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City of Missoula, Montana Item to be Referred to City Council Committee Committee: Conservation Committee Item: City Employee Cash for Commuters program Date: 8/13/09 Prepared by: Nancy Wilson and Benjamin Schmidt Initiated by: Greenhouse Gas Committee Action Required: Support for City Employee Cash for Bus Commuters Program Recommended Motion: I move that City Council support and fund the Missoula In Motion Bus Incentive Proposal “City Employee Cash for Commuters” program Timeline: Referral to committee: September 2, 2009 Committee discussion: September 2, 2009 Public hearing (if necessary): Deadline: Background and Alternatives Explored: Missoula In Motion was asked to create a program to increase the awareness and participation in the Mountain Line City bus pass program. Based on a 2009 employee emissions survey, 70% of respondents (125) drive alone to work on a daily basis. The majority of the commuter energy usage and emissions are due to single occupancy vehicles (81% of total energy usage and CO2 emissions). Mountain Line reports that the current average of city bus pass ridership is 377, in 2009 and was 355 in 2008. With the bus system coming to the door of many city employees, this program will hopefully encourage an increase in ridership. Significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants can be achieved by commuters switching from single occupancy vehicles to the bus system. Financial Implications: Parking is expensive – 15,000-25,000 per space – this doesn’t include maintenance costs. If city employees were encouraged to take transit, parking downtown would have some relief and theoretically less parking would have to be built. The direct cost of this program is at most $3,200 and could potentially change (at least) 20 city employees commuting habits. Attachments: See attached “Greenhouse Gas Energy Conservation Team (Team) recommends, to the Missoula City Council Conservation Committee, support of the “City Employee Cash for Bus Commuters” program”