 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Frequently Asked QuestionsHow do I know my workplace needs a travel plan? Workplaces face a number of issues when dealing with transport. Consider whether one of the problems below applies to your workplace. If so, developing a travel plan will give you the opportunity to lead the way in solving the challenges your workplace faces:
Why should my workplace undertake a travel plan?
What are some of the solutions or initiatives I can deliver to our workplace? Typical travel planning activities and actions are:
What are some quick wins that can be implemented? While you are starting up your travel plan, you could consider purchasing:
What is the cost of implementing a travel plan? It depends on the initiatives you plan for and implement. The costs of some of the actions, such as providing umbrellas, towels, and pedometers, will cost you hundreds, not thousands of dollars. Costs will increase as you consider actions involving infrastructure like showers and cycling facilities. It pays to be realistic about what you want to spend. If you choose to use an existing staff member to be the Travel Plan Coordinator, the cost is the staff time that is no longer available for normal duties. What is the time commitment involved? It depends on the scale of your travel plan. There is a time commitment involved with each TravelWise phase. The information gathering and planning phases may require up to one day a week from the travel plan coordinator. The information gathering phase requires spending time to gather information about the existing facilities in your workplace, survey the travel behavior of your staff, and to plan the initiatives you identified as necessary to achieving travel behavior change. How do I get access to public transport tickets? Please contact MAXX on (09) 366 6400 or go to www.maxx.co.nz for more information. Information Gathering and Research Phase
What determines whether a workplace is accessible by travel options other than the car? Accessibility for walkers, joggers and cyclists is affected by the type of facilities at your workplace, including showers, lockers, and secure cycle facilities. Furthermore, existing workplace policies that encourage a range of travel options effects how accessible your workplace is. For instance, flexible working hours, staff subsidies for passenger transport, a car pooling programme, or the availability of fleet bikes or bus passes for business related travel. How many staff do I need to survey? Given that you are a workplace with 50 or less employees, you should try and get all your staff to respond to the staff travel survey. If you send the travel survey to staff by email, try and encourage each staff member to complete the survey during the 2 weeks set aside for completion. You could also consider using incentives for completing the survey, including a spot prize for the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th and 50th employee to complete the survey. What techniques should I use to engage with staff? Firstly, start with what you know works well for you. For instance, if you hold a regular staff meeting that is regularly attended this may be a good forum to gain feedback on travel issues. If the nature of your business makes it hard to get all employees in one place at once (e.g. working off-site, or shift work) you may need to consider gaining feedback remotely by email, intranet or by using an information kiosk. Planning Phase
How do I set targets? Your targets need to be measurable. A target to increase cycle journeys to work could specify an increased number (or percentage) within a certain time frame – for example increasing by 5% in 12 months. You will then be able to assess in the monitoring and continuous improvement phase whether you achieved your target. Where possible, your target should be meaningful, that is, related to the objectives you have set for yourself. For instance, if your objective is to reduce single occupancy car journeys to work by 5% due to a reduction in available parking spaces, a 5% increase in cycle journeys to work is a logical target to set. What timeframe should be set to achieve targets? Most targets should be able to be achieved within 12 months. This is considered appropriate for the size of your business, and is a time frame that can be used to align with business planning. Which staff should lead each action? You will find that in many cases these people choose themselves. Experience over time has shown that travel plan actions are achieved by people who “champion” the process within the workplace. For instance, you may have a passionate cyclist in your workplace who will take up the challenge of implementing actions relating to a target to increase cycle journeys to work. Where a travel “champion” is not immediately obvious, the support of senior management will prove vital in leading by example. Implementation Phase
Who should be invited to the launch? It is important that everyone affected by the travel plan knows about the launch. It therefore makes sense to invite all your employees to a launch and ensure that all senior management attends. How can progress be reported? Results in achieving actions can be reported through formal business processes. For instance, in the regular review of work programmes by employers and staff. This will also allow an assessment of the time input required to implement actions when planning for future activities and actions. Progress can then be reported back to the wider workplace more informally to celebrate success. Monitoring & Continuous Improvement Phase
How can I receive recognition for achieving targets? A recognition and accreditation scheme is being developed by ARTA and SBN. This scheme will award accreditation on the basis of your progress. In order to be eligible for accreditation, it is important that you complete the follow up survey. This will provide a record that forms the basis of assessment once the accreditation scheme is up and running. What are the benefits of completing TravelWise? Listed below are just some of the benefits of completing the TravelWise process:
|
|||
