Relocating Companies Help Employees Save Money & Enjoy Each Other’s Company

Vanpoolers from one of Proton Energy Systems’ vans show off their new way to commute to work. Pictured from left to right: Angelo Morson, David Wolff and Leo Petry (Rideworks’ Vanpool Coordinator).

When it came time to relocate, three companies in Rideworks’ service area recently helped their employees with transportation options to ease the commute to the new facility and reduce employee stress. Proton Energy Systems contacted Brooke Hoberman, Rideworks’ Employer Services Coordinator in New Haven, to explore vanpooling prior to their move from Rocky Hill to a new Wallingford facility.

Hoberman held initial employee presentations with Leo Petry, Rideworks’ Vanpool Coordinator, as well as follow-up vanpool formation meetings with interested employees. Proton currently has two Easy Street vanpools – one full-size van with nine riders and one minivan with six riders. The vanpoolers share the driving and some ride three or four days a week, but all enjoy the relaxation and ability to get work done while commuting.

This “green company,” which builds hydrogen generators and fuel cells, had ecological interests when exploring vanpooling and pays half the monthly cost for each vanpooler. Doug Gillette, Director of Human Resources and an Easy Street driver, said, “The reason Proton Energy Systems subsidizes its vanpools is because we are an alternate energy company dedicated to a hydrogen-based economy and (by vanpooling) in a small way we are working to reduce the dependency on the world’s oil supply.”

When Bead Industries moved from its Bridgeport home of 87 years to Milford, “some of the Bridgeport-based employees were concerned about freeway travel,” according to Human Resources Coordinator Anna Benham. “Others did not have transportation, so we looked into vanpooling,” said Benham. Rideworks held employee presentations and follow-up meetings. Currently, there is one van with eight riders. In order to help get the vanpool off the ground, the company is subsidizing a portion of each seat for several months.

An area manufacturing firm saw that its employees lived in clusters that were conducive to ridesharing and worked with Petry and Katharine Zatkowski, Rideworks’ Employer Services Coordinator for the Waterbury area, to organize employee meetings to share information on vanpooling. The firm helped form 3 Easy Street vanpools – 2 minivans with 6 riders each and 1 van with 10 riders. Follow-up surveys have shown that the vanpool participants not only enjoy the company of co-workers but love the cost savings.

Rideworks offers corporate relocation assistance through its Employer Services Coordinators. Companies relocating to the Greater New Haven region can call Brooke Hoberman at (203) 777-7433 or 1-800-ALL-RIDE; companies relocating to the Greater Waterbury/Naugatuck Valley region can call Katharine Zatkowski at (203) 757-7662.

Rideworks Review, Spring 2003 - Front Page