Tips for Promoting Commute Options

There is no right or wrong way to promote your company's transit pass or commute options program, except not promoting it at all. Getting the word out is the key to encouraging employee participation. Below are some creative ideas for spreading the word:

Look around TriMet's website. You'll find interesting news items and new features that you can share with employees.
To Work quarterly newsletter has articles of interest that you are welcome to reprint or excerpt in your company's employee communications.
If your company has an intranet site, create a page that talks about your transit pass or commute options program.
It may seem cliché, but near the watercooler or in the break room are both great places to put promotional materials. Some organizations have even been known to post newsletters in bathroom stalls!
Keep it fresh. Promote different aspects of the program (for example, one month promote the tax benefits, the next month promote the cost savings and then talk about the environmental impact).
Provide coffee and donuts for all the people who bike or walk to work on a certain day.
Incentives don't have to be expensive in order to work. For example, you could encourage employees to "earn" play money by taking transit, biking, walking or carpooling. Once they reach a certain amount, they could redeem their earnings for prizes such as coffee mugs, gift certificates, etc.
On a related note, how about sponsoring a month-long "hoop shoot" contest where employees earn one "shot" for each day they don't drive to work alone? At the end of the month, the employees get together and take their shots. Whoever sinks the most hoops wins a prize (such as family tickets to a sports event, movies, etc.).
Your own enthusiasm can be contagious—let employees know how excited you are about your company's transit pass or commute options program.

Do you have another idea? Send it to employerprograms@trimet.org and we'll add it to the list.