City of Berkeley and Bayer Corporation - Bayer Healthcare ...

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Ride sharing programs for long- and medium-Distance Commutes
Vanpools: Bayer provides employees with four daily vanpools, two of which originate
in Solano County, one in Santa Clara County, and one serving San Ramon and eastern
Contra Costa County. Non-employees working at Bayer (i.e., contractors, temporary
workers, consultants, and student interns) are also encouraged to participate in the program,
and vacant seats are made available to employees of nearby businesses. In addition
to leasing the vans, Bayer further subsidizes over 25% of employee costs for each trip,
and provides preferential on-site parking. Through Bayer’s participation in the Alameda
County Congestion Management Agency, a Guaranteed Ride Home is provided to
vanpool users who need one at the end of the day.
Carpooling: Since 1994 Bayer has provided preferential, reserved parking for carpoolers.
Employees seeking carpool matches are served directly by Bayer’s Trip Coordinator,
and also referred to 511.org for a broader list of potential matches. Non-Bayer employees
working at Bayer are eligible and encouraged to participate in the program.
mass transit
Bayer encourages employees to choose mass transit with a number of incentives:
BART Shuttle: At a cost of $106,348 in 2009, Bayer supports the Berkeley Gateway
Transportation Management Association, which manages the West Berkeley shuttle
to the Ashby BART station. This shuttle, which operates during peak morning and
afternoon commute hours, is also available to local residents and employees of other
businesses. Bayer’s Transportation Manager works closely with the shuttle manager
to ensure the needs of all shuttle commuters are being met, and the company’s
Community Relations Manager serves on the TMA Board.
Numerous conversations over the past year have addressed the possibility of expanding
services of the BART shuttle as well as decreasing its carbon footprint. The Berkeley
Gateway TMA board continues to explore better options and hopes to make positive
changes in 2010.
Bayer also provides shuttle transportation for employees coming from the West Berkeley
Amtrak station.
Commuter Check Subsidies: Bayer provides incentives for employees to choose mass
transit—including AC Transit, BART, and Amtrak—by offering a $60 monthly subsidy
through the Commuter Check program. The subsidy is doubled for employees residing
in distant locations including Sacramento, Stockton, and San Jose. In 2009, average
monthly participation in the Commuter Check program was about 260 employees, with
participation peaking in the summer months.