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 help the long-term well being of downtowns. This yr, Seattle notched some actual victories downtown, and our public transit system performed a significant function. Amazon workers returned to the workplace, refamiliarizing themselves with buses and van swimming pools that allow them skip the Mercer Mess. Taylor Swift followers helped shatter pre-pandemic ridership records on Hyperlink mild rail. Transit businesses stepped up to the plate during Major League Baseball All-Star Week with free transit and extra service.
However as an increasing number of folks discover their method onto transit, challenges stay. Subsequent yr, pandemic-era federal funding will run out, jeopardizing the funds of transit businesses like King County Metro and risking the essential public providers they supply.
Happily, the Puget Sound area has a instrument that helps transit businesses and makes it simpler for folk to get round, particularly to employers downtown — and this yr it’s celebrating its 30th birthday. In 1993, Flexpass, recognized immediately as ORCA Business Passport, was born. This program permits employers to supply all their workers with transit identical to they supply well being care. If you would like a person annual transit move immediately, it prices $1,200. In case your employer gives that for you, it’s about $300 to them — identical to at Costco, that’s the good thing about shopping for in bulk. Plus, the employer will get a tax credit score from Washington state.
This success story is barely potential as a result of our area’s employers have purchased in. ORCA Enterprise Passport has been such successful that just about half of our transit businesses’ income comes from employers who present transit by way of this system. Based on King County Metro, 754 employers are offering the ORCA Enterprise Passport to workers. We additionally know that 54% of Sound Transit riders are utilizing an employer-subsidized or discounted ORCA card.
Lately, we’ve seen an enormous uptick in small companies making the most of ORCA Enterprise Passport to retain and recruit the area’s high expertise whereas assembly their local weather objectives. Our area is exclusive in having such a simple, sponsored method for employers to supply transit to their workers.
Applications like ORCA Enterprise Passport do extra than simply help our transit businesses and downtown. They deal with probably the most urgent points we face immediately. Sixty-two p.c of Seattle’s climate-warming emissions come from transportation, particularly from folks driving alone. Our area additionally faces 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 typical U.S. household budget. In the present day it prices greater than $10,000 a yr to personal and preserve a automotive.
We will revitalize our downtown, deal with our affordability challenges, act on local weather, and help public transit by constructing upon the success of unsung however impactful applications like ORCA Enterprise Passport. To maintain this system going sturdy for an additional 30 years, the state Legislature might renew the tax credit score for collaborating employers that expires on the finish of 2024. King County leaders might assist small companies keep in Seattle by protecting costs low. Native jurisdictions might encourage companies to supply it, like Seattle has performed with its Commuter Benefit Ordinance. And employers, think about placing this profit in your workers’ stockings this vacation season.
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