22.88.080 Requirements for employers.
Major employers and voluntary work sites are required to make a good faith effort, as defined in RCW 70.94.534(2) and this chapter, to develop and implement a CTR program that will encourage their employees to reduce drive-alone commute trips and commute trip vehicle miles traveled per employee. The employer shall submit a description of its program to city and provide an annual progress report to city on employee commuting and progress toward meeting the SOV goals and targets. The CTR program must include the mandatory elements as described below.
A. CTR Program Description Requirements. The CTR program description presents the strategies to be undertaken by an employer to achieve the program goals and targets stated in the city’s CTR plan. Employers are encouraged to consider innovative strategies and combine program elements in a manner that will best suit their location, site characteristics, business type, and employees’ commuting needs. Employers are further encouraged to cooperate with each other and to form or use transportation management organizations in developing and implementing CTR programs. At a minimum, the employer’s description must include:
1. General description of the employment site location, transportation characteristics, and surrounding services, including unique conditions experienced by the employer or its employees;
2. Number of employees affected by the CTR program;
3. Documentation of compliance with the mandatory CTR program elements (as described in subsection (B) of this section);
4. Description of the additional elements included in the CTR program (as described in subsection (B) of this section); and
5. Schedule of implementation, assignment of responsibilities, and commitment to provide appropriate resources.
B. Mandatory Program Elements. Each employer’s CTR program shall include the following mandatory elements:
1. Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC). The employer shall designate an on-site transportation coordinator to administer the CTR program. The coordinator’s and/or designee’s name, location, and contact information must be displayed prominently at each affected work site. ETCs shall be trained in CTR program development and administration through a program approved by the city. The ETC shall attend annual ETC training and a minimum of six hours of other training or network meetings annually, or as organized by the city. The coordinator shall oversee all elements of the employer’s CTR program and act as liaison between the employer and the city. The objective is to have an effective transportation coordinator presence at each work site; a major employer with multiple sites may have one on-site transportation coordinator for all sites.
2. Information Distribution. Information about alternatives to drive-alone commuting shall be provided to employees at least twice a year. Each employer’s program description and annual or biannual report must identify the information to be distributed and the method of distribution.
3. Annual or Biannual Progress Report. The CTR program must include an annual or biannual review of employee commuting and progress and good faith efforts toward meeting the goals and targets as outlined in the CTR plan. Determination of annual or biannual reporting requirement is dependent on work site commute trip reduction performance and the city will advise the major employer of required report frequency. Major employers shall file an annual or biannual progress report with the city in accordance with the format established by this chapter and consistent with the CTR Task Force Guidelines. The report shall describe each of the CTR measures that were in effect for the previous year(s), the results of any commuter surveys undertaken during the year(s), and the number of employees participating in CTR programs. Within the report, the employer should evaluate the effectiveness of the CTR program and, if necessary, propose modifications to achieve the CTR goals and targets. Survey information or approved alternative information must be provided every two years after implementation begins. The employer should contact the city for the format of the report.
4. Biannual Survey or Measurement. In addition to the specific program baseline measurement, employers shall conduct a program data evaluation as a means of determining work site progress toward meeting CTR goals. As part of the program evaluation, the employer shall distribute and collect commute trip reduction program employee questionnaires (surveys) at least once every two years, and achieve a seventy percent response rate from employees at the work site.
5. Annual Worksite Promotion of Employer CTR Program. Major employers will hold at least one annual transportation fair or equivalent promotion, which is available to all employees at each major worksite.
6. ETC Training. ETCs will be required to attend an ETC basic training session within six months of appointment.
7. Employer Notification. Employers will be required to notify the city or designee when there are proposed changes to their CTR program, changes in ETC or contact information, and/or changes in number of employees at the worksite.
8. ETC Networking/Advanced Training. ETCs will be required to attend at least six hours of networking or advanced training per year. Training and networking sessions may include marketing CTR programs to employees, trip planning, ridesharing, joint promotions and networking meetings.
9. Additional Program Elements. In addition to the specific program elements described above, the employer’s CTR program shall include additional elements as needed to meet CTR goals and targets. Elements may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:
a. Provision of preferential parking or reduced parking charges, or both, for high-occupancy vehicles;
b. Instituting or increasing parking charges for SOVs;
c. Provision of commuter ride matching services to facilitate employee ride-sharing for commute trips;
d. Provision of subsidies for transit fares;
e. Provision of vans for vanpools;
f. Provision of subsidies for carpools or vanpools;
g. Permitting the use of the employer’s vehicles for carpooling or vanpooling;
h. Permitting flexible work schedules to facilitate employees’ use of transit, carpools, or vanpools;
i. Cooperation with transportation providers to provide additional regular or express service to the work site;
j. Construction of special loading and unloading facilities for transit, carpool, and vanpool users;
k. Provision of bicycle parking facilities, lockers, changing areas, and showers for employees who bicycle or walk to work;
l. Provision of a program of parking incentives such as a rebate for employees who do not use the parking facilities;
m. Establishment of a program to permit employees to work part- or full-time at home or at an alternative work site closer to their homes;
n. Establishment of a program of alternative work schedules, such as a compressed workweek, which reduces commuting;
o. Promotional activities for ridesharing and transit, as well as fixed commuter information centers;
p. Guaranteed rides in emergency situations for rideshare participants;
q. Reduction of parking provided in accordance with the Monroe zoning code;
r. Charging employees for parking, and/or the elimination of free parking; and
s. Implementation of other measures designed to facilitate the use of high-occupancy vehicles, such as on-site day care facilities and emergency taxi services. (Ord. 005/2019 § 10 (Exh. B))