Seattle Companies Embrace Rapid Change to Reduce Congestion
Annual event awards outstanding employer commute programs
Contact for Press Release | Date: June 5, 2019 | Phone: (206) 613-3248
Seattle— Commute Seattle and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) hosted their fifth annual Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Champions celebration, themed “Rapid Change, Great Opportunity,” to celebrate Seattle employers who have made significant investments in commuter benefits during the Seattle Squeeze, a time of monumental transportation challenges to reduce single-occupancy trips. The city recognized 89 out of the nearly 300 CTR affected employers. Six companies received the city’s highest “Platinum Level” recognition for outstanding commute programs including Seattle Children’s, The Polyclinic, University of Washington, Fred Hutch, Washington State Ferries and Swedish Medical Center.
“We’re proud of the companies who work hard to provide transportation options to their employees,” said Sam Zimbabwe, Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation. “There are so many different travel choices and ways to give employees flexibility to reduce the impact of drive-alone traffic and keep our transportation system running smoothly for everyone. It’s important that we work together across sectors make these changes to our commutes not just during the Seattle Squeeze, but into the future as well.”
The awards event included a keynote address from SDOT Director, Sam Zimbabwe, highlighting his vision to deliver a high-quality transportation system for the city of Seattle. Attendees also heard from four top performing companies highlighting ways other employers can replicate their transportation programs and success. The scoring for awards are determined by employer program reports including the transportation benefits that each company offers.
“Since health care is needed around the clock, finding alternate forms of transportation for our caregivers can be challenging,” said Michael Wurdeman, Senior Transportation Coordinator for Swedish Medical Center. “At Swedish, we take great pride in being able to offer a variety of commuting options and we are always happy to help our caregiver determine what commute method would work best for them.”
Seattle’s Commute Trip Reduction program is a public-private partnership connecting large employers to resources and tools that support the use of commute options that keep businesses moving. The CTR law requires large employers (100+ employees) to mitigate the traffic impacts of their business by working to reduce driving while reporting their results each year. Employers who provide strong transportation programs are more competitive in attracting top talent, improving employee satisfaction and increasing employee retention. The CTR Champions celebration provides an opportunity to reward employers who have reduced their drive alone rates through the implementation of employee commuter programs. Learn more about the city’s Commute Trip Reduction law.
About Commute Seattle: Commute Seattle is a nonprofit Transportation Management Association funded by the Downtown Seattle Association, Seattle Department of Transportation, King County Metro and Sound Transit. Commute Seattle’s mission is to foster mobility partnerships and provide services to keep Seattle moving and thriving for all. We envision a more livable and thriving metro region underwritten by broad community commitment to smart mobility choices. For more information, visit commuteseattle.com. Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.