Enterprise Holdings, which manages the largest and most diverse privately-owned fleet in the world, recently launched Commute with Enterprise – an enhanced service of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand that offers one of today’s most sustainable, comprehensive and cost-effective local transportation options.
This new name for the company’s vanpooling service (formerly known as Enterprise Rideshare) reflects its longtime mission: creating solutions that not only immediately lower transportation costs for commuters, but also reduce businesses’ environmental impact and improve their corporate sustainability profiles.
Enterprise’s commuting programs typically consist of four to 15 coworkers who meet at a central location to board a newer van or SUV – sometimes equipped with Wi-Fi, GPS and satellite radio – and travel to and from work together. Passengers use their commute time to read, relax or work, and participants usually take turns driving. Commute with Enterprise also provides 24-hour roadside assistance, insurance and scheduled maintenance.
Reducing the Cost of Commuting
Enterprise can help individuals save thousands of dollars every year by reducing ongoing costs such as gas, tolls and vehicle depreciation. In addition, volunteer drivers are much more cost-efficient than hiring paid drivers who market their services as “ridesharing.”
“Vanpooling can help workers reduce both the financial cost and time lost during their commute to and from work,” said Mike Mangan, Vice President for Commute with Enterprise. “Plus, they arrive at work less stressed, which leads to higher productivity.”
Unfortunately, commuters across the U.S. are spending more and more time traveling to and from work. A recent analysis of U.S. Census data from Bloomberg showed that employees in the Washington, D.C., metro area have the longest commutes, with a daily average of more than 73 minutes traveling to and from work. Close behind are New York City commuters, who spend 70 minutes, while workers in Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago all log roughly an hour of commuting time each day.
Bloomberg’s report also indicates that commuters in the nation’s capital pay the most to get to work. Seven out of the 10 U.S. counties with the most expensive commutes surround Washington, D.C. For example, employees from Charles County, Md., spend, on average, $14,612 per year commuting to work, which is almost 20 percent of the average income of county residents.
Vanpooling programs address both local and national needs by reducing carbon emissions, parking real estate and traffic congestion. Commute with Enterprise operates 11,100 vanpools in 45 states, eliminating 1.4 billion commuter miles each year and taking nearly 65,000 cars off the road as well as off parking lots. The program also collectively reduces more than 1.1 billion pounds of carbon emissions annually.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation data, commuter vanpools also are the safest mode of public transportation when compared to motor bus, light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail and other demand response services.
A Competitive Differentiator
Businesses that offer Commute with Enterprise's vanpool programs not only enhance employee productivity, but also gain a competitive differentiator for employee recruiting and retention – a potentially strategic advantage in the current tight job market.
As a result, many companies are taking advantage of the new user-friendly Commute with Enterprise website and app to help track the program’s financial and environmental impact. These digital tools are specifically designed to help individuals keep track of their accounts, make payments, manage routes, organize groups, and monitor overall savings and carbon footprint. Commute with Enterprise’s technology features include:
- Mobile-responsive functionality
- Tracking and reporting options to support employers’ sustainability and employee wellness goals
- Expanded measurement capability to better capture overall customer satisfaction
- Multi-modal trip recording
Commute with Enterprise is supported by the innovative and extensive Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network, which delivers a level of local coverage and flexibility that no other provider can match. For more information about Commute with Enterprise, visit www.commutewithenterprise.com.
