Educating Commuters/Employees
There are many people who drive to work daily who could walk, bicycle, or take transit. Often, this creates unnecessary roadway congestion, which may lead to increases in motorist crashes and fatalities, and pollution. Many communities and local agencies have Transportation Demand Management (TDM) programs, which aim to educate road users about their commute choices, provide incentives and alternatives to reduce driving to work, and can result in more efficient use of transportation resources. Educating commuters about travel options, benefits, and safe practices is an important component of any comprehensive pedestrian education program. These education campaigns often have much in common with activities that Promote Walking and Health, so visit that section for more ideas and information.
Key messages for commuters/employees
The key to encouraging more commuters to travel by foot is to educate them on the benefits of walking and the feasibility of doing it. The Benefits of Walking section describes some of the major health, transportation, environmental, economic, and social justice benefits of walking, that may persuade some to walk more. Below are some strategies to get people to try out walking.
Strategies for educating commuters/employees
The following are some ideas for marketing non-motorized travel modes, and providing choices and incentives for walking as part of a commute, drawn from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute:
- Hold bicycling and walking events and activities, particularly on trails and cycling routes.
- Develop bicycling and walking commute campaigns; these can involve contests as to which workers and worksites commutes most by nonmotorized modes.
- Provide and promote bicycle parking, showering, and clothes changing facilities at worksites, transportation terminals, and other destinations.
- Develop and distribute education materials and programs that teach cycling skills.
- Create walking and bicycling maps showing recommended routes and facilities, roadway conditions (shoulders, traffic volumes, special barriers to cycling, etc.) hills, recreational facilities, and other information helpful to pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Develop tourist promotion materials highlighting bicycling and walking.
- Create a Multi-Modal Access Guide, which includes maps and other information on how to walk and cycle to a particular destination.
Helpful links
- Victoria Transport Policy Institute Online TDM Encyclopedia
- The VTPI TDM Encyclopedia provides detailed information on dozens of demand management strategies, plus general information on TDM planning and evaluation techniques. It is produced by the Victoria Transport Policy Institute to increase understanding and implementation of TDM.
