ECMT Round Tables Managing Commuters' Behaviour A New Role for Companies

Encouraging wage earners to use public transport has a vital role to play in meeting environmental objectives, particularly the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Changing people's behaviour calls for action in the workplace and one option open to employers is to recruit mobility managers whose task is to help reduce employees' dependence on private car use. Governments can support such initiatives by running information campaigns, by publishing practical guides to incentive schemes and by harmonising regulatory and fiscal frameworks. Round Table 121 was devoted to this innovative topic and opened with a discussion of the provision of free parking facilities to company employees in the United States, a practice that has many knock-on effects and ramifications. One solution is for companies to replace free parking with cash-out schemes under which financial benefits are given to employees who choose not to make use of their free parking space. The Round Table then proceeded to consider several examples of employee mobility schemes in Europe, and ended by drawing conclusions of interest to local, regional and national authorities. This Round Table makes a key contribution to continuing efforts to chart a course of action directed towards achieving the goal of sustainable transport.