TAMPA (February , 2018) — Tampa Downtown Partnership has been named one of the Best Workplaces for CommutersSM in 2018 for offering exceptional employee-provided commuter benefits that meet the National Standard of Excellence criteria.
“Tampa Downtown Partnership is on the cutting edge of a national movement,” said Julie Bond, Program Manager, Best Workplaces for Commuters. “They have listened to their employees’ challenges with traffic congestion and their concerns over reducing emissions. By offering a range of commuter benefits such as subsiding bus fares, carpooling programs and access to Emergency Ride Home programs, the Partnership gives its employees the support they need to get to and from work so they can be at their best. These benefits are good for the company and its employees.”
Tampa Downtown Partnership is among a select group of workplaces in the United States that have committed to employee-provided commuter benefits that result in at least 14 percent of their employee base not driving alone to work within a 12-month period. The Partnership offers employees several commuter benefit options, including:
“We take pride in receiving our 2018 Best Workplaces for Commuters national designation,” said Karen Kress, AICP Director of Transportation and Planning for the Tampa Downtown Partnership. “We also enjoy helping other downtown businesses offer the same benefits to their workforce through the development of an Employee Transportation Plan,” said Kress. “There are so many mobility options in our Downtown that many people don’t know exist. Through an Employee Transportation Plan, we are able to sit down with employers to explore options that meet their needs.”
The Best Workplaces for Commuters program offers designated organizations access to a range of support services to assess and promote non-driving commuting of employees, including organizational assessment and implementation tool-kits, web-based tools and webinars, staff training, and information exchange.
“The companies on this list understand the importance and impact commuter benefits have on their employees and the value they bring to the environment,” said Bond. “Excellent commuter benefit programs may reward these companies not just with a national designation, but buoys workplace productivity, customer loyalty and brand recognition in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
About the Tampa Downtown Partnership
Tampa Downtown Partnership is a private, membership based not-for-profit 501(c)6 comprised of companies, organizations and individuals with a common goal of advancing Tampa’s Downtown. Through an annual contract with the City of Tampa, Tampa Downtown Partnership administers the Special Services District. In addition to Tampa’s Downtown Guides and Clean Team, Tampa Downtown Partnership serves downtown through marketing, business development, transportation, advocacy, public space activation, planning and beautification.
About Best Workplaces for CommutersSM Best Workplaces for CommutersSM is the national authority on recognizing and assisting workplaces that provide exceptional commuter benefits to employees. More than a recognition program, Best Workplaces for Commuters program provides support needed to create, sustain an employee-provided commuter benefit program, including online assessment tools, advisory services, case studies, tool-kits, web-based tools, webinars and training. Best Workplaces for Commuters represents over 200 workplaces with Best Workplaces for Commuters designation representing over 734,000 employees. The Best Workplaces for Commuters program is managed by the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida with support from the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). For more information: http://www.bestworkplaces.org/
About Center for Urban Transportation Research (https://www.cutr.usf.edu/) The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida, established in 1988, is an internationally recognized resource for policymakers, transportation professionals and the public. CUTR provides high quality, objective expertise in the form of insightful research, in-depth policy analysis, comprehensive training and education and effective technical assistance that translates directly into benefits for CUTR’s project sponsors. CUTR’s faculty of 38 full-time researchers and 79 students, combines academic knowledge and extensive “real world” experience in developing innovative, implementable solutions for all modes of transportation. The multidisciplinary research faculty includes experts in economics, planning, engineering, public policy and geography. CUTR receives over $19 million per year in contracts and grants to support its research, education, training and technical assistance missions. CUTR also is the home for the National Center for Transit Research and the National Bus Rapid Transit Institute.
