Employers/Area A

"Area A" Mandatory Travel Reduction Program (TRP)

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors approved a Travel Reduction Ordinance for Area A of Pinal County on December 13, 2000. This ordinance requires employers of 50 or more employees in Area A to provide information to the Pinal County Travel Reduction Program.

Arizona Revised Statutes for Travel Reduction Program

Area A is located North of Arizona Farms Road and approximately 12 miles east of the Maricopa County line (Meridian Road). Area A Map (PDF).

Travel Reduction Program Goal

Employers and schools are asked to reduce single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips and/or miles traveled to work sites by 10% each year for five consecutive years, and then 5% for three additional years, or until a 60% rate of SOV travel is reached. Progress is tracked through an annual commute survey of employers/school sites. The results of the survey are used to develop an annual travel reduction plan that commits the employer/school to implementing and documenting various strategies to reduce SOV trips/miles.

Outside Area A

If your employment site is within Pinal County but is not located in Area A, we are extending an invitation to participate in this program. The Travel Reduction program offers opportunities to save money, reduce pollution, and participate in prize drawings at various times throughout the year. Participation in our annual survey process as well as using an alternative transportation mode (carpool, vanpool, bicycling, walking, or alternative work schedules) will set an example for others to invest into our environment.

Surveys are conducted annually. A minimum of 60% return is required. The surveys provide information regarding alternative mode usage by employees within Pinal County. It also provides an average of vehicle miles traveled from home to work. This information is instrumental in calculating the average fuel consumption and most importantly the emissions that are derived from miles traveled as well as any reductions based on carpooling, biking/walking to work, bus transportation, alternative work schedules, etc.

Annually, a Travel Reduction Plan would be requested to show areas that you, as an employer, are willing to provide to your employees through out the upcoming year. Items that may be included are:

• Name of designated Transportation Coordinator
• Measures that the employer will undertake for the upcoming year

Examples:

• Commuter matching service to facilitate employee ridesharing for work trips.
• Provision of vans for vanpooling.
• Subsidized carpooling or vanpooling which may include payment for fuel, insurance, or parking.
• Use of company vehicles for carpooling.
• Provision for preferential parking for carpool or vanpool users which may include close-in parking, designated parking spot, or covered parking facilities.
• Cooperation with other transportation providers to provide additional regular or express service buses to the work site.
• Subsidized bus fares.
• Construction of special loading and unloading facilities for transit and carpool and vanpool users.
• Cooperation with political subdivisions to construct walkways or bicycle routes to the work site.
• Provision of a special information center where information on alternate modes and other travel reduction measures is available.
• Establishment of a full-time or part-time work at home program for employees.
• Establish a program of adjusted work hours.
• Establish a program for parking incentives such as a rebate for employees who do not use the parking facility.
• Incentives to encourage employees to live closer to work.
• Implementation of other measures designed to reduce commute trips such as day care facilities or emergency taxi services.
• Incentives for use of reduced emission vehicles.

Travel Reduction Program Resources

• Valley Metro Vanpool Information
  If you are interested in starting a vanpool, and your commute originates in Maricopa County, check out Valley Metro's vanpool program information.
• Best Workplaces for Commuters
  Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) is an innovative membership program that provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits, such as free or low-cost bus passes and vanpool fares and strong telework programs. Employers that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits-a standard created by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - can get on the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters and receive high-level programs and services. NCTR is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Best Workplaces for Commuters is dramatically improving the way people get to and from work. BWC assists participating employers by offering public recognition and promotion, technical assistance, training, Web-based tools, and forums for information exchange.
• Pima Association of Governments, Travel Reduction
  Reducing traffic congestion in the greater Tucson region continues to be a performance goal of Pima Association of Governments to support safe travel and enhance air quality. PAG established its Travel Reduction Program to manage travel demand across the region by providing area employers with the resources and tools to encourage employees to rideshare or use other modes of travel to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
• Maricopa County Travel Reduction Program
  Maricopa County's Travel Reduction Program in the Phoenix metro area.
• Maricopa Association of Governments
  As the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Maricopa region, MAG plans and finances the regional transportation system.
• Sunday Corridor MPO
  The Sunday Corridor MPO provides transportation planning services to the communities of Casa Grande, Coolidge, Eloy and rural portions of Pinal County, and covers 1,155 square miles, with an estimated population of nearly 120,000.