Why should you ride public transit?
As companies continue to welcome their employees back to the office, employees are figuring out the best way to commute again. Public transit offers many benefits over other methods of transportation. Those benefits are diverse, including environmental, financial, and more.
Here is a look at why public transit is the best option.
1 – Helps reduce air pollution
Public transportation moves large amounts of people around more efficiently than any other form of transportation. It helps reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and contributes to a healthier environment.
According to the American Public Transit Association, when someone commutes 20 miles round trip every weekday by public transit, they can reduce their CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year. That’s like having a two-car family reducing their entire amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent. Overall, public transportation is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons annually.
2 – Reduces traffic congestion
Since you can fit more people into less space with public transportation, it also serves as a solution to reduce traffic congestion on our roads. Traffic congestion produces several problems, including increasing the cost of travel and travel time, reducing mobility for certain populations, creating accessibility issues, and harming productivity as it increases stress.
3 – Communities benefit financially
For every $1 invested into public transportation, there’s $4 generated in economic return. Jobs are created, with 50,000 new jobs created for every $1 billion that is invested in public transportation.
4 – Save money by commuting
You can save a lot of money by taking public transit each year rather than owning a car. Owning a car could cost you on average about $563/year, according to Lending Tree. That’s not including car insurance and other expenses.
5 – Use commuter benefits
Commuter benefits will allow you to reduce your taxable income. Starting in 2022, employees will be able to save up to $280 per month, tax-free, from their paychecks with commuter benefits. You can use that money towards public transportation, rideshares, or qualified parking costs.
Is commuter benefits a good fit for you and your employees? If so, let’s book a meeting so we can help you find the best option for you.
