News Release

Release date: July 30, 2001

New commuter program rewards employees who leave their car at home

Given the choice between being stuck in traffic or getting cash in their pockets, several employees of a downtown Seattle firm have chosen to become the first participants in Metro's new FlexPark program.

This week employees at Milliman USA, an international consulting and actuarial firm headquartered in the Rainier Tower, will launch an innovative demonstration program that rewards employees for leaving their cars at home.

Starting Wednesday (Aug. 1), four Milliman employees will trade in their company-paid parking space for $100 a month added to their paychecks and an employer-provided FlexPass that provides a flexible package of commute options, including a bus pass. They'll still be able to have four free parking days a month, use a Flexcar shared car when they need to run errands during the day, and receive up to eight free taxi rides home per year for emergencies during work hours or unplanned overtime.

"King County has been successful in creating a number of commuting options for employees and their employers," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "The variety of choices and flexibility in the FlexPark program should make it another popular way to get to work that also reduces traffic congestion."

FlexPark program benefits will vary by employer. At Milliman USA the benefits include:

• Employer-provided FlexPass: The FlexPass is good for unlimited rides on King County Metro and Sound Transit. Both rail and bus are included.  Participation by other transit agencies will vary by employer.
• Free Parking Days: To accommodate days when employees need a car for work or personal use, they can have four free parking days per month.
• Home Free Guarantee: FlexPass includes access to up to eight free taxi rides home per year for emergencies during work hours or unplanned overtime.
• Flexcar: Participation in the FlexPark program includes a Flexcar membership and a $50 credit for Flexcar use. Flexcar members have access to a fleet of cars parked downtown and throughout the greater Seattle area. Members pay per hour and mile driven but avoid all other car operating costs.
• $100 bonus: Each month $100 in pre-tax dollars will be added to employee paychecks.

The FlexPark demonstration is one of the projects made possible by a $419,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration's Value Pricing Pilot Program, which supports work with high-rise owners, parking garage operators and employers to reduce the number of drive-alone commuters.

"We're committed as corporate citizens to help however we can to ease some of our traffic congestion downtown," said Karen Peterson, Milliman USA's Employee Transportation Coordinator. "Metro came to us with a solution that holds promise, and we're delighted that some of our employees have chosen to participate in FlexPark."

Metro's popular FlexPass program has primarily worked through employers, but with the help of the Downtown Seattle Association it's now reaching out to individual office buildings and to small downtown businesses that employ 25 or more. Anyone interested in these programs can contact project manager Kathy Koss at (206) 684-1649 or via e-mail at kathy.koss@metrokc.gov.

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