CommuteCon 2019

Phillip Kobernick, the acting logistics services manager for Alameda County, offered his valuable insights on the unique needs of government employers in developing and launching transportation programs for their employees.

Much of Phillip’s work focuses on Alameda County’s vehicle fleet and parking programs, and his agency has faced growing demand for limited parking facilities. This issue arises very frequently among public-sector employers, who do not typically have the discretionary funding or even the space to accommodate increased parking demand by building new facilities. Phillip played an instrumental role in the creation and launch of an innovative pilot program designed to reduce parking demand.

The key way to reduce parking demand is to cut down on the number of employee-owned vehicles that require on-site parking on a daily basis. Cash-out programs offer an effective solution, as they deliver immediate financial benefits to commuters who voluntarily relinquish their parking privileges on a temporary or permanent basis.

Through a partnership with RideAmigos, Alameda County developed a unique program to address soaring demand for limited parking at a facility it owned. The venue’s parking facility has about 700 permit holders, with a seven-year wait list for monthly parking permits. 

Unlike many other parking cash-out programs, Phillip’s idea does not require employees to give up their parking privileges. Instead, it focuses on the price differential between employee parking and public visitor parking. Employees enjoy far lower parking rates, which are less than half of the public rate. In partnership with RideAmigos, Phillip found a way to strategically monetize that gap:

• Ask employees to opt out of their parking privileges before 7 a.m. on a work day if they do not need their parking spot
• Their daily parking rate gets banked and refunded at the end of the quarter
• The parking garage resells the available parking spot at the higher public rate, creating a win-win situation
• The parking cash-out initiative is integrated with the rest of Alameda County’s TDM program

While this innovative pilot program is still in its early stages, it leverages proven transportation demand management strategies. To learn more, be sure to view Phillip’s full CommuteCon presentation.