| NEW
YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY IMPROVES
MOBILITY FOR MOTORISTS -- AND EMPLOYEES
At 641 miles, the New York State Thruway is the longest toll superhighway
system in the United States, crossing New York State to connect
Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany and New York City and providing its customers
-- the traveling public -- with efficient, effective and safe passage.
Through a continual program of road improvements, along with programs
such as the EZ-Pass electronic toll collection system, the Thruway
Authority works to improve mobility for motorists.
The Authority’s New York Division office focuses on the roadway
in the lower Hudson Valley, including the Tappan Zee Bridge which
is located on one of the busiest and most heavily traveled corridors
in the state. So when the New York Division decided to cross the
Tappan Zee and relocate its own offices from Tarrytown to Suffern,
Division Director Ramesh Mehta teamed with the Rockland County Department
of Transportation and MetroPool, Inc., a New York State Department
of Transportation-supported, non-profit, regional transportation
management company, to identify ways to improve the commute for
his staff.
The commute alternatives package developed for the Suffern staff
has successfully reduced single occupancy vehicle commuting by Thruway
staff, contributed to a reduction in congestion in the corridor
and earned the Authority a nomination for the US Environmental Protection
Agency’s designation as a Best Workplace for Commuters.
"When your organization’s mission is to meet the needs of
the motoring public with safe, convenient and accessible travel,
there is a responsibility not only to encourage others to choose
commute alternatives, but also to improve your own staff’s
commute in ways that can help reduce congestion on an overtaxed
road network," said Michael Fleischer, Executive Director, New York
State Thruway Authority. The New York Division’s new employee
commute program is now serving as a pilot project for the Thruway
Authority in other areas of the state.
A Transportation Information Day hosted by the New York State Thruway
Authority and organized by MetroPool at the New York Division’s
offices in Suffern was opened to neighboring businesses, and those
in attendance learned their commuting options. MetroPool’s
mobility experts explained the free services that were available
-- including support for creating car and vanpools for commuters.
While some Thruway Authority staff signed on for carpools via MetroPool’s
ride-matching service, others opted for a new bus service that would
be run by Rockland County DOT and subsidized by the Thruway Authority.
For Helen Scrivanos, a secretary with the Thruway Authority’s
New York Division, the daily commute by bus means arriving at work
relaxed and unstressed. "The hardest part of my commute now is getting
from home to the bus stop," she explained. "The new service was
a big help when we moved -- there’s no reason to drive when
you have a convenient service that is easy to use."
"We started with 2 employees signing up for the bus, and that grew
to 4, then 6, then 8 -- now we have about 10 who take the bus to
and from Tarrytown every day," added Mehta. The bus makes two runs
daily, leaving Tarrytown at 7:30 and 8:00 a.m., and returning at
4:00 and 4:30 p.m. each evening. "We promote this service to our
employees, and support their use of transit -- that serves as a
strong incentive to use public transportation."
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