COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION POLICY - HR2424 (REDLINED) (05-23-2018).PDF

MARICOPA COUNTY INTERNAL POLICY
Policy Number: HR2424
Policy Title:
Current Adoption 052-4-2015MM-
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Date: DD23-2018
Current 2-4-2015MM05-
Implementation Date: DD23-2018
C-3149-15-036-6-
Board Agenda
Approved by: 00##-##18-###046-#6-
Number:
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ##00
Original Adoption
April 2004
Date:
I. PURPOSE
To encourage County employees to use alternative modes of transportation in order, to reduce vehicle emissions
as well as and to reduce the number of single occupant vehicles (SOVs) on the road by making alternative modes
of transportation more practical and convenient.
II. AUTHORITY
This pPolicy is authorized by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to A.R.S. §11-251.
III. APPLICATION
This policy applies to all Maricopa County elected offices and appointed departments as well as the Flood Control
District, the Library District, and the Stadium District. This includes full and part-time regular, probationary, and
contract employees. Temporary employees are eligible at the discretion of the Appointing Authority.
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. Appointing Authority: An elected official, the single administrative or executive head of a
department/special district or the designated representative authorized to act in this capacity.
B. Carpool Commuter: A County employee who commutes with one or more driving- age individuals
traveling at least half the total trip distance to work.
C. Carpool Parking: Preferential parking offered to an employee who carpools with one or more
commuters, who all work within a four mile radius of downtown Phoenix, and who travel together at least
three days per week.
D.B. County Commuter Transportation Coordinator: An eEmployee designated to administer the
County’s Trip Reduction Program (see Maricopa County Ordinance P-7).
E. Department/Special District (Department): A division of the County including Special Districts. Special
Districts are the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, Maricopa County Library District and the Maricopa
County Stadium District.
F. Department Parking Liaison: The individual designated by the department Appointing Authority to
administer the carpool parking program by acting as liaison between Protective Services and department
employees.
G. Department Commuter Transportation Liaison: Employee designated by the department to liaison with
the County Commuter Transportation Coordinator and Protective Services.
H. Designated Vanpool Vendor (Vendor): The vendor the County contracts with to provide vans for County
Vanpools. The vendor the County currently contracts with is Vride.

Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2424
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Current Adoption 2-4-2015MM05-
Date: DD23-2018YYYY
I. Platinum Pass (Pass): A card that allows the holder to travel on Valley Metro transit services including the
bus and light rail.
J. Rideshare Commuter: An employee who uses an alternative mode of transportation, including walking,
bus, biking, light rail, carpool, and vanpool, to travel to work and who reduces the number of single occupancy
vehicle trips.
K. Vanpool: A group of employees who ride together in a van to the same workplace at least 50% of their
commute miles and at least three days per week.
V. POLICY
The Board of Supervisors sets the subsidies for the County’s alternative mode of transportation programs,
including but not limited to the Platinum Pass Program and the Vanpool Program. Employees are limited to one
commuter subsidy; currently, either the Platinum Pass or the Vanpool subsidy. All commuter subsidies are
absorbed by Ddepartment budgets.
Departments are not obligated to allow employees to change their regularly scheduled working hours to
accommodate transit, carpool, or vanpool schedules.
A. Platinum Pass Program (Pass)
Employees may use their Platinum Pass to board Valley Metro Transit (buses and light rail) to commute to
and from work and for trips during work hours (e.gi.e., lunch and/or roundtrip travel to meetings). Employees
should not use their Platinum Pass for Other personal trips outside of work hours are not covered because
they do not reduce commuter miles traveled to the worksite.
1. Departments may audit billing reports to ensure proper usage of the Pass.
2. Employees should immediately notify Human Resources of lost or stolen passesto deactivate the Pass.
3. Ean employees will retain their passes when they transfers to another positions and/or departments in
the County, the employee will retain their pass. It is not necessary to reapply for a Pass for this
reason.
4. Costs to Rreplacement a pPasses:
Human Resources Payroll is responsible for administering the Platinum Pass (Pass) Program with the assistance of
the County Commuter Transportation Coordinator.
Pass Eligibility: Full-time and part-time regular, probationary and contract employees are eligible for the Pass.
Temporary employees are eligible at the discretion of the Appointing Authority. Outside vendors/contractors and
staff employed by employment agencies are not eligible.
Employees obtain their Employee ID and apply for a Pass by accessing the application on the EBC Commute
Options Program webpage. Human Resources processes the application and the Passes are picked up and
distributed by authorized department staff.
Employees may use the Pass to board Valley Metro Transit (bus and lightrail) to commute to and from work and for
trips during work hours (i.e., lunch and/or roundtrip travel to meetings). Other personal trips outside of work hours
are not covered because they do not reduce commuter miles traveled to the worksite. No other transit system is
authorized for subsidy benefits.
Departments are not obligated to allow employees to change their regularly scheduled working hours to
accommodate transit schedules.
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Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2424
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Current Adoption 2-4-2015MM05-
Date: DD23-2018YYYY
a. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors sets the subsidy rates up to 100%
of the fare costs charged by Valley Metro.
b.
c.a. If a Pass is lost or stolen, the eA replacement Pass can be obtained by faxing or hand- carrying an
application to the Human Resources Department, Payroll & Records Division. Walk-in service is
limited to replacement Passes. Charges for replacement passes are as follow$5.00 fee to replace
the first lost or stolen Ppass
d.b. $10.00 fee to replace subsequent lost or stolen Ppasses
e.c. No charge to replace a damaged Ppass as long as the old Ppass is returned
B. If Once Human Resources receives transfer paperwork, the department and accounting information
is updatedCarpooling
Preferential parking is offered at many work locations for Carpool Commuters.
Carpool Parking Eligibility (downtown location): Individuals must meet the Pass eligibility requirements
detailed in § III.A.2. of this policy to be eligible for Carpool Parking. In addition, Carpool Commuters must
carpool with one or more commuters, who all work within a four mile radius of downtown Phoenix and
who travel together at least three days per week.
Department Parking Liaisons have information and applications for Carpool Parking outside the
downtown Phoenix area.
C.B. Vanpools Program
A Vvanpool that is organized in the Phoenix Metro area can request to use a Valley Metro van through a
contract with Valley Metro provided by Valley Metro through a contract with Vride. Vanpool participants are
eligible for a Board of Supervisors approved subsidy to defray the costs of the monthly fare.
Vanpool Program participants are eligible for a Board of Supervisors approved subsidy to defray the costs of
the monthly fare for the program.
Employees are limited to one commuter subsidy: either the Pass or the Vanpool subsidy. If a current Pass
holder chooses to enroll in the Vanpool program, their Pass will be deactivated.
Vanpool eligibility: To receive the full monthly subsidy, County Individuals must meet the Pass eligibility
requirements detailed in § III.A.2. of this policy to participate in the Vanpool Program. In addition, Vvanpool
riders must ride to work in their van pool in the van at least 50% of their commute miles and at least on average
three (3) days per week, on average, to receive the full monthly subsidy. Vacation days or sick days do not
affect eligibility. However, employees who are on extended leave and do not ride at least 12 days during the
month are not eligible for a subsidy.
1. Forming a VVanpool:
a. Gather at least six (6) vanpool riders to form a Vanpool (federal regulation). Each vanpool rider must
complete a Vanpool Subsidy Application prior to riding in the vanpool.
b. Contact theVride Valley Metro Van Pool Contractor to apply for participation in the Vanpool Program.
c. Choose a volunteer primary driver and two alternate drivers who:
i. Have and maintain a valid driver’s license and driving record acceptable to Valley Metro.
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Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2424
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Current Adoption 2-4-2015MM05-
Date: DD23-2018YYYY
ii. Have at least minimum of five (5) years current, uninterrupted licensed driving experience.
iii. Are twenty-five (25) years of age or older.
iv. Have been issued written approval by Valley MetroVride to operate their vehicles.
Primary Drivers Must:Have and maintain a driving record acceptable to Vride
2.
a. Ensure that riders meet all eligibility requirements and have an application on file.
b. Scheduleing van maintenance.
c. Collecting gas money from the riders.
d. Fax (602-372-8722) or email (hrpaydl@mail.maricopa.gov) in monthly rider reports. Prior
Mmonths’ly reports are due by the first business day of every month for the prior month.
3. The vVanpool group is responsible for its own schedules, routes, stops, pick-up, and drop-off locations
and internal van rider rules.
4. Billing and Payment:
a. EachThe County receives a monthly the County bill from Vride, cal culates the employee subsidies
for each van and submits subsidya payments to Valley MetroVride following receipt of the bill. If the
Vvanpool fare is greater than the total subsidy paid by the County, the balance due is the
responsibility of the Vvanpool., and
a.b. it is tThe primary driver’s responsibilitymust inform to communicate to the vanpool members what
their monthly out-of-pocket costs will be, . The primary driver collects the balance due, and submits
the payment directly to Valley MetroVride. For the majority of Vanpools, tTypically, the County’s
subsidy is sufficient to cover 100% of the majority of the Vvanpool fare.
b.c. MThe monthly fare is based on thea van’s size and of the van, the model (passenger vs. luxury) as
well asand the daily round trip mileage, and. The fare covers the van’s use of the van, on-site
maintenance and insurance. The rRiders pay forcover the cost of gas.
c.d. The County will not process the subsidy payments unless the monthly report is received by the first
business day of the month and . The County is not responsible for Vride imposed late fees because
of late reporting.
d.e. The County retains the right to withhold subsidy payments for ineligible riders or riders who have not
submitted a Vanpool Subsidy Application. The rider report does not constitute eligibility. Ineligible
riders listed on the monthly report have five business days upon County email notice to submit a
Vanpool Subsidy Application. Failure to comply will result in a lost and irrevocable subsidy payment
for the month.
5. Every three (3) years the vanpool members must reapply for the subsidy, or sooner if requested by the
County on a schedule set by the County Commuter Transportation Coordinator.
6. Primary drivers must provide 30 days noticedays’ notice to theMaricopa County and Valley MetroVride to
disband athe vanpool.
7. Riders mustare also required to provide the County and the primary driver a 30-day notice of withdrawal
via the application form.
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Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2424
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Current Adoption 2-4-2015MM05-
Date: DD23-2018YYYY
8. Employees are eligible for a Platinum Passmust wait 30 days after their vanpool is disbanded to become
eligible for a Platinum Pass. Valley Metro, through a contract with the Designated Vanpool Vendor
(Vendor), Vride, supplies the vans based on a month-to-month contract.
C. Carpool Parking
Many work locations have preferential parking for employees who carpool to work with one or more driving-
age individuals for at least 50% of their commute miles for at least three (3) days per week.
Please note that primary drivers are subject to all collection stipulations contained in the vanpool driver
application with Vride
D. Guaranteed Emergency Ride Home Program (GERHP)
The CountyGERH Program will pay rovidesfor up to three (3) emergency taxi rides per fiscal year a 100%
subsidy for the cost of taxi service for employeesRideshare Commuters on the day they who use an
alternative mode of transportation to commute to work (e.g., walking, bus, biking, light rail, carpool, and
vanpool) and haveexperience an unforeseen emergency that requires immediate transportation (.An
unforeseen emergency is an event or circumstance that could not be reasonably prevented such as that
requires immediate attention (e.g., personal, parent, spouse or child illness). Working late or extended hours
are not unforeseen emergencies.
1. GERHP eligibility: Rideshare Commuters are eligible to participate in GERHP.This program is funded by
County departments and is available to employees only on the day they use an alternative mode of
transportation to commute to work and need to leave work due to an unforeseen emergency.
2. An unforeseen emergency is an event or circumstance that could not be reasonably prevented that
requires immediate attention (e.g., personal, parent, spouse or child illness). Working late or extended
hours are not unforeseen emergencies.
3.
4.1. EAn ligible employees who needs an emergency ride home to participate in the GERHP mustshall:
a. Obtain their supervisor’s’ approval to leave the work site.
b. Enter their employee information intoat the time the service is needed via the Commute Options
Program online tool. Once the information is entered, instructions for ordering a cab are generated
online.
c. Call the cab company to arrange pickup. The employee must provide the cab company with a
complete address for the pickup and drop-off locations.
5.2. TOn a monthly basis, the County Commuter Transportation Coordinator reviews and submits payments
monthly to the cab company for the trip cost and charges the costs back to the employee’s department.
An employee may use the GERHP service up to three times per fiscal year.
Revision History
Version Revision Date Description of Revision
1 April 2004 Replaced Policy A1406 Guaranteed Emergency Ride Home with HR2424.
2 2-4-2015 Policies HR2424 Guaranteed Emergency Ride Home and HR2425 Vanpool Subsidy were
combined into the Commuter Transportation Policy. Simplified and clarified processes
and added Platinum Passes and carpool parking benefits information. (C-49-15-036-6-00)
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Policy Title: Policy Number: HR2424
COMMUTER TRANSPORTATION
Current Adoption 2-4-2015MM05-
Date: DD23-2018YYYY
3 MM-DD-2018 Clarified and updated language (C-31##-##18-###046-#6-##00).
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