Most employees who receive free parking don't think of it as a perk. The challenge with parking is to alter employee thinking so that it is viewed as an added benefit, not a guarantee. Parking Management encourages employees to use shared commute methods by making single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel less convenient and/or more expensive. This tactic is most effective in the suburbs, where parking is viewed as plentiful and inexpensive, and where parking is seen as a privilege.
Proven methods of parking management include:
- Charge a fee for parking if it is currently free. This is best done as a daily charge, since many employees are still working from home; but aggregate costs could be collected weekly or monthly.
- Establish a "cash out" program whereby all employees are given a transportation "subsidy" provided by their employer. Those commuters who choose to drive alone must pay a fee for parking equal to that of the subsidy; those who use transit or vanpools can use the subsidy in addition to pre-tax dollars toward payment of their transit or vanpool fares through a compliant commuter benefit provider. (Tax laws should be reviewed before instituting any subsidies.)
- Since carpools are not covered by the transportation or commuter benefit, those who carpool could be entered into a regular raffle to win gas cards, coffee or food gift cards, etc.
- Offer prime, preferential, specially-marked spaces to those who carpool and vanpool regularly (see "Employee Incentives").
- Rent spaces for use by other businesses, or for park-and-ride commuters who want to carpool together and are going from the location of the employer to another location in the region.
These programs can also be beneficial to employers by eliminating the need for additional lot construction and reducing insurance and maintenance costs. With a cash-out system, employees who currently drive do not suffer detrimental consequences, and those who don't drive now receive a type of reward for their efforts. Consultation on designing preferred parking accommodations and procedures or establishing a cash-out program may be arranged through your local TMA.