (e.g., bicycle equipment, paid time off, cafeteria
vouchers, nearby business discounts, etc.)
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How
can providing financial incentives help your business?
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Reduce parking demand
· Make
hiring and retaining employees easier, by offering additional
benefits that reduce commute costs |
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Where
can they be used? |
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incentives can be effective anywhere commuter choices are
promoted. However, worksite characteristics can make some more
attractive than others. For example, transit subsidies will
only work if reliable, proximate transit service is available.
Parking discounts would only apply to employees working at
businesses or in areas with paid parking. |
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What do you have to do?
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The
New North Transportation Alliance can assist employers with:
Identify
jobs compatible with telecommuting
· Getting
input from employees on attractive benefits
· Selecting
incentive types and values
· Considering
support strategies (GRH, rideshare matching, etc.)
· Establishing
policies concerning eligibility, request/approval,
registration, benefit maximums, etc.
· Producing
registration forms and other materials |
Commute Option: Flextime
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What
is Flextime |
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Flextime allows employees to adjust the time they
begin and end work - and at the same time, contribute to
reduced peak hour traffic congestion. Some programs may
require employees to work a specified number of hours a week,
allowing them to vary their schedule according to their needs.
Other programs may require that employees work a consistent
day-to-day schedule. Most employers set "core
hours," a time frame when all employees must be at work.
Regardless of how the program works, flextime makes it much
easier for employees to coordinate with rideshare partners,
meet transit schedules, or bike or walk during daylight hours.
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How can a Flextime program benefit employers?
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· Less
personal time needed, due to greater flexibility for
scheduling appointments or tending to family needs
· Increased
employee productivity because work schedules can be arranged
to maximize their most productive hours
· Increased
business hours for employers with clients in several time
zones
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Where can it be used?
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| Flextime
can benefit many different types of employers. Flextime is
most effective at sites where employees do not require
continuous contact with each other, and where staff reduction
during a given hour has little impact on work functions or
client/customer contact. |
| What
do you have to do? |
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The
New North Transportation Alliance can help you plan a flextime
program, by providing information on: ·
· Determining
if flextime is compatible with employees' job functions
· Establishing
policies regarding eligibility, core hours, coverage
requirements, overtime, etc.
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Vanpool
Riders Wanted:
Decrease commute
costs, improve use of travel time
A vanpool traveling from Sarasota/Bradenton to the USF Area,
including the VA Hospital and Telecom Parkway is seeking riders. Work hours are from 7:00am - 4:30 pm. Call 813-282-8200 for more information.
New
North Alliance Seeks Comments on Commute
Experiences
UNTI
is interested in hearing about your commute!
Simply send an email to sobush@cutr.usf.edu
or fill out the commute
comments form at www.newnorthalliance.org
to tell us about your daily commute and any ways you have found to
make the trip more bearable.
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