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CU designated by government as a 'Best Workplace for Commuters'

Cornell has been designated as one of the "best workplaces for commuters" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

"Best Workplaces for Commuters," a voluntary partnership program designed to cut traffic congestion and traffic-related air pollution, recognizes employers that provide environmentally friendly commuter benefits to employees. Offering these commuter benefits identifies Cornell as an organization committed to reducing pollution, commuting costs, traffic congestion and employee stress caused by single-occupant vehicle commuting.

Cornell offers an array of benefits that help employees pursue environmentally friendly and cost-effective commuting strategies.

"We are proud to make this commitment to our employees, to our community, and to the environment," said Harold Craft, Cornell vice president for administration and CFO. "The Best Workplaces for Commuters program demonstrates that a healthy balance sheet and a clean environment are not mutually exclusive."

As part of Cornell's comprehensive commuter benefits program, the university offers commuting options and support services such as:

  • Cornell-paid public transportation for those with faculty/staff IDs;
  • unlimited transit seven days a week with OmniRide;
  • discounted, free or even rebated parking fees for those taking part in carpools; and
  • an emergency ride service.

    Cornell programs have produced benefits, such as:

  • About 36 percent of Cornell's faculty and staff participate in a Transportation Demand Management program, instead of relying on a single occupant vehicle to commute each day.
  • About 2,200 cars are removed from the road each day by these programs.
  • Carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 6.7 million pounds per year.
  • Each year since 1991, Cornell faculty and staff have traveled 10 million fewer commuter miles -- a total reduction equivalent to nearly 6,000 trips around the globe at the equator.

    Margo Oge, EPA director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, said the effects of incentive programs like Best Workplaces for Commuters can be dramatic. "If just half of all U.S. employees were covered under these commuter benefits," said Oge, "traffic and air pollution could be cut by the equivalent of taking 15 million cars off the road every year, saving American workers about $12 billion in fuel costs. That's both cleaner air and real savings for families."

    On June 24, David Lieb, communications and marketing manager for Cornell Transportation Services and a recognized expert in the field, was a featured speaker in a phone forum moderated by Best Workplaces for Commuters for the EPA. These forums are intended to share best practices among peers throughout the country.

    Best Workplaces for Commuters, http://www.bwc.gov, is a public-private partnership developed by the EPA and DOT.

    August 26, 2004

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