Case Study of the Denver Regional Transportation District Eco Pass Program

PDFTech ReportDOT-VNTSC-FTA-93-7FTA-MA-26-0006-94-1CommutingEmployer sponsored transportationEvaluationMeasures of effectivenessData collectionRegional transportationSubsidiesTravel demand managementDenver (Colorado)United States. Federal Transit AdministrationSchwenk, Judith C.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, (U.S.)United States. Federal Transit Administration. Office of Technical AssistanceNTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-Alternative FinanceNTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-ECONOMICS AND FINANCENTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-Transit Economics and FinanceNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Transit Economics and FinancesNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Social ImpactsNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIONVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterThis report documents the Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) Eco Pass Program and evaluates its impacts. The Eco Pass is an annual, unlimited-use photo identification pass covering transportation on all RTD transit routes. Employers in the Denver region may purchase passes as a tax-free benefit, and may deduct the cost as business expense. The program uses a group insurance concept for pricing and enrollment. A typical transit commuter may save up to $900 in monthly passes or $1,200 in cash fares annually with the Eco Pass. Eco Pass users are assured a ride home in an emergency through a guaranteed ride home program. The main goal of the Eco Pass Program is to increase transit ridership. Rts has been enrolling a growing number of employers in Eco Pass since its inception in 1991. Although it is clear that employers and employees who have obtained Eco Pass are very positive about the program, the evaluation could draw few firm conclusions about its effectiveness, because an evaluation mechanism was not implemented simultaneously with the program. Eco Pass appears to have influenced some people to shift to transit commuting, leaving their cars at home, but more information is needed to quantify the impacts and to determine which factors are critical in producing positive impacts. The report recommends that RDT establish appropriate data collection mechanisms to permit a thorough and quantitative evaluation of this innovative program