Smart Commute 404-7 helps local businesses combat traffic congestion.
Traffic congestion in Markham, Richmond Hill and Kitchener Waterloo is more than just a
source of aggravation. For businesses significant costs can be directly
attributed to traffic congestion – lost work time and productivity,
higher transportation costs, and employee turnover when staff leave to
work for a competitor who offers them an easier commute. And there are
indirect costs such as the negative effect a stressful commute has on a
worker’s quality of life and their work.
• Major highways congested in peak hours – 70%
• Cost of congestion (Greater Toronto Area)
– $1.8 billion per year
• Significant impact on goods movement
• Delays to employees & visitors
• Affects on site parking demand & supply
• Impedes employee recruitment and retention
• Stress to employees:
– 8 hour day now a 10 hour day, with less time for family
– Sick days become commuter-related and increase in frequency
Traffic congestion in Markham, Richmond Hill and Kitchener Waterloo will continue to
erode us financially unless we do something about it. According to the
2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey, trends point to an increase of 64%
in auto trips by 2021 and a tripling in the number of congested roads.
Government is building more roads and expanding public transit services
but this is not enough. We need to address the main source of our
traffic congestion – the single occupant vehicle. To do this, Smart
Commute 404-7 needs your corporate leadership.
Smart Commute 404-7 teams with Markham and Richmond Hill employers
While employers in Markham, Richmond Hill and Kitchener Waterloo can help to reduce the
number of single occupant vehicles by offering their employees
alternative ways to commute to work they don’t have to do this alone.
Smart Commute 404-7 can help. Just let us know you’re interested in
promoting commute options and we’ll do the rest. By helping businesses
improve their profit positions by reducing traffic congestion everyone
benefits – the company, the employee, and the community.
Benefits to Your Business
A commuter option program offers many benefits to employers. Some
benefits directly affect you, as an employer, while others are more
indirect such as improved employee job satisfaction and a better
community. Here are a few good reasons to get involved. Take for example if you were one of the many
Kitchener movers that travel from Kitchener Waterloo to various areas in the GTA on a regular basis... A smarter commute would save a lot of time and money on fuel. In addition to cost savings from fuel, there are even more reasons:
Easier to recruit and retain employees.
A long, tough commute can make it more difficult to recruit and/or
retain qualified employees. Offering new and existing employees commuter
options will demonstrate your firm’s commitment to their well-being.
Increase employee productivity.
Employees who travel to work by public transit or
ride sharing are more
likely to arrive on time and be less stressed than those who drive.
Reduce lost time due to illness.
Work time lost due to illness is costly. Commuter stress plays a direct role in a person’s emotional and physical health.
Reduce parking requirements.
Less demand for employee parking frees up spots for your customers and
visitors and in the long run, if you lease or maintain your parking
facilities, you can save money by potentially reducing the number of
spaces you need.
Improve traffic flow.
Reducing the number of commuting vehicles frees up much needed space on
our roads, helping to move your product faster. It also increases road
safety and that can have a positive impact on both business and personal
insurance rates.
Lower facility costs.
Teleworking is a practical way to reduce the number of workstations you
need. This can be a significant money-saver if you need to expand your
facility by construction or leasing more space.
Get Involved – for Your Benefit
Any business wanting to participate in the Smart Commute initiative
by offering commute options to their employees, is welcome to join. All
you have to do is let us know you are interested and we will give you
all the tools you need to promote commute options to your employees. We
can also help you determine which commuter options are best suited for
your particular company and employees.
Businesses in Richmond Hill should contact Paul Bradbury at
905-884-1961 ext. 24 or George Flint at 905-771-2455 and businesses in
Markham should call Basil Marcello at 905-474-0730 ext. 14. If you are
interested in knowing more about the Smart Commute 404-7 Association
send us an email (click here for our handy form) or give us a call. We
look forward to working with you towards our common goal of reducing
traffic congestion!