Annual event recognizes outstanding employee commute programs
SEATTLE – The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Commute Seattle hosted their third annual Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Champions celebration today to celebrate Seattle companies who have reduced their employee drive alone rates and made significant investments in commuter programs. The City recognized 76 out of 257 large employers, including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Stoel Rives LLP, who received the City’s highest “platinum level” recognition.
The awards event, themed “Going Further,” included opening remarks from Mayor Ed Murray. “Seattle businesses are leading our integrated effort to improve the local economy and simultaneously fight climate change by investing in, smart, sustainable commuting policies for their employees,” said Mayor Murray. “Thanks to employer efforts, even as Downtown Seattle added 45,000 jobs since 2010, 95 percent of the new commutes downtown were absorbed by transit, walking, biking, telecommuting and shared car trips.”
“Seattle Commute Trip Reduction employers play a key role in improving Seattle’s commutes and should be recognized for their efforts in making such strong progress,” said SDOT Director Scott Kubly. “This shared success shows that together, we can accommodate rapid growth by providing people with great transportation options.”
Citywide, Seattle’s largest employers have seen a decrease in drive alone rate of 11% since 2008. A new Commute Seattle survey shows that less than 30 percent of downtown’s estimated 247,000 daily commuters now drive alone to work.
“To help employees navigate Seattle’s web of construction, special events, and bustling corridors, we offer 100% subsidized transit, Monorail, and Vanpool/Vanshare commutes,” notes Bree Moore, Transportation & Life Safety Program Administrator at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “Our community engagement with environmental stewardship, innovative transportation solutions, infrastructure and policy works in partnership to share practices developed in Seattle to every office around the world, for sustainable and efficient transportation options on every continent.”
Seattle’s CTR program connects employers citywide with resources to assist them in providing transportation choices to their employees. Participating employers build comprehensive commuter programs to support progress toward target drive alone rates tailored to each worksite location.
Contact: Norm Mah, Public Relations Supervisor, 206.684.8114