Workplace Travel Plans - main body - Final Jan 2010 ENGLISH - FCM

Chapter 2 — The Travel Plan Process
In this step, some measurements are likely to be repeats of
those taken in STEP 2 such as SURVEYS, COUNTS and
EMPLOYEE CONSULTATION. These are discussed in greater
detail in SECTION 3.2. However, it is common for
evaluation measurements to be less comprehensive and
more spread out over time than measurements taken early
in travel plan development.
What effect has each action had?
You may wish to further understand the effectiveness of
individual travel plan measures. This more focused
evaluation may look at more costly and difficult measures,
those that seem ineffective, or those that have generated a
mixed reaction among employees.
The impact of a single measure might be assessed using
broad employee surveys and counts. However, it can be
difficult to separate the effects of several measures that
target a single behaviour (e.g. encouraging carpooling
through ridematching services, priority parking spaces and
discounted parking rates). In such cases, a reliable
approach is simply to ask individuals which measure most
influenced them. Engaging employees who actively use a
particular commuting option is a good way to limit the
scope of data collection, and can yield more reliable
information than general surveys.
What else has changed?
As travel plan measures are implemented, other
circumstances may change. Some (e.g. rising fuel prices)
may directly affect commuter behaviours and attitudes,
others (e.g. new hiring or layoffs) may affect the travel
plan audience, and still others (e.g. the local transit
system’s introduction of a new employer transit pass
program) represent new opportunities or challenges.
It is useful to scan the workplace’s internal and external
circumstances to identify whether any changes have
affected the travel plan’s effectiveness or might influence
future directions.
Do you face new opportunities or challenges?
Based on the answers to the previous questions, it is worth
considering whether the opportunities and challenges first
identified in STEP 2 have changed significantly—and if so,
what new opportunities and challenges exist. The answer
to this question will provide important input to the next
step, when the action plan is updated.
As a member employer, the City of Mississauga is able
to attest to the accomplishments of the Smart Commute
Program. Since launching a commuter options program
in 2007, the City has reduced more than 38,000 km of
vehicle travel and nearly 9,000 kg of CO2 emissions
associated with workplace commutes.
Hon. Hazel McCallion, Mayor, City of Mississauga
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Workplace Travel Plans: Guidance for Canadian Employers