Transportation Management Associations
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Victoria Transport Policy Institute
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Updated 26 January 2010
This chapter describes Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), which are member-controlled, organizations that provide transportation services in a particular area.
Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) are non-profit, member-controlled organizations that provide transportation services in a particular area, such as a commercial district, mall, medical center or industrial park. They are generally public-private partnerships, consisting primarily of area businesses with local government support. Transportation Management Coordinators (TMC) are professionals who work for TMAs or individual employers.
TMAs provide an institutional framework for TDM Programs and services. They are usually more cost effective than programs managed by individual businesses. TMAs allow small employers to provide Commute Trip Reduction services comparable to those offered by large companies. They avoid problems that may be associated with government-run TDM programs, since they are controlled by members.
Transportation Management Associations can provide a variety of services that encourage more efficient use of transportation and parking resources.
· Commuter Financial Incentives
· Freight Transport Management
· Guaranteed Ride Home Services
· Parking Management and Brokerage
· Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning
· Pedways
· Rideshare Matching and Vanpool Coordination
· Special Event Transport Management
· Tourist Transport Management
· Transportation Access Guides
· Wayfinding and Multi-Modal Navigation Tools
Transportation Management Associations can support Smart Growth efforts to create more creating more Accessible and resource efficient land use patterns. TMAs can provide Parking Management and brokerage services that result in more efficient use of parking resources (Parking Solutions). This can reduce the need to expand parking capacity, reduce the total amount of land that must be paved in an area, and allow increased Clustering. For example, a church may allow its parking spaces to be used by a nearby restaurant on Saturday nights in exchange for use of the restaurant’s parking on Sunday mornings. This results in more efficient use of parking resources, and allows employers with successful Commute Trip Reduction programs to recoup their costs by leasing excess parking spaces.
Regional or local governments, chambers of commerce or management of a major facility (such as a mall or hospital) can help create a TMA and provide seed funding. Developers or facility managers may be required to establish a TMA to mitigate local congestion and parking problems. TMAs are typically funded through dues paid by member businesses and government grants (Hendricks, 2004).
TMAs provide an institutional structure to deliver various TDM strategies. One study estimates that TMAs can reduce 6-7% of total commute trips if implemented alone, and significantly more if implemented with other TDM strategies (TDM Resource Center, 1996).
Table 1 Travel Impact Summary
|
Travel Impact |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Reduces total traffic. |
2 |
Implements Commute Trip Reduction |
|
Reduces peak period traffic. |
3 |
" |
|
Shifts peak to off-peak periods. |
3 |
" |
|
Shifts automobile travel to alternative modes. |
3 |
" |
|
Improves access, reduces the need for travel. |
1 |
May involve some land use management. |
|
Increased ridesharing. |
3 |
Implements Commute Trip Reduction |
|
Increased public transit. |
3 |
" |
|
Increased cycling. |
2 |
" |
|
Increased walking. |
2 |
" |
|
Increased Telework. |
3 |
" |
|
Reduced freight traffic. |
1 |
May involve some freight traffic management. |
Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Transportation Management Associations can increase Transportation Options, provide financial savings to businesses and employees, reduce traffic congestion and parking problems, and reduce pollution emissions. They are an important strategy for creating more efficient land use patterns. These benefits can be large because traffic and parking costs tend to be particularly high in commercial and industrial areas where most TMAs exist. Parking and road facility savings often repay TMA operating costs.
Costs are primarily direct TMA program expenses, which typically average $5-10 annually per covered employee, although this can vary significantly depending on what services it provides (Ferguston, Ross and Meyer, 1992). Sometimes, TMAs increase consumer costs by implementing increased parking fees.
Table 2 Benefit Summary
|
Objective |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Congestion Reduction |
3 |
Helps reduce commute trips. |
|
Road & Parking Savings |
2 |
Helps reduce commute trips, more efficient use of parking facilities. |
|
Consumer Savings |
2 |
Helps reduce commute trips, increases commute choice. |
|
Transport Choice |
2 |
Helps increase commute choice. |
|
Road Safety |
2 |
Helps reduce vehicle trips. |
|
Environmental Protection |
2 |
Helps reduce vehicle trips. |
|
Efficient Land Use |
2 |
Helps reduce vehicle trips. |
|
Community Livability |
2 |
Helps reduce vehicle trips. |
Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
Most services provided by TMAs are available to any employee at a worksite. TMAs typically require subsidies, but these are often comparable to subsidies for parking and local road improvements. Some strategies (such as Parking Cash Out) are progressive with respect to income, while others (such as Parking Pricing) may be regressive unless offset by other compensation. TMA services often benefit lower-income and transportation disadvantaged people by improving transportation choices and savings. TMAs can improve Basic Access by providing better travel options to employment and essential services.
Table 3 Equity Summary
|
Criteria |
Rating |
Comments |
|
Treats everybody equally. |
2 |
Usually provide services and benefits to all employees. |
|
Individuals bear the costs they impose. |
2 |
May involve subsidies, but less than for driving. |
|
Progressive with respect to income. |
3 |
Tends to increase affordable transport choices. |
|
Benefits transportation disadvantaged. |
3 |
Tends to increase transport choices for non-drivers. |
|
Improves basic mobility. |
2 |
Tends to increase basic transportation options. |
Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.
TMAs are appropriate for any geographic area where there are multiple employers or businesses clustered together, which can benefit from cooperative transportation management or parking brokerage services. Regional and local governments, business associations and individual businesses can all help establish TMAs.
Table 4 Application Summary
|
Geographic |
Rating |
Organization |
Rating |
|
Large urban region. |
3 |
Federal government. |
1 |
|
High-density, urban. |
3 |
State/provincial government. |
2 |
|
Medium-density, urban/suburban. |
3 |
Regional government. |
3 |
|
Town. |
2 |
Municipal/local government. |
3 |
|
Low-density, rural. |
2 |
Business Associations/TMA. |
3 |
|
Commercial center. |
3 |
Individual business. |
3 |
|
Residential neighborhood. |
2 |
Developer. |
2 |
|
Resort/recreation area. |
3 |
Neighborhood association. |
1 |
|
|
|
Campus. |
3 |
Ratings range from 0 (not appropriate) to 3 (very appropriate).
TDM Program
Transportation Management Associations are often created as part of local or regional government TDM policies and programs. TMAs typically support the following TDM strategies:
· Commuter Financial Incentives
· Freight Transport Management.
· Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements
· Special Event Transport Management
· Transportation Access Guides
TMA stakeholders include regional and local government agencies, transit providers, chambers of commerce or other business organizations, businesses, facility managers (such as a mall or medical center), employees, nearby residents and customers.
The main barriers are a lack of support among stakeholders, and often the perception that short-term benefits are small if there is no immediate parking or traffic congestion problem.
· TMAs should support a variety of transportation services, travel options and incentives, including planning efforts to create more pedestrian- and transit-friendly land use, and parking brokerage services to help businesses share and trade their parking resources.
· TMAs should include both positive and negative incentives. TDM programs tend to be most effective when they improve consumers’ travel choices and provide incentives to use alternatives to driving when possible.
· TMAs should work to develop and maintain cooperation between transportation agencies, transit service providers, businesses, employees and residents who are affected by their programs.
· Produce an annual “State of the Commute” report, which describes TDM programs and resources, travel trends, and comparisons with other communities, and other Performance Indicators.
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Guiding Principles for the Establishment of An Area-Wide TMA by Susan Philbin, Sowton Transport Management Association (www.sowtonforum.org.uk/tma.htm)
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Ride-On in San Luis Obispo County, California is a non-profit transportation cooperative established in 1993 with a mission to develop and implement creative solutions to transportation and mobility issues that concern employers, businesses, medical providers, visitors services providers, special events coordinators, government agencies and individuals. It owns 35 vans and buses. The TMA is guided by a steering committee with representation from non-profit organizations, businesses and local government. It provides:
· Shuttle bus services to regional transportation terminals.
· Shuttle services for children and patients.
· Special event transportation.
· Lunchtime shuttle.
· Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC) contract services.
· Transportation information and referral.
· Commuter baseline survey.
· Guaranteed/Emergency Ride Home.
The Lloyd District, located across the Willamette River from downtown Portland, currently consists of approximately 650 businesses and 20,000 employees, including a major convention center, a mall, medical clinics, hotels, and office building. There are plans to add 17,000 new jobs and 4,000 new housing units within the district.
Since 1995 the Lloyd District Transportation Management Association (LDTMA) has worked to promote the area’s economic vitality by providing transportation programs and services to improve access. The LDTMA has 69 member businesses representing approximately 9,000 employees. It manages several programs to improve and promote walking, cycling, ridesharing and transit, including Commuter Connection, a retail transportation store that brings a new level of convenience for access to transportation information and services. The LDTMA works to improve walking and bicycling facilities, improve public transit services, and in various ways promotes use of alternative modes, including the Passport Transit Pass Program, an annual all-zone transit pass employers can purchase at a reduced rate per employee for all qualified employees. It manages Commuter Connection, a retail transportation store that brings a new level of convenience for access to transportation information and services. Transportation Coordinators (TC’s) act as liaisons between the LDTMA and employees.
In 1997, 76% of all employee commute trips to the Lloyd District were made in an automobile, 60% were drive alone trips and 16% were carpool. Despite the rise and fall in the number of participating employees from one year to the next, the percentage of drive alone trips has decreased during 6 out of the last 7 years, and transit ridership has increased, particularly among Passport Transit Pass member, among whom the percentage of transit trips nearly equals the percentage of drive alone trips. This has reduced about 1,000 daily peak period vehicle trips and about 3.9 million annual vehicle-miles. The district’s ultimate target is 42% transit and 10% bike commute mode splits.
Table 5 Lloyd District Commute Mode Split
|
|
1997 |
2005 |
Percentage Change |
|
Drive alone |
60% |
42.7% |
-28% |
|
Rideshare |
16% |
11.0% |
-24% |
|
Bus/MAX |
21% |
39.1% |
91% |
|
Bicycle |
3% |
3.3% |
8.8% |
|
Walk |
2% |
2.3% |
13% |
|
Telecommute |
0% |
0.8% |
NA |
|
Compressed Work Week |
0.5% |
0.9% |
88% |
Commuter Challenge is a non-profit organization that provides business leaders with expertise and support to create innovative solutions that reduce commute trips, while recognizing business needs and improving quality of life in the Puget Sound region. It partners with the Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County, and various city and state agencies.
Employer Recognition. Commuter Challenge sponsors an annual employer recognition program. Winners show management commitment to reducing employee commute trips. The program is also interested in learning about organizations not affected by the Commute Trip Reduction Law that deserve recognition for their voluntary employee transportation programs.
Work Options. Employers with real estate space needs, employee recruitment and retention challenges, and parking problems are invited to utilize Commuter Challenge's resources on compressed work schedules, flextime and telework. A cost/benefit analysis tool, case studies of employers with work options programs, and a Manager's Guide to Compressed Workweeks and Flextime are available for employers considering implementation or increasing work options.
Workshops/Forums/Committees. Commuter Challenge invites business representatives to participate in various transportation workshops, forums, and committees to address the congestion issues in our region. These opportunities provide the business community an avenue to shape public policies that will affect them, provide input to transportation service providers, and learn about new products and services that will assist them in further reducing commute trips to their work sites.
Pacesetter and Website. Commuter Challenge publishes the bi-monthly Pacesetter newsletter, a publication of interest to business decision makers, containing articles on transportation policy and helpful information on what other businesses are doing to reduce commute trips. It also maintains a website that provides extensive resources to support Commute Trip Reduction programs, and descriptions of successful case studies.
MOST is a European partnerships to encourage sustainable transportation, with special programs dealing with travel related to tourism, medical services, education and special events. It's main aim is to develop and evaluate Mobility Management (MM) strategies. It is a combined research and demonstration project. MOST is sponsoring a number of case studies and examples of mobility centers that provide transportation management coordination and services.
The Black Creek Regional Transportation Management Association (BCRTMA) is a private, nonprofit membership organization located in the Black Creek area north of Toronto, which includes major manufacturing facilities and York University. This area has more than 150,000 employees who currently generate over 62,000 automobile commute trips each workday. It is supported by the local chamber of commerce, individual employers, plus local, regional, provincial and federal governments. It was established in 2000.
The BCRTMA’s goals are to reduce local traffic congestion, parking costs and pollution emissions. The BCRTMA actively promotes improved transit service (increased frequency, more routes, better service quality) and cycling facility improvements. It provides the following transportation services:
The TMASF is a privately funded association of building owners and managers that encourages the use of alternatives to single occupant commuting. The TMASF was established in 1989 as a cooperative effort between San Francisco city and county governments, and office building developers in the downtown area. It has more than 45 business members and 50,000 individual members who use the organization’s services. These services include on-line ridematching, transit trip planning and referral, business resource library, comprehensive marketing, survey, public and community relations programs, inter-agency relations and event planning. The organization is run by an executive director who reports to a board of directors made up of member representatives.
This example shows the possibilities of a multi-modal Mobility Centre run by a
partnership. First, it experienced all the difficulties that such a
co-operative venture can offer. Now it seems to be quite a success story,
accepted by the customers and the partners. Moreover, this is due to some
extensive marketing, which has led to a functional website www.mobilzentral.at.
The Cambie Corridor Consortium (CCC) was the first transportation management association (TMA) established in Canada. Cambie's aim is to reduce the number of single occupancy vehicles commuting to the Cambie/Broadway area of Vancouver and improve air quality by providing alternative transportation solutions and information. Approximately 25,000 employees are represented through CCC's 21 members.
The Cambie area is Vancouver's second largest business district, combining business, shopping, and residential areas. The area also includes several hospitals and medical centres. Because of the nature of the businesses in the area, parking was becoming more and more of a challenge. A transportation consultant and other staff at the Vancouver General Hospital had been meeting with some of these partners for the last several years, and in 1995, they decided to form the Cambie Corridor Consortium to address some of their transportation problems. From those meetings, a trip reduction expert developed a transportation management plan that was used as the basis for the CCC's programs and services.
The program provides a variety of TDM activities and services. Transit kiosks were erected at each member's work site where employees could easily obtain information on transit fares, shuttle bus schedules, and other information
A shuttle bus service was implemented to transport hospital staff between sites. The bus makes approximately 2,100 trips per month carrying 9,000 passengers. The CCC also uses the shuttle bus to transport equipment, supplies, and documents between sites, saving member hospitals approximately $200,000 each year in courier costs. Van pooling services were arranged and are used by approximately 200 employees. Another 500+ staff members carpool.
A payroll deduction program that allows employees to purchase bus passes at a 15% discount. To respond to the needs of employees, and address some of the barriers expressed in the initial surveys, an emergency ride home has been implemented. CCC has a contract with a local taxi company and employees are given vouchers if they need to leave work in case of illness or emergency. Also in response to employee requests, additional shower and change facilities, and secure bike cages were installed at some of the members' work sites.
Since 1994, single occupancy vehicle drivers had dropped by 1.6%, transit use had increased by about 25%, and cycling had increased to 5.5% from 4.5%. The number of walkers had increased tremendously since 1994. Previously, employees who lived a short distance away would drive to work so that they would have a car available during the day to make trips between sites. Almost 10% of all survey respondents said that they regularly walked to work. In addition, of the people responding to the 1998 survey, 85% said they no longer brought their car to work because the shuttle bus allowed them to travel between sites.
This website near Manchester, UK, provides comprehensive travel planning information to encourage employees and visitors to the Hope Hospital to use alternative forms of transportation.
Commuter Connections is a network of Washington DC metropolitan commuter transportation organizations coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). Commuter. It is the main commuter information resource for Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. It helps businesses identify opportunities for voluntarily complying with the Clean Air Act guidelines to reduce vehicle emissions, and provides the following services:
· Promoting telework programs and other pollution reduction activities.
· Using Geographic Information System software to match commuters for ridesharing.
· Offers a regional Guaranteed Ride Home program.
· Operates a regional system of Traveler Information kiosks, InfoExpress.
This program is delivered by Agence Metropolitaine de Transport (AMT) and sponsored by the Quebec Department of Transportation. The program is directed at the 5,000 businesses with more than 50 employees and the 35 post-secondary institutions in the region, and the purpose is to promote alternatives to automobile travel. It offers incentives to take public transit and encourage other sustainable modes. These include:
The BWI Business Partnership is a non-profit, member-run organization established in 1985 to promote sound transportation policies and economic development in and around Baltimore/Washington International Airport. It promotes ridesharing, flextime, preferential parking, telecommuting, guaranteed ride home services, and other traffic management techniques.
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It’s the wee early hours of Sunday morning when the last bar is about to close. Bill and Bob are drinking late. “How’s about one more drink,” Bill suggests as he waves his last dollar bill. Bob agrees, and having no bills left, pulls the coins from his pockets. Carefully counting the money the two friends find they have just enough for one pint of beer.
“We’ll each drink half,” Bob proposes. Bill agrees, then he grabs the mug and begins drinking, slow and steady, glug, glug, glug, as his buddy watches in eager anticipation. Glug, glug, glug, Bill tips the glass up higher and higher. Glug, glug, glug, Bob stares as the level of beer slowly declines until there is nothing more than foam. Bill finally removes his lips from the glass, takes a deep breath like a man recovering from exertion, and puts the mug onto the bar.
Bob gazes forlornly at the now empty glass. A tear rolls down his cheek thinking of this beer he will never know. Looking at his friend he asks in a bewildered voice, “I thought we agreed to each drink half.”
“We did,” replied Bill. “But my half was at the bottom of the glass, so I had to drink yours to reach it.” |
Association for Commuter Transportation (www.actweb.org) is a non-profit organization supporting TDM programs.
ACT (2001), TMA Handbook, Association for Commuter Transportation (www.actweb.org); at www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/pdf/tma_handbook_final.pdf.
Best Workplaces for Commuters (www.bwc.gov) is a program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Transportation to recognizes employers and worksites that provide outstanding commuter benefits. The website has a variety of support resources.
CARAVAN (1999), Commuter Programs at the Worksite, Commuter Information Center (www.commute.com/Wrksite.htm).
CUTR (1995), TMA Evaluation Program, Center for Urban Transportation Research and the Florida DOT (www.cutr.eng.usf.edu).
Comsis Corporation (1993), Implementing Effective Travel Demand Management Measures: Inventory of Measures and Synthesis of Experience, USDOT and Institute of Transportation Engineers (www.ite.org).
Commuter Challenge Program (www.CommuterChallenge.org) is a non-profit organization that provides businesses with expertise and support to create innovative solutions that reduce commute trips.
Contra Costa Commute Alternatives Network (www.cccan.org) is a successful TMA that provides a variety of services and information resources.
Dr. Marcus Enoch, Lian Zhang and David Morris (2005), Organisational Structures for Implementing Travel Plans: A Review, Loughborough University, OPTIMUM 2, (www.optimum2.org/downloads/report31505.pdf).
Erik Ferguson, Catherine Ross and Michael Meyer (1992), “Transportation Management Associations: Organization, Implementation, and Evaluation,” Transportation Research Record 1346, TRB (www.trb.org), pp. 36-43.
Erik Ferguson (2007), “Transportation Management Associations: A Reappraisal,” Journal of Public Transportation, Vol. 10, No. 4, (www.nctr.usf.edu/jpt/pdf/JPT%2010-4.pdf), pp. 1-26.
Sara Hendricks (2004), “Results of 2003 Transportation Management Association Survey: Analysis of Evolving Characteristics of Transportation Management Associations,”
Transportation Research Record 1864, Transportation Research Board (www.trb.org); at www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/html/526-101.htm.
MOST, “Mobility Centres and Mobility Consulting,” MOST News, No. 3 (http://mo.st), Dec. 2001.
Shirley Morrison Loveless and Jill Sebest Welch (1999), “Growing to Meet the Challenges; Emerging Roles for Transportation Management Associations,” Transportation Research Record 1659, TRB (www.trb.org), pp. 121-128.
National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse (www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse) provides current information and resources on Transportation Demand Management and Telework programs.
Joseph Sussman (2002), “Transportation Operations: An Organizational and Institutional Perspective,” ITE Journal (www.ite.org), Dec. 2002, pp. 50-55.
TDM Resource Center (1996), Transportation Demand Management; A Guide to Including TDM Strategies in Major Investment Studies and in Planning for Other Transportation Projects, Office of Urban Mobility, WSDOT (www.wsdot.wa.gov).
TDM Resource Center (1997), Transportation Management Association (TMA) Profiles, TDM Resource Center (www.wsdot.wa.gov), WSDOT.
David Van Hattum (2003), Expanding Commuter Options in the Twin Cities: Practical and Cost-Effective Steps To Reduce Congestion By Optimizing Travel Demand Management (TDM) Strategies, Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, Downtown Minneapolis TMO and 494 Commuter Services (www.mplstmo.org/TDMguidebook).
Whatcom Smart Trips (www.whatcomsmarttrips.org) is a partnership between local government, public agencies, employers, and schools to promote walking, bicycling, ridesharing and public transport.
WTA (2001), Getting to Work; A Handbook for Employee Transportation Coordinators, Westside Transportation Alliance (www.wta-tma.org). A comprehensive, easy to read handbook for trip reduction programs.
This Encyclopedia is produced by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute to help improve understanding of Transportation Demand Management. It is an ongoing project. Please send us your comments and suggestions for improvement.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute
www.vtpi.org info@vtpi.org
1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, BC, V8V 3R7, CANADA
Phone & Fax 250-360-1560
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