Cornell is the only college or university to make a list of 25 employers -- including Google, Yahoo, Apple, IBM and Nike -- with "best practices" when it comes to promoting transportation benefits for employees.

Cornell's transportation programs and benefits are described in the new "Transportation Toolkit for the Business Community," issued by the Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization, the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA). The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy charged the CTAA with developing and disseminating the toolkit, which collects resources designed to help employers understand the benefits of job-related transportation benefits and services as well as sources of assistance for implementing them.

The toolkit includes "Profiles of Employer-Sponsored Transportation," in which Cornell is cited for its OmniRide and RideShare programs, which are going strong after nearly 20 years; for its participation in VanPool, which is about to launch; and for its support of the recently formed Ithaca Carshare Inc.

The university is credited for having more than one-third of its faculty and staff commute by means other than single-occupancy vehicles. Cornell estimates that it has reduced employee parking requirements by about 2,200 parking spaces, thereby saving on parking construction and maintenance. "Cornell notes that employees drive about 10 million miles less each year, generating important air quality benefits and significantly reducing traffic congestion on and around campus. ... The university estimates that these programs have saved more than $40 million in net costs."

"Long ago, Cornell recognized that people don't bring their cars to campus because they like to park. They bring them either because it is the only or the easiest way to commute, or because they need their cars during the workday," said David Lieb, assistant director of Cornell Transportation Services. "The goal has been to help make commuting by transit or carpool simpler, less expensive and more direct, and to provide daytime access to transportation via the Emergency Ride service and through access to short-term use cars provided by Ithaca Carshare."

The toolkit also offers information on transit-business partnerships; ridesharing strategies; transportation passes and voucher programs; employer transportation consortiums and partnerships; and more.

Read the toolkit here.