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Commute Trip Reduction Program (CTR)

I. Introduction

The Commute Trip Reduction Program has been developed to identify, encourage, and provide alternative transportation options to Highline Community College students, faculty, and staff in compliance with the Washington State Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) law (RCW 7094.521).

The basic intent of the program is to alleviate parking issues, improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and minimize petroleum consumption by encouraging the use of alternatives to the single occupant vehicle. These transportation alternatives include the use of public transit, carpools, vanpools, vanshares, bicycle riding, walking, and working from home, compressed work weeks and/or flexible work schedules.
 

II. Mission statement:

The intent of this program is to outline a system that will provide employees and students of Highline Community College with transportation alternatives and parking in accordance with State Commute Trip Reduction Laws and the College parking ordinances.

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III. Incentives and Benefits of Participating:


A. Reimbursement for ORCA Passes
As an incentive for College employees and students to participate in the Commute Trip Reduction program, the College is offering reimbursement for ORCA and transit pass purchases.

This function will be managed by the Campus Safety Office, located in Building 6, room 105, telephone number (206) 592-3218.

All registered students are eligible for 15% reimbursement (not to exceed $15.00) of their monthly pass purchase. For instructions on the process and to complete a request for reimbursement, see student ORCA reimbursement.

Faculty and staff of the College will receive a 50% reimbursement of their monthly pass purchase.  See instructions and access to the request for reimbursement form.


B. Guaranteed Ride Home
The Guaranteed Ride Home program works like a safety net to take the worry out of ridesharing. It allows faculty and staff to carpool or vanpool worry-free, confident that the College has a program in place that will provide a ride if they really need one.

The Guaranteed Ride Home program promotes ridesharing by eliminating one of the most frequently cited reasons people opt to drive alone: the fear that they won't have a vehicle in an emergency or if they can't leave work at their usual time. The Guaranteed Ride Home programs counteract this fear with the reassurance of a reliable backup ride, at minimal or no cost, to get them to their destination quickly.

Who is eligible? Any full-time faculty or staff member who has traveled to work by any non-single occupant vehicle mode (carpool, vanpool, bus, etc.) on the day that they wish to use the service is eligible. A full-time employee is one who works 35 or more hours a week and is scheduled to be employed for 52 weeks per year. A full-time faculty member who is benefits eligible. (Contact HR if in doubt.)

What level of service is available?
  • Each faculty member or employee can take up to 8 taxi trips per year.
  • Each taxi trip can be up to 60 miles one way. If the trip exceeds 60 miles, the employee pays the difference directly to the driver.
  • Driver tips are not covered under this program. Tips are the passenger’s responsibility.

What constitutes an emergency? The Guarantee Ride Home program can be used for:
  •  Faculty, staff or family member's unexpected illness.
  •  Working late unexpectedly (faculty or staff member learns that day that he/she must work late that day), such that the normal ride will not be available. Subsequent overtime days known to the faculty or staff member will not be eligible.
  • Missing normal ride home for reasons outside the person's control -- e.g. carpool driver had an emergency, transit user missed the last bus home.
  • Other emergency situations, or unanticipated schedule changes that occur during the work day.

The Guarantee Ride Home cannot be used:
  •  For pre-scheduled doctor or other appointments.
  • To transport faculty or staff who have incurred injuries or illness related to their occupation. Taxis should never be used where an ambulance is appropriate, nor is taxi service meant to replace an employers' legal responsibility under workers' compensation regulations.
  • Other situations, where, in the opinion of the program coordinator, alternate transportation could have been arranged ahead of time.
  • To take ferry commuters any father than the ferry dock, or to take ferry commuters home by driving around.

It will be up to the Campus Safety office to make the decision if a request meets these guidelines.

Where can the taxi go?
  • The trip must begin from work and can end at home or another location.
  • Emergency related interim-stops are permitted if they are requested and approved by the College when the trip is requested.
  • If the trip includes a ferry ride, the taxi will take the passenger as far as the ferry terminal.
How does an employee request the ride?

If the above criteria are met, the faculty or staff member simply goes to the Campus Safety Office, room 105, Building 6 and submits the request. Requests must be submitted during regular business hours.
 

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IV. Commute Trip Reduction Plan Components:

 

A. Transportation Coordinator
Highline Community College will appoint a Transportation Coordinator to provide transit and ride-sharing information, act as liaison between Highline Community College and King County Metro Bus System, assist ridership registration and carpooling for use on the campus, and administer the employee reimbursement program.

Victoria England is the Transportation Coordinator for Highline Community College. Questions regarding this program should be directed to the Transportation Coordinator at leriksson@highline.edu or by telephone, (206) 592-3209.

 

B. Alternative Transportation Options
Highline Community College provides a Commuter Information Center displaying the most up to date information on alternative transportation options. The display features brochures and materials which highlight King County Metro bus services, rideshare options, vanshare/vanpool, and carpool options. The display is located in the lower level of Building 6, outside of the Campus Safety Office.
 

C. Public Transit Service to the College
For specific routes that service the College campus, please see the "Bus Routes to Highline" web page for details.

D. Compressed Work Week
In accordance with Highline Community College policy an alternative work schedule would allow a full-time staff member to eliminate at least one work day every two weeks by working longer hours during the remaining days, resulting in fewer commute trips by the employee. This includes both weekly and biweekly arrangements, of which the most typical being four 10-hour days or 80 hours in nine days, but also may include other arrangements.

At Highline Community College, this procedure is, at present, limited to the period between the end of the spring quarter session and the start of the fall quarter session. Implementation will be contingent upon agreement between the staff member and his/her supervisor. (See details.)


E. Parking Management

Parking at Highline Community College is strictly by permit only for both employees and students. Parking fees are on a sliding scale based on the number of hours worked by staff or number of credits taken by students. (See fee schedule.)  Permits are required to be displayed in each vehicle to assist with the monitoring process.

The College presently has available parking stalls for 2,297 vehicles. Three hundred and twenty six (326) of which have been designated for staff parking.

Employees and students who carpool are eligible for free parking based on the frequency they carpool. They also have access to priority parking spaces reserved for carpools.   

A carpool is defined as two or more individuals commuting together with similar work/study schedule. Carpoolers must have two vehicles.

At present, there are one hundred and seventeen (117) carpool parking spaces available for exclusive use of carpool permit holders. Student carpool permit holders may utilize regular student parking areas when designated carpool stalls are occupied.

Carpool permits will be issued to qualified applicants without charge upon approval by the Campus Safety Office. All applicants must be Highline Community College faculty, staff, or students. The permit is transferable only among the members of the carpool.

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F. Other Provisions:

  1. Telecommuting alternatives may be appropriate as necessary.
  2. Bicycle storage racks are provided outside Buildings 6, 22, 25 (Library), and 27.
  3. Shower facilities are available in Building 27.
  4. Paved pedestrian pathways with appropriate separation from vehicle pathways exist along the North Road and all parking lots.


CTR Related Links:

Rideshare Online

Traffic Flow and Road Conditions

Park and ride locator map


Public Transportation
Bus routes to Highline

ORCA Card Reimbursement

Sound Transit