Company Offers High-Caliber Commuter Benefits to 92 Percent of its U.S. Workforce
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 19, 2005 - Intel Corporation is the nation's best workplace for commuters for the second year in a row, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Intel's commute reduction program is meant to improve the environment and reduce impact on local communities by offering Intel employees alternatives to driving alone in their cars to work. Alternatives include subsidies for transit passes and for vanpools, close-in parking for carpools plus an on-line carpool registry program, bicycle/walker amenities that include lockers and showers, emergency ride home services and telecommuting.
"More than 150 Intel employees have registered for carpools just since the beginning of October and transit ridership is up 14 percent since July," said Dane Parker, Intel’s worldwide director of Environmental, Health & Safety. "Intel's commute reduction program is an employee benefit that helps community livability while saving employees money and time."
Employees who take advantage of Intel's "Rideshare" program find other benefits, too. One employee in Arizona rides in a van pool and uses the time that he doesn't have to drive to complete homework required by his MBA program. Another telecommutes so he can see his daughters before school and take care of business with Intel colleagues around the world. Two employees decided to carpool and today they are happily married, having learned a lot about one another on their daily drives to and from work.
Intel makes it easy to take advantage of its commute reduction program through an innovative Web site that offers a "Road Rage" page, where people can type out rather than act on their frustrations, and a "Commuter Sightings" page, where interesting observations from people’s commutes can be posted. One example: "While driving to work last Thursday, traffic suddenly stopped for no apparent reason …until my delighted eyes saw the mama duck and her ducklings crossing the road in single file."
