Commuter Data Now Available For Seattle-Area Employers In Online Tableau Tool
Public-Private Partnership Launches Dashboard to Visualize Employee Travel Patterns
Contact for Press Release | Date: April 17, 2019 | Phone: 206-613-3248
Seattle— Commute Seattle, in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation, Washington State Department of Transportation and Tableau, have launched a new interactive tool allowing employers affected by the state’s Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law to visualize their employees’ commuting patterns online. This one-of-a-kind partnership between public and private organizations helps bring historical “mode split” survey data into a visual online format with the ultimate goal of reducing single-occupancy commute trips into downtown Seattle. Nearly 300 Seattle employers are affected by the Washington Commute Trip Reduction law requiring large businesses (100+ employees) to mitigate the traffic impacts of their business by working to reduce driving.
“To meet our promise to the Washington State Department of Transportation and the state’s innovative CTR law, the City of Seattle is proud to collaborate with Commute Seattle on engagement with CTR-affected employers citywide,” said Heather Marx, Director of Downtown Mobility for the Seattle Department of Transportation. “By partnering with Tableau, organizations can now offer even more data to inform critical commute decisions in and out of downtown during the Seattle Squeeze, Seattle’s period of transition over the next five years to meet the needs of our growing city, and beyond.”
The first-of-its-kind online dashboard allows employers to interact with their commute data like never before. The dashboard displays overall commute mode breakdown, a heat map of employee home zip codes and travel patterns from each zip code. It is an easy way to find out where employees are commuting from and identify potential opportunities for carpools, vanpools and employee shuttles. This partnership allows employers to learn how their transportation programs compare to similar employers.
CTR-affected companies are required to complete a survey every two years to determine the percentage of employees driving or taking other modes of transportation such as transit or light rail. Previously, all results were delivered only through paper copies with limited charts or graphics. The new CTR Tableau dashboard provides employers with historical data they can visualize and use when strategically planning to invest in new commute programs.
“This innovative online platform allows companies to quickly and easily digest a wealth of transportation data when making strategic decisions regarding commuter benefits,” said Jon Scholes, President of Downtown Seattle Association. “As downtown continues to grow, we want to equip businesses with the best information and incentives so employees have reliable and frequent commuting options.”
The Tableau dashboard is currently only available for participating CTR companies. To learn more or request your company’s login credentials, please visit www.commuteseattle.com/tableau.
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.