As we emerge from COVID-19 and navigate our new hybrid work surroundings, leaders throughout the Puget Sound area are on the lookout for new methods to assist the long-term well being of downtowns. This 12 months, Seattle scored some actual wins downtown, and our public transit system performed a essential function. Amazon staff returned to the workplace and located themselves with buses and van swimming pools that allow them skip the Mercer Truthful. Taylor Swift followers helped break pre-pandemic ridership information on the Hyperlink mild rail. Transit businesses stepped as much as the plate throughout Main League Baseball All-Star Week with free transit and additional service.
However as increasingly more individuals discover their solution to transit, challenges stay. Subsequent 12 months, pandemic-era federal funding will run out, jeopardizing the funds of transit businesses like King County Metro and jeopardizing the important public companies they supply.
Happily, the Puget Sound area has a device that helps transit businesses and makes it simpler for individuals to get round, particularly for downtown employers — and this 12 months, it is celebrating its thirtieth 12 months.th birthday. In 1993, Flexpass, as we speak referred to as ORCA Enterprise Passport, was born. This program permits employers to supply transit to all of their staff, simply as they supply well being care. If you need a person annual transit cross as we speak, it prices $1,200. In case your employer supplies it for you, it is about $300 for them – like at Costco, that is the benefit of shopping for in bulk. As well as, the employer receives a tax credit score from the state of Washington.
This success story is simply attainable as a result of our area’s employers have purchased in. The ORCA Enterprise Passport has been such a success that almost half of our transit businesses’ income comes from employers offering transit by this system. In line with King County Metro, 754 employers present the ORCA Enterprise Passport to staff. We additionally know that 54% of Sound Transit riders use an employer-sponsored or discounted ORCA card.
Lately, we have now seen an enormous enhance in small companies utilizing the ORCA Enterprise Passport to retain and recruit the area’s high expertise whereas assembly their local weather targets. Our area is exclusive in having such a simple, backed method for employers to supply transit for his or her staff.
Packages just like the ORCA Enterprise Passport do extra than simply assist our transit businesses and downtown. They handle probably the most urgent points going through us as we speak. 62 % of Seattle’s climate-warming emissions come from transportation, particularly from individuals driving alone. Our area can be going through an affordability disaster. After housing, transportation is the second highest price for many households, with mixed housing and transportation prices accounting for about half of the standard American family finances. Right this moment, it prices greater than $10,000 a 12 months to personal and keep a automobile.
We are able to revitalize our downtown, handle our affordability challenges, act on the local weather and assist public transit by constructing on the success of surprising however impactful packages just like the ORCA Enterprise Passport. To maintain this system going for one more 30 years, the state legislature might renew the tax credit score for collaborating employers, which expires on the finish of 2024. King County leaders might assist small companies keep in Seattle by preserving costs low. Native jurisdictions might encourage firms to supply it, as Seattle has carried out with its commuter profit ordinance. And employers, contemplate placing this profit in your staff’ stockings this vacation season.