Commuter data takes the guesswork out of programs and reports.
Read DocumentGet DocumentCommuter data takes the guesswork out of programs and reports.
Commuter data takes the guesswork out of programs and reports.
Data is the catalyst for modern innovation, and commute optimization is no exception. If you want to assess your baselines, identify gaps, and make improvements, you’re going to need quality data. Without it, you’ll be left to rely on guesswork, implementing ad hoc programs and hoping for the best. Not, we can safely say, an ideal scenario.
Luckily, there’s ample opportunity to harness the power of data to optimize commuting programs for the good of our employees, our organizations, and the planet. When we can collect and centralize dynamic information, we have access to the insights we need to change commuting for the better.
There’s no shortage of metrics you can measure (or try to measure), but ultimately, you should aim to gather data for three key buckets:
The optimal commuting scenario scores low across all three categories, and by taking stock of where your employees fall on both the individual and aggregate level, you’ll start to see patterns, gaps, and opportunities.
What kinds of programs do your employees want and need? Where can you invest resources for maximal ROI? Without commuter data, these questions are impossible to answer with confidence.
The results of this uncertainty are everywhere: Organizations often funnel time and money into costly commuter programs, only to see them go under-utilized or have lower-than-expected impacts on employee behavior.
With access to solid commuter data, you’ll be able to get to know the profile of your commuter base (Where do they live? How do they move? When do they come to the office? What other circumstances impact their commutes?) and even model potential solutions to gauge their effectiveness. Then, once you’ve chosen a path, you can pull dynamic live data that will help you see how things are going and where adjustments may need to be made.
Environmental standards are increasingly prevalent. In some cases, they’re enforced by governmental regulations, as is the case with Washington, D.C.’s parking cashout law. In others, they’re pursued voluntarily, as with LEED green building certifications.
In either case, tracking commuter data is an essential piece of the puzzle, because employee commutes are major contributors to any business’s indirect emissions numbers. Doing so will allow you to figure out where you’re currently falling short of requirements, identify the most effective ways to make improvements, and finally, to prove your success!
Most employers are sitting on more commuter data than they think, but the odds are that it’s scattered across various platforms and repositories. A spreadsheet that tracks, say, how many people have monthly parking passes or participate in the carpool program are useful but limited if they’re not centralized alongside all the other information at your disposal.
Sources of commuter data include:
The only way to maximize the impact of your commuting programs is to leave the guessing games behind. Commuter data, when dynamic, centralized, and integrated, makes plain the information you need to build internal buy-in, execute the programs people will actually use, and report on your success.
See how Commutifi helps you harness the power of connected commuter data. >>