Help Restore Transit Benefit Parity

Transit benefit parity could be on the table when Congress returns after the election. Here's how you can help make it happen.

First, sign an industry support letter. All organizations -- national or local, public or private -- need to join this effort. Email ACT Government Relations Specialist Jason Pavluchuk at Pavluchuk@actweb.org for a copy of the letter and to tell us your organization would like to be a signatory before Tuesday (Election Day).

Second, direct clients, members, partners, and others to the online action portal at commuterbenefitsworkforus.com, which enables individuals to contact their legislators. Please send this out through any communication network you have--direct email, newsletter, blog, Twitter, etc.

Suggested messaging for your use:

It has been nearly a year since the cap on the transit benefit decreased to $130/month. There has been a lot of talk about fixing this problem but little action! Commuters need action now to raise the current pre-tax monthly level of the transit portion of the Commuter Benefit to the equal the level permitted for parking.

 

As the end of the year approaches and Congress returns to work, it is critical that you contact your members of Congress and tell them to support passage of this legislation before Dec. 31. Ask them to co-sponsor the existing bills. Securing the support of additional members of Congress is vital for passage of the legislation in this session of Congress, and it cannot be done without your help.

 

Click here to urge your members of Congress to take action and support transit benefit parity.

ACT Well Represented at Washington Post Event

A number of ACT members and staff attended The Washington Post's intensive day-long Fix My Commute event on Oct. 21. A live audience of nearly 300 packed the Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., while thousands livestreamed the event. 

Clockwise from top left: Prototype of a flying car; Google's director of self-driving cars, Chris Urmson with Washington Post editor David Cho; Uber's David Plouffe; "Easier Parking" panel: Washington Post editor Mary Jordan (at podium) with David Cummins (Xerox) Eric Meyer (Haystack), Rachel Yoka (IPI), and Post urban policy reporter and blogger Emily Badger; and Vice President Joe Biden.

Keynoted by Vice President Joe Biden (see his remarks here), the fast-paced program included mayors from Denver, Miami-Dade, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake City; former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell (now co-chair of Building America's Future); along with an array of multi-modal leaders, transportation experts, innovators, and policy wonks. 

Selected videos from the event can be found here. 

Our favorite quote of the day came from venture capitalist Gary Lauder, who paraphrased Sir Ernest Rutherford's observation: "We're out of money. It's time to start thinking."

Award Winner Spotlight

ACT Connections spotlights a 2014 award winner in each issue.

Marketing & Outreach - Public Award: Pima Association of Governments Sun Rideshare

Pima Association of Governments (PAG) in Arizona created a humorous and entertaining infomercial to explain the benefits of alternative transportation and describe the rideshare services provided by Sun Rideshare. The infomercial was part of a new marketing campaign called "Do Zombies Carpool?" that helped Sun Rideshare appeal to a wider and younger audience. The goal of the 5½ minute infomercial was to increase awareness of available transportation options and their benefits and the services available to assist area commuters in finding the most reliable, affordable, and convenient way to work.

The infomercial was distributed to area employers to use in new-hire orientations, staff meetings, town hall meetings and training, and was posted on YouTube and the Sun Rideshare website to maximize viewership. Screen shots from the infomercial were used for a billboard and posters. A 30-second movie theater commercial was also created.

The response has been very positive and the infomercial has been viewed by hundreds of people. It is fun and entertaining, so the audience stays engaged throughout the video. Website activity rose significantly since the infomercial was introduced in December 2013. One of the lessons learned was that billboards have been the most effective advertising outlet for Sun Rideshare.

Sun Rideshare spent almost $15,000 for the creative and production of the infomercial, and the resulting 30-second commercial, billboard creative, movie theater slides, 400 DVDs, Spanish translation, and a four-minute video tutorial for an enhanced carpool matching system and rewards program. Another $10,000 was spent on movie theater advertising for six months at six different outlets. The billboard was less than $500. Two TDM staff members, plus communications, graphics, and managers spent innumerable hours on this project.