HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2304-1356CITY OF PALO ALTO
CITY COUNCIL
Special Meeting
Monday, May 22, 2023
Council Chambers & Hybrid
5:30 PM
Agenda Item
11.Palo Alto Transportation Management Association 2022 Annual Report, Strategic Plan,
and Commute Survey
City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Transportation
Meeting Date: May 22, 2023
Report #:2304-1356
TITLE
Palo Alto Transportation Management Association 2022 Annual Report, Strategic Plan, and
Commute Survey
RECOMMENDATION
This is an information report, and no action is required.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (TMA) implements programs to reduce
single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips to and from Palo Alto. The funding agreement between the
Palo Alto TMA and the City restricts the use of City funds to trip reduction programs in the
Downtown and California Avenue areas only and requires the TMA to report on the use of these
funds. The attached Annual Report covers the 2022 calendar year, detailing how public funds
were spent to support SOV trip reduction in the Downtown and California Ave districts, including
the results of the Fall 2022 Commute Survey. The attachment also includes the 2023 TMA
Strategic Business Plan.
BACKGROUND
Following direction from the City Council in 2013, staff worked to develop transportation demand
management (TDM) strategies to encourage alternatives to solo driving as part of a multi-faceted
effort to address traffic and parking concerns in the downtown area and the city at large. The
development of a TMA for Palo Alto was a key component of this approach, which the City initially
funded through a $499,880 contract with consultants Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc.1 After the
TMA was formed in January 2016, this contract continued to fund the sub-consultant services of
the TMA’s part-time executive director. The TMA hired permanent part-time staff in April 2018.
1 CMR #4766: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/43344
In June 2016, Council authorized the City Manager to formalize the provision of additional City
funding for TMA programs by executing a funding agreement between the City of Palo Alto, the
Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF), and the Palo Alto TMA.2 Because the TMA was not
yet an approved Section 501(c)(3) organization (its application was pending with the Internal
Revenue Service), the TMA operated as a program of SVCF. SVCF held and administered a fund
restricted to specific charitable purposes and had legal discretion and control over the restricted
account. When the TMA received its formal 501(c)(3) status, SVCF ceased to be the organization’s
program sponsor and to act as the TMA’s fiscal agent.
The 2016 funding agreement approved by Council provided $100,000 to the TMA for programs
to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) commute trips to and from downtown Palo Alto. Under
a subsequent amendment, the City provided an additional $100,000 to support the TMA’s work
in 2017. The City Council adopted a Fiscal Year 2018 budget that included $480,000 for the Palo
Alto TMA to continue to support its efforts to reduce SOV commute trips using a variety of
strategies. An amended and restated agreement signed in 2017 incorporated this approved
funding, extended the agreement’s term and set forth the parties’ obligations over the remaining
years. This 2017 funding agreement delegated authority to the City Manager to amend the
agreement to add funding if the Council chose to budget additional funds for future fiscal years
and to remove the SVCF as a party once the TMA received IRS section 501(c)(3) nonprofit status
and no longer required SVCF to act as the TMA’s fiscal agent. In December 2018, the agreement
was amended to incorporate additional funds allocated for FY 2019 and to reflect the fact that
the SVCF no longer serves as the financial agent for the TMA now that the TMA is a non-profit.
In April 2019, the Finance Committee received a presentation from the TMA and provided
feedback on the TMA Strategic Plan.3 On May 15, 2019, the Finance Committee recommended
an increase in employee parking permit rates to provide the TMA with additional funding of up
to $180,000, for a total of $660,000 annually. On June 17, 2019, the Council voted to increase the
FY20 budget recommendation by $90,000 from the University Avenue Parking Permit Fund for a
total amount of $750,000. In July 2019, the agreement was amended to reflect the Council’s
appropriation of $750,000 for FY 2020. That agreement expired on June 30, 2020.
An informational report transmitted to Council on May 26, 2020, included the 2019 TMA Annual
Report, comprising commute program data, results and analysis of the Fall 2019 Downtown
Commute Survey, and a summary of the 2020 Strategic Business Plan4. In that month, the Council
considered its annual budget during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, which also aligned
with a lower funding request by the TMA in May, the Council voted to appropriate a reduced
funding level of $453,000 for the TMA in FY 2021, and approved the use of City funds for the
2 CMR #6823: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/52687
3 Report #10198: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/70194,
Presentation: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?t=63435.61&BlobID=70664
4 Report #11307: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?t=64175.41&BlobID=76770
TMA’s programs in the California Avenue Business District as well as the Downtown.5 Funding
was provided under the new proposed funding agreement but was reduced further based on a
November 2020 TMA request for $350,000. A new funding agreement was signed in 2020
reflecting Council’s appropriation of $350,000 in FY 2021. This agreement expires in FY 2023 and
again delegates authority to the City Manager to amend the agreement to add funding if Council
budgets more funds. In June of 2021, Council allocated $150,000 in funds for the TMA for FY
2022. In June of 2022, Council allocated $200,000 in funds for the TMA for FY 2023.
DISCUSSION
Regular reports are required under the TMA’s funding agreement with the City. In the past year,
the TMA has used City funds to purchase transit passes for low-income workers, supporting their
use of transit, and to subsidize other programs such as carpooling, biking, and ride-share aimed
at increasing all Downtown and California Avenue commuters’ use of alternative modes of
transportation. The attached Annual Report covers the 2022 calendar year, detailing how public
funds were spent to support SOV trip reduction in Downtown, including the results of the Fall
2022 Downtown Commute Survey. The attachment also includes a summary of the 2023-2026
TMA Strategic Business Plan.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
The funding agreement between the City and the TMA requires that the TMA strategic plan be
regularly updated. In addition, the transportation demand management (TDM) services provided
by the TMA are consistent with the following Comprehensive Plan policies and programs:
Policy T-1.1 Take a comprehensive approach to reducing single-occupant vehicle trips by
involving those who live, work and shop in Palo Alto in developing strategies that make it easier
and more convenient not to drive.
Policy T-1.2 Collaborate with Palo Alto employers and business owners to develop, implement
and expand comprehensive programs like the TMA to reduce single-occupant vehicle commute
trips, including through incentives.
Program T1.2.1 Create a long-term education program to change the travel habits of residents,
visitors, shoppers and workers by informing them about transportation alternatives, incentives
and impacts. Work with the PAUSD and with other public and private interests, such as the
Chamber of Commerce and Commuter Wallet partners, to develop and implement this program.
5 Report #11376: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/76803,
Action Minutes: https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?t=48631.05&BlobID=77870
Program T1.2.4 Evaluate the performance of pilot programs implemented by the Palo Alto
Transportation Management Association and pursue expansion from Downtown to California
Avenue and other areas of the city when appropriate.
Program T1.2.6 Pursue full participation of Palo Alto employers in the TMA.
Policy T-1.13 Encourage services that complement and enhance the transportation options
available to help Palo Alto residents and employees make first/last mile connections and travel
within the city for daily needs without using a single-occupancy vehicle, including shuttle, taxi
and ridesharing services.
Policy T-2.2 As part of the effort to reduce traffic congestion, seek ongoing funding and engage
employers to operate and expand TMAs to address transportation and parking issues as
appropriate in the City’s employment districts.
Program T2.2.1 Work in partnership with the Palo Alto TMA and Stanford University to aggregate
data and realize measurable reductions in single-occupant vehicle commuting to and from
Downtown and in the Stanford Research Park.
Policy T-5.5 Minimize the need for employees to park in and adjacent to commercial centers,
employment districts and schools.
Program T7.1.1 Expand transportation opportunities for transit-dependent riders by supporting
discounts for taxi fares, rideshare services and transit, by coordinating transit systems to be
shared by multiple senior housing developments, by maintaining a database of volunteer drivers
and other transit options.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
This item is an informational report and has no resource impact. Funding for the TMA is sourced
from the University Avenue Parking Fund and is subject to City Council approval through the
annual budget process. The current funding agreement is a three-year agreement expiring at the
end of FY 2023 (June 30, 2023). Any additional funds to be paid to TMA for FY 2024 would require
Council appropriation and amendment of the agreement. The City Manager is authorized to
amend the agreement to incorporate any additional Council appropriated funds. The FY 2024
budget includes recommended funding for the TMA consistent with the prior year level.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Monthly Palo Alto TMA Board of Directors meetings are open to the public and occur from 9:00
- 10:00am on the third Thursday of the month. Information about board meetings can be found
at the Palo Alto TMA website: https://www.paloaltotma.org/
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: 2022 Palo Alto TMA Annual Report, Strategic Plan, and Commute Survey
APPROVED BY:
Philip Kamhi, Chief Transportation Official
April 20, 2023
Palo Alto City Councilmembers
Subject: Three PATMA budget scenarios for FY 2024
Dear City Councilmembers,
Please find below three different PATMA budget scenarios for the next fiscal year. As you know, we
received a generous allocation of 216 Caltrain passes through the GoPass Donation Program for 2023.
These three scenarios offer varying levels of bus passes, Bike Love incentives, refurbished bike
distribution, and part-time contract labor that will further alleviate traffic congestion and demand for
parking in Palo Alto.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards,
Justine Burt
Executive Director, Palo Alto Transportation Management Association
2022 Annual Report
January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2022
Submitted to the Palo Alto City Council for the PATMA Study Session
Prepared by:
Palo Alto Transportation Management Association
855 El Camino Real #13A-200, Palo Alto, CA 94301
www.paloaltotma.org
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .....................................................................................................................1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................1
PATMA Staff ................................................................................................................................2
Board of Directors .......................................................................................................................3
City of Palo Alto Priorities ............................................................................................................3
Top Five Accomplishments in 2022 .............................................................................................4
PATMA Programs ........................................................................................................................4
Benefits of PATMA Programs ......................................................................................................6
Program Results ..........................................................................................................................7
Testimonials ................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................13
1
2022 Annual Report
Executive Summary
The past year has been a time of rebuilding for the Palo Alto Transportation Management
Association (PATMA). Essential workers PATMA primarily serves figured out how to navigate
the challenges of COVID while office workers settled into a hybrid schedule of commuting and
telework. Throughout it all, PATMA continued supporting workers who needed to commute to
their workplaces with existing programs while adding new pilot programs as well.
In 2022, PATMA diverted 147 single-occupancy vehicles from city streets, avoided 887,415
vehicle miles travelled, and reduced greenhouse gases by 365 tons by providing free transit
passes and after-hour Lyft rides. PATMA also rolled out two new programs to encourage active
mobility commuting: a $5/day reward for biking to work and a refurbished bicycle program for
essential workers. With this work, PATMA supported three of the 2022 Palo Alto City Council’s
four priorities: economic recovery, climate change, and community health.
Further streamlining of administrative activities and bolstering of oversight and governance
happened in 2022. PATMA more than doubled the size of its board from three to seven
members with expanded representation from the hospitality and technology industries as well
as the residential sector.
With a foundation of dedicated staff, a committed board of directors, and the generous
financial support of the City of Palo Alto, PATMA looks forward to expanding pilot programs
that were begun in 2022 and growing its impact among the community in 2023.
Introduction
The Palo Alto TMA is a non-profit working to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips, traffic
congestion and demand for parking by delivering targeted transportation solutions to Palo
Alto’s diverse range of employers, employees, visitors, and residents. Financial support for this
work comes primarily from the City of Palo Alto’s University Avenue and California Avenue
parking fund. This funding allows PATMA to provide free transit passes and after-hours Lyft
rides chiefly to low wage service sector workers in the two main commercial districts of Palo
Alto.
The pandemic that hit in March 2020, dealt a blow to mass transit when more essential workers
who had to be physically present to do their jobs shifted to driving to work. Figure 1 shows the
precipitous drop in transit passes in early 2020 and the steady rebuilding of transit ridership
since then.
2
Figure 1: Transit Passes Purchased Q4 2019 – Q4 20221
As society learned to navigate the health and safety challenges C OVID posed, PATMA worked to
rebuild mass transit ridership.
At the same time workers fled mass transit, many people took up bicycling for commuting and
exercise. Building on the increased interest in bicycling, the $100,000 grant PATMA secured
from the Transportation Research Board allowed PATMA and the tech startup Motion to
develop an app to encourage Palo Alto workers to try active mobility commuting.
This work and further details about PATMA’s impacts in 2022 are provided below.
PATMA Staff
PATMA is a non-profit staffed with contractors from ALTRANS TMA Inc., a firm specializing in
transportation demand management. Part-time staff working for PATMA include:
● Justine Burt, Executive Director, PATMA
● Sana Ahmed, Program Coordinator, PATMA
● Stephen Blaylock, President, ALTRANS TMA Inc.
● Andrew Ridley, Chief Operating Officer, ALTRANS TMA Inc.
1 Numbers do not include Caltrain passes from the GoPass Donation Program
3
Board of Directors
In 2022, PATMA doubled the size of its board with four new members. Representatives from
the hospitality, technology and residential sectors helped diversify our board whose members
include:
● Cedric de la Beaujardiere, OpenGov
● Brad Ehikian, Premier Properties (Board Chair)
● Rob George, Philz Coffee (Treasurer)
● Philip Kamhi, City of Palo Alto
● Vincent Lobono, Amazon
● Sebastian Mafla, Sheraton
● Shannon Rose McEntee, retired
The board meets monthly on the third Thursday at 9:00am and efficiently works through one
hour of agenda items. Nearly all board members regularly attend. The public is encouraged to
join these virtual meetings which happen at this link.
City of Palo Alto Priorities
While the original motivations for the Palo Alto City Council to create PATMA were to alleviate
traffic congestion, reduce demand for parking downtown, and enhance the quality of life in
Palo Alto; each year, PATMA overlays the City Council’s stated priorities for the year to guide its
work. In 2022, the City Council’s stated priorities were:
1. Economic Recovery and Transition
2. Climate Change – Protection and Adaptation
3. Housing for Social and Economic Balance
4. Community Health and Safety
PATMA’s work supports three of these priorities: economic recovery, community health, and
climate change.
Sustainability/Climate Action Plan
The City of Palo Alto is a leader on climate change. In 2022, the City’s Sustainability/Climate
Action Plan (S/CAP) ad hoc committee held several public meetings to develop a plan to meet
the City’s overarching 80x30 goal – to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% below 1990
levels by the year 2030. One goal within the S/CAP plan that PATMA programs help realize is
“increasing the mode share for active transportation (walking, biking) and transit from 19% to
40% of local work trips by 2030.” As 61.9% of Palo Alto’s GHG emissions come from the
transportation sector, PATMA is positioned to play a key role in facilitating GHG gas emission
reductions by raising awareness about the benefits of mode shift, offering commute
counseling, and providing incentives for mode shift.
4
Top Five Accomplishments in 2022
The first year of the pandemic, the number of essential workers requesting transit passes fell
dramatically. Since then PATMA has been rebuilding the program. In this spirit, the following
are PATMA’s top five accomplishments in 2022.
1. Rebuilt the program from a low of 28 people in May 2020 to a high of 165 served in
October 2022.
2. Further streamlined program administration of Clipper Cards: processing new requests,
communicating about pass renewals, purchasing new passes, replacing lost passes,
monitoring accounts, and distributing new passes.
3. Received 49 and then 75 free Caltrain passes from the GoPass Donation Program to
distribute to low wage service sector workers in 2022.
4. Applied for and was accepted to receive 216 free Caltrain GoPasses to distribute in 2023
which will reduce PATMA’s transit pass costs next year.
5. Developed and tested an innovative app that provides $5/day rewards to workers who
commute by active mobility mode.
PATMA Programs
With funding from the University Avenue Parking
Fund and the California Avenue Parking Fund,
PATMA provides free Clipper Cards loaded with
monthly passes for Caltrain, VTA buses , SamTrans
buses and Dumbarton Transbay buses and also
offers after-hours Lyft rides of less than five miles.
At this time, participation is limited to people who
work in the University Ave Downtown and
California Ave area.
Service sector workers who receive transit passes
work primarily in food service, retail, and
accommodation. Light office workers who receive
transit passes or accrue Bike Love rewards staff
Palo Alto’s dentist, doctor, accounting, and law
offices, and banks.
Programs with income thresholds
Train and bus passes
Transit pass benefits are provided to employees
earning less than $70,000 per year who work in the
Downtown and Cal Ave areas.
Figure 2: Testimonial from Oscar Gonzalez
“Taking the train is a safer way to commute. I
work long hours. Instead of driving home in
traffic when I’m tired, I get to relax on the
train.”
Oscar Gonzalez, The Westin
5
Pilot: Refurbished bicycles
In 2022, PATMA created a Memorandum of Understanding with the local non-profit Bike
Exchange for a pilot program to provide refurbished bicycles and safety gear to three essential
workers. This pilot is open to workers making less than $70,000/year. Figure 3 shows one Palo
Alto-based hospitality worker receiving his “new” bicycle from the Executive Director of Bike
Exchange, Andrew Yee.
Figure 3: Essential worker Rene Rivera Rosales taking delivery of his refurbished bicycle from Palo Alto -
based non-profit Bike Exchange
Programs without income thresholds
Lyft after-hours rides of less than five miles
PATMA currently offers Lyft rides for workers commuting less than five miles early morning or
late night.
Pilot: Bike Love rewards
With a $100,000 grant from the Transportation Research Board, funding that PATMA identified
and secured, the non-profit developed and piloted a “Bike Love” mobile app. Bike Love provides
daily incentives for active mode first-mile commute trips to transit and active mode commutes
from home to work, up to $600 per year per commuter. Automated travel mode detection
identifies bike, e-bike, e-scooter, and e-skateboard trips. Commute trips are verified to stop or
start within geofences at 30 Caltrain stations and two Palo Alto job centers. Incentive dollars
6
are instantly redeemable at local merchants via reloadable Apple/Google Wallet Virtual Visa
cards, a new type of payment card.
Sixty-seven percent of incentive dollars are currently spent in Palo Alto, in support of the City
Council’s 2022 priority for economic recovery. Over the next few months, the app developer
Motion will continue to collect merchant identification numbers whi ch will allow the app at
some point in the future to restrict reward redemptions to Palo Alto businesses only thus
recycling all program reward funding back into the local economy.
Initially, Bike Love incentivized active mobility habits by offering $2.50/day but then raised the
reward to $5/day. This increase met with enthusiastic support from the workers the app sought
to motivate.
Figures 4 and 5 provide screenshots of the app’s interface and geofencing capabilities.
Figure 4: Bike Love App Interface
Figure 5: A Bike Love Geofenced Area
For a quick overview video of the app, please visit this link: Bike Love in 80 seconds (video)
Benefits of PATMA Programs
While PATMA programs save service workers money on their commutes, many other benefits
of these programs accrue to local businesses, workers, City government, and Palo Alto
residents.
7
Businesses
For business owners and managers, PATMA’s mode shift work gives them a competitive
advantage over similar businesses in nearby cities. Free transit passes help shops and
restaurants attract and retain workers in competitive industries.
Workers
Workers who stop driving not only save money on variable personal vehicle costs such as
gasoline, maintenance, and repairs, they also avoid the expense of potential parking tickets,
and escape the stress of having to drive in traffic congestion. The workers who commute by
active modes enjoy the benefits of exercise that allow them to arrive at work energized and
refreshed.
City of Palo Alto
Municipal governments impact the wellbeing of residents and workers within the city’s
boundaries, and PATMA’s programs on the City’s behalf reduce traffic congestion, free up
parking spaces downtown, and enhance the quality of life for residents by reducing the number
of cars parked in neighborhoods.
Program Results
The results of the TMA’s program management, outreach, and program operation labor in
Figures 6 – 10 depict the number of SOV commuters shifted, number of transit passes
distributed at specific businesses in Palo Alto, the cost per SOV avoided, the number of avoided
vehicle miles travelled, and tons of greenhouse gas reduced.
Figure 6: Number of Commuters Diverted from Single-Occupancy Vehicles
Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022
Transit passes 132.7 143.0 140.0 158.3
Lyft 4.2 4.4 3.2 3.7
Total 136.9 147.4 143.2 162.0
Averaging the number of commuters diverted from single-occupancy vehicles over the four quarters
yields 147, a number which does not include Caltrain GoPasses. Figure 7, however, does include transit
passes purchased and GoPasses donated.
8
Figure 7: Number of Transit Passes (174) Distributed by Employer in December 2022
Organization Transit
passes
Organization Transit
passes
Organization Transit
passes
Sheraton/Westin 38 Starbucks 2 MNT STUDIO 1
Nobu Hotel 10 Walgreens 2 Nidhi Pai, DMD 1
Coupa Café 9 Watercourse Way Spa 2 Nola Restaurant & Bar 1
Patagonia 8 Yayoi 2 Onigilly 1
Crepevine 5 Zola + BarZola 2 PAMF - MIDA Industries 1
Palo Alto Bicycles 5 Arya Steakhouse 1 Peninsula Creamery 1
Verve 5 Bell's Books 1 Pizz'a Chicago 1
Whole Foods Market 5 BitGo 1 RERI 1
Protege Restaurant 4 Buca di Beppo 1 Smiles By Pai 1
Rooh 4 City National Bank 1 Summit bicycles 1
West Elm 4 Coconuts Caribbean 1 The Hamilton 1
Sephora 4 Connie Ho MD 1
Oren's Hummus Shop 3 Creamery 1
Sweetgreen 3 Downtown Kindercare 1
Webster House 3 Guckenheimer: Palo Alto Club 1
Apple 3 Gong Cha 1
Ettan 2 HanaHaus 1
Joya Restaurant 2 HPS Architecture 1
Lytton Gardens 2 Lee Optometrics 1
Pastis 2 Imagina Daycare 1
Patxi's Pizza 2 Kris Hamamoto DDS, Inc. 1
Philz Coffee 2 La Bodeguita del Medio 1
Reposado 2 Lima Ruby Restaurant 1
San Agus Cocina 2 Marriott 1
Figure 8: Cost per SOV Avoided per Year
Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022
Transit pass subsidy – pass outlay $742 $799 $940 $1,071
Lyft program $2,512 $2,595 $2,591 $2,599
Figure 9: Avoided Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT)
Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022
Transit pass subsidy 204,031 219,923 215,309 243,504
Waze carpool2 955 0 0 0
Lyft 915 1,044 812 924
Total VMT reduced 205,901 220,966 216,120 244,428
Totaled for the 2022 calendar year, PATMA programs reduced vehicle miles traveled by
887,415.
2 Waze discontinued service in March 2022.
9
Figure 10: Greenhouse Gases Reduced (tons)
Q1 2022 Q2 2022 Q3 2022 Q4 2022
Transit passes. Waze carpool, and Lyft 85 91 89 100
In CY 2022, PATMA reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 365 tons.
Testimonials
The following feedback from employees of local businesses show s how much PATMA’s
programs mean to the community.
Figures 11 – 14: Essential Worker Testimonials
“I ride from Redwood City to Cal Ave daily. I love the
ease, and calmness of the train. It’s fast and
economical. No worries about traffic or gas prices or
wear and tear on my car. I’ve convinced my coworker
to use the program as well. Let’s keep helping the
environment and enjoying the ride!”
Kimberly Koch, Dion Health
“The benefits of having a transit pass are that I can
avoid traffic and it’s fast. Taking transit saves me
money so I have more to take care of my family.”
Geraldo Valencia, Whole Foods
10
“The train from San Jose is faster than driving. Not
being in bumper-to-bumper traffic reduces the stress
of my commute.”
Alan Kayser, Palo Alto Bicycles
“When I have to drive to work from Belmont I wish I
was on the train. The Belmont Caltrain station is
conveniently down the hill and then when I go home I
get exercise biking up the hill. Plus it’s fun taking the
train home on Friday afternoon because people are
happy it’s the weekend.”
Rene Rivera Rosales, Sheraton
Budget
The non-profit demonstrated program results which helped to grow its City funding allocation
until 2020 when the pandemic altered commuting habits and parking fund revenues fell
dramatically. Figure 15 shows the history of PATMA’s funding allocations since FY 2016.
11
Figure 15: PATMA Funding Since Inception
Since 2020, PATMA has worked hard to do more with less and build back the number of
workers it supports with mode shift. Figure 16 shows income sources and expenditures in 2022.
Figure 16: Detailed 2022 Income and Expenses
Management tasks include program oversight, communications with stakeholders, finance and
accounting activities, managing board meetings, maintaining 501c3 non -profit status, tax filing,
and pursuing business development opportunities to diversify funding sources .
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
12
Program operation labor involves processing new transit pass requests, communicating about
pass renewals, purchasing new passes, replacing lost passes, distributing new passes, and
monitoring accounts.
Figures 17 and 18 provide pie charts that show details of income and expenses.
Figure 17: Overview of 2022 Income
Figure 18: Overview of 2022 Expenses
13
Conclusion
When PATMA staff drop off new transit passes for essential workers, staff regularly hear
expressions of gratitude about how the transit passes improve workers’ quality of life, allow
them to stay focused at work, and reduce their family’s transportation costs. Helping people is
part of what makes mode shift work gratifying for the non-profit’s staff, but there is more to be
done with the on-going guidance of the board of directors and the City of Palo Alto’s generous
support.
PATMA’s staff and board will continue to look for ways to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce
demand for parking, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting and engaging local
businesses, their workers, the City of Palo Alto, and residents. In 2023, an expansion of the
refurbished bike pilot, growing the number of active Bike Love users, and distributing Caltrain’s
substantial allocation of 216 GoPasses for 2023 are the main ways PATMA will build on its
successful programs and deepen its impact next year.
Three Year Strategic Plan
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Submitted to the Palo Alto City Council for the PATMA Study Session
Prepared by:
Palo Alto Transportation Management Association
855 El Camino Real #13A-200, Palo Alto, CA 94301
www.paloaltotma.org
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1
PATMA Programs .................................................................................................................................... 2
Value of Palo Alto TMA ............................................................................................................................ 4
Three-Year Strategic Planning .................................................................................................................. 4
Workplan ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Budget Projections .................................................................................................................................. 8
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 10
1
PATMA’s Three Year Strategic Plan
July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026
Executive Summary
The Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA) supports local businesses with
transportation demand management programs that help companies attract and retain workers:
free transit passes, rewards for active mobility commutes, and after-hours Lyft rides less than
five miles. For the past three years, PATMA has been rebuilding from a pandemic-induced 90%
drop in transit pass requests in early 2020.
In December 2022, PATMA’s programs resulted in a reduction of demand for 1781 parking
spaces which yields benefits every day, all year. Building on this success, our strategic plan
details the following goals for the next three years.
• Year 1: Rebuilding to pre-pandemic ridership numbers with Caltrain’s generous
allocation of equity-centered transit passes through the GoPass Donation Program;
reducing the cost/single-occupancy vehicle diverted; and growing the number of bicycle
commuters
• Year 2: Diversifying funding sources in order to widen the geographic distribution of
current programs, and expand the types of active mobility program offerings
• Year 3: Tracking and supporting efforts to create a seamless, integrated low -carbon
transportation system in the Bay Area
With this plan in mind, PATMA requests City funding of $200,000 for Fiscal Year 2024.
Introduction
The Palo Alto Transportation Management Association
(PATMA) is leading efforts to shape post-pandemic commute
behaviors in town. As some workers settle into a new hybrid
work schedule of return to office and work from home while
essential workers continue to commute to their worksites,
regional traffic is steadily worsening compared to early
pandemic levels.
To help relieve traffic congestion and demand for parking,
PATMA offers information and incentives that encourage
1 Includes transit passes PATMA purchased, Caltrain GoPasses received, and Lyft
Mission
The Palo Alto TMA reduces
single- occupancy vehicle
trips, traffic congestion and
demand for parking by
delivering targeted
transportation solutions to
Palo Alto’s diverse range of
employers, employees,
visitors, and residents.
2
workers to shift out of their single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs) and into low-carbon options such
as trains, buses, or active commute modes.
Building on the foundation of our mission, each year PATMA overlays the City Council’s
strategic priorities to focus our non-profit’s efforts. In January 2023, the Palo Alto City Council
set their strategic priorities for the year:
1. Economic Recovery and Transition
2. Climate Change Protection and Adaptation
3. Housing for Social and Economic Balance
4. Community Health and Safety
PATMA’s programs help address three of these four priorities: economic recovery, climate
change, and community health by providing essential workers – mostly in food service, retail,
and accommodation – with commute counseling, access to free transit passes, rewards for
bicycling to work, and early morning/late night ride-sharing services.
Figure 1 shows the
precipitous drop of
transit pass demand in
early 2020 when the
pandemic hit. Since then,
PATMA has worked to
rebuild transit ridership,
develop new programs,
and diversify funding
sources, while reducing
the cost per SOV
diverted, greenhouse
gases (GHGs), and vehicle
miles traveled (VMT).
PATMA Programs
Programs with income
thresholds
Transit Passes
Currently, PATMA focuses on supporting essential workers in the Downtown and California Ave
commercial districts who make less than $70,000 per year. These workers can receive free
Caltrain, VTA, SamTrans, and Dumbarton Transbay bus passes.
Figure 1: Passes Activated for PATMA Clients
19
6
22
3
24
4 25
3
27
1
25
5
37
28
46
61 62
76 78 80
65
78 84
67
93 10
1 10
5
10
5
10
2
10
3 10
8 11
9 12
9
87 97 95 96 10
7
10
2
95 98
11
0
12
6
11
9
11
5
TRANSIT PASSES ACTIVATED
3
Refurbished Bicycles
In 2022, PATMA piloted a refurbished bicycle program with the local non-profit Bike Exchange.
This program is for essential workers in Palo Alto making less than $70,000/year who would like
to bike to work but do not own a bicycle. If they also need any safety equipment – helmet, lock,
lights – Bike Exchange will include these for each essential worker receiving a refurbished bike.
Programs without income thresholds
After hours Lyft rides
Workers who live less than five miles from work and who need to travel to work early morning
or late night when mass transit is not running can receive a $10 Lyft credit per ride. There is no
income limit for this program.
Bike Love
In 2022, PATMA launched the Bike Love app
which provides $5/day up to $600/year to
workers Downtown and on Cal Ave to
encourage commuters to leave their cars at
home and bike or scooter to work. Unlike the
transit pass program, Bike Love does not apply
income restrictions. The app was designed to
provide attractive financial rewards to all
workers Downtown and on Cal Ave in order to
build active mobility habits. See Figure 2 for a
map of the geofenced areas in which workers
earn rewards. The Bike Love app also geofenced
all 30 Caltrain stations for commuters who
would like credit for biking to Caltrain and taking
the train to work.
Bike Love’s commuter location tracking confirms
bike, e-bike, e-scooter, and e-skateboard trips. Within a few minutes, incentive dollars may be
redeemed by the commuter at local merchants via Apple/Google Wallet electronic debit cards.
As many of the 90 on-boarded Bike Love app users redeem rewards at Palo Alto businesses, app
programmers at Motion collect more merchant identification numbers which will soon allow
the app to restrict transaction authorization to local merchants. This is another way that
PATMA supports local businesses and multiplies program impact.
Single-occupancy vehicles diverted
In January 2023, PATMA reduced demand for 140 parking spaces by helping service workers in
Palo Alto access train and bus passes, and early morning/late night Lyft rides. Details about
PATMA’s January 2023 metrics includes:
Figure 2: Geofenced Areas for Bike Love Rewards
4
• Caltrain (50)
• GoPass (only) (19) 2
• GoPass + VTA (12)
• GoPass + SamTrans (3)
• SamTrans (26)
• VTA (22)
• DBE (3)
• 10 Lyft riders 3
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, PATMA programs eliminated 887,415
vehicle miles traveled and avoided 365 tons of GHGs in support of the City of Palo Alto’s
Sustainability/Climate Action Plan work.
Value of Palo Alto TMA
Competitive Advantage for Local Businesses
Local businesses in the Downtown and Cal Ave areas contribute to the wonderful quality of life
in Palo Alto. In turn, PATMA’s transit pass programs and active mobility programs support local
businesses by giving them a competitive advantage to attract and retain staff. As the primary
funder of PATMA’s cost-effective programs, the City demonstrates its leadership on equity
issues as well as climate change.
Supporting Palo Alto’s Sustainability/Climate Action Plan Work
In 2016, the City of Palo Alto set an ambitious overall GHG emissions reduction goal: 80% below
1990 levels by 2030. As of 2022, the City has reduced emissions to 50.6% below the 1990 level
mainly due to a switch to a fully carbon-free electricity portfolio. To reduce emissions further,
one of Palo Alto’s Sustainability/Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) goals is to increase the mode share
for active transportation modes (walking, biking, and transit) from 19% to 40% of local work
trips by 2030.
Since 61.9% of Palo Alto’s GHG emissions come from the transportation sector, PATMA is
positioned to play a key role in facilitating GHG emission reductions by raising awareness about
the benefits of mode shift, offering commute counseling, and providing incentives for mode
shift.
Three Year Strategic Planning
At meetings in Nov. 2022 through Jan. 2023, PATMA’s Board of Directors conducted strategic
planning for the next three years. Discussion started with an identification of the organization’s
2 In 2022, a large number of GoPasses were donated by a tech company and given to Caltrain to distribute to
community-based organizations working on social equity issues, such as PATMA.
3 Workers who use PATMA’s Lyft service do so infrequently. Lyft rides taken by 10 riders add up a reduction in
demand for 4.9 parking spaces.
5
strengths and weaknesses (internal factors), and opportunities and threats (external factors).
Highlights are listed in Figure 3.
Figure 3: PATMA’s Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) Matrix
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
• Connections to small
businesses
• Speaks on behalf of the
business community
• Saves essential workers money
on their commute
• Accomplishes a lot with few
resources
• Staff retention at businesses is
higher because of PATMA’s
programs
• Not enough
awareness of
PATMA
• Share metrics to
show funding is
used well
• Financial resources
lacking
• PATMA could do
more with more
resources
• PATMA could raise
awareness with
more outreach
• Use volunteers
more
• Potential mass transit
fiscal cliff could result
in service curtailment
• Parking fund impacted
by continued telework
This shared understanding provided the foundation for planning the path forward with goals,
strategies, and objectives for the next three years .
Year 1
Goals
• Support local businesses to speed the economic recovery
• Build PATMA’s transit pass program back to pre-pandemic numbers of SOVs diverted
• Reduce traffic congestion and demand for parking
• Support the S/CAP goals of reducing GHG emissions from transportation and increasing
the number of people commuting by public transit or active mobility
Strategies
• Market PATMA programs and related programs from other agencies (Palo Alto Link on-
demand transit, VTA’s new Guaranteed Ride Home) to managers at local businesses
• Raise awareness about and incentivize active mobility options
• Expand Bike Love and refurbished bike pilots into programs
• Explore interest among workers from East San Jose and Los Banos in VTA vanpools
• Manage cash flow in the face of possible changing conditions
• Train managers at local businesses with the highest number of transit passes about
Clipper Card best practices
• Encourage transit pass users to load Clipper Card onto their phone with the
Clippercard.com app
Objectives
• Expand the number of essential workers commuting by Caltrain to meet the 216 GoPass
allocation from Caltrain for 2023
6
• Measure the number of workers using PATMA’s programs
• Reduce annual cost/SOV diverted ($1,071 in the 4th quarter of 2022)
• Grow the number of active users of Bike Love that use the app at least 3x/week to 100
• Reduce administrative time spent troubleshooting and fixing the most common Clipper
Card problems
• Expand the number of business memberships to three
Year 2
Goals
• Diversify funding sources by seeking grants and service contracts
• Expand PATMA services to parts of Palo Alto beyond Downtown and California Avenue
that are not already covered by employer TDM plans
• Widen program offerings to encourage active commuting
Strategies
• Apply for additional funding from new funding sources interested in supporting GHG
reductions and social equity issues
• Introduce new programs to raise awareness about active mobility travel options
o Bike safety classes
o Active commute route planning
• Connect PATMA programs with S/CAP GHG reduction goals
• Use additional funding sources to offer current and new programs in new markets
Objectives
• Increase the number of Palo Alto businesses that participate in PATMA programs
• Increase the number of active commuters
• Reduce additional tons of GHG emissions
• Expand the number of business memberships to five
Year 3
Goals
• Help move society toward a seamless, integrated transportation system with abundant
electrified and active mobility options
• Save workers money on their transportation costs
• Expand alternative commute programs and leverage other agency’s programs to the
point where workers do not need to own personal vehicles to get to work quickly and
efficiently
Strategies
• Monitor Mobility as a Service developments (new apps to plan and pay for alternative
commute trips)
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• Explore opportunities to develop complementary programs
Objectives
• Number of SOVs diverted
• Cost/SOV diverted
• Tons of GHGs reduced
Workplan
Year 1
In the next year, PATMA is planning to rebuild back to the pre-pandemic level of SOV diversion,
lower the cost/SOV diverted, and diversify funding sources. The following six tasks are planned
for FY 2024:
• Create a marketing plan
• Promote train and bus passes, the Bike Love app, and refurbished bicycle program
• Provide commute counseling
• Distribute train and bus passes and troubleshoot administrative problems
• Expand the number of active Bike Love app users
• Conduct the 2023 commute survey
The timeframe for each task is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Year 1 Workplan
7/
23
8/
23
9/
23
10/
23
11/
23
12/
23
1/
24
2/
24
3/
24
4/
24
5/
24
6/
24
Task 1 – Marketing plan
Task 2 – Program promotion
Task 3 – Commute counseling
Task 4 – Administer transit passes
Task 5 – Expand # of Bike Love users
Task 6 – Commute survey
Year 2
City funds currently allocated to PATMA limit their use to the Downtown and California Avenue
business districts only. In FY 2025, City funding may be available from the city-wide business tax
that passed in November 2022. If the City provided PATMA with business tax funding, PATMA
could expand its reach citywide to serve essential workers in Midtown, and along El Camino
Real and San Antonio Rd. Both Midtown and El Camino Real are well-served by transit and offer
a significant opportunity to reduce congestion and realize mode shift .
We will continue to track developments of the Caltrain electrification project which will attract
additional riders once it is complete and explore possible new ways to educa te and incentivize
8
workers about first/last mile travel options. We will also continue to monitor developments for
Mobility as a Service apps that help riders more efficiently plan, pay for, and transfer between
multiple commute modes, as well as the Seamless Bay Area project, and support development
of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan Update .
Year 3
In FY 2026, we will identify service gaps to develop new programs and implement emerging
mobility technology while continuing to expand programs that divert SOVs and reduce traffic
congestion Downtown, in the Cal Ave business district, and in other parts of the city. We will
expand active mobility programs for commuters who live less than 10 miles from work.
Budget Projections
Budget History
Looking back at funding levels since the start of the Palo Alto TMA, the program grew over
several years and demonstrated cost-effective successes with SOV diversion, GHG reductions,
and VMT reductions until the pandemic hit. Figure 5 shows historic budget trends.
Figure 5: PATMA Funding Since Inception
Budget for FY 2024
As we seek to re-build program participation, PATMA’s funding request for FY 2024 is $200,000.
Reasons that factor into this funding level request include:
• University Ave Parking Fund revenues are down from pre-pandemic levels, and it is
unclear when they will rebound.
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023
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• PATMA core customer base is the frontline essential employees working in food service,
retail, and hospitality with subsidies of transit passes, bicycling rewards, and early
morning/late night rides outside of transit service hours.
• Many tech and government agency staff have returned to office at least one or two days
per week but most already have employer-provided TDM programs.
With cost of living adjustments from the FY 2023 budget, the allocation of triple the number of
GoPasses available from Caltrain, and income of $200,000 from the City of Palo Alto, PATMA
projects the following budget for FY 2024 in Figure 6.
Figure 6: FY 2024 Budget Projection
As circumstances change, PATMA has the ability to adjust our income and expenses through
various financial levers.
● Reducing labor costs
● Reducing program costs via throttling
● Requesting additional GoPasses from Caltrain and large employers in the area
● Increasing grant writing and philanthropic fundraising
● Growing our fee-for-TDM planning and program administration business
● Identifying the feasibility of short-term loans
Compared to other TMAs in the Bay Area, PATMA’s labor costs are lower. PATMA will continue
to operate in a lean manner and make effective use of our budget to maximize impact.
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Budget Scenarios for 2023-2024
While PATMA’s FY 2024 budget request is for $200,000, with higher levels of funding, PATMA
could serve more people with transit passes, Lyft early morning/late night rides home, and
bicycle incentives. Consider Figure 7 which provides the return on investment for various levels
of funding that will result in a reduction of demand for 346, 401, or 456 parking spaces.
Figure 7: Return on Investment for Various Levels of Funding
Conclusion
In support of the local economic recovery, over the next three years PATMA will look for opportunities
to continue to deliver cost-effective programs for service sector and light office workers that reduce
traffic congestion and demand for parking in Palo Alto. PATMA will leverage complementary programs
by other agencies such as Caltrain’s GoPass Donation Program and VTA’s Guaranteed Ride Home
program that enable mode shift to low-carbon commute modes.
Many public and private organizations are working hard to facilitate a future seamless, integrated low-
carbon transportation system in the Bay Area that will lower personal transportation costs and reduce
11
GHG emissions. PATMA will continue to monitor developments in these areas in support of local
businesses and their employees.
2022 COMMUTE SURVEY REPORT
for
December 2022
Prepared by:
ALTRANS TMA Inc
302 Toyon Ave, Suite F -MS 410
San Jose, CA 95127
www.altrans.net
2
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Survey Population ................................................................................................................................... 2
Survey Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 3
Results .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Key Insights ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 17
1
Executive Summary
In September and October 2022, the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA)
team surveyed workers at hundreds of organizations in the University Avenue Downtown
(Downtown) and California Avenue (Cal Ave) areas to learn about their commute ha bits and
preferences. The team conducted online and in-person surveys in English and Spanish through
door-to-door canvassing, mass texting, cold calling, and email follow-up. This document provides
the highlights of the survey findings.
The two main objectives of the commute survey were to raise awareness of PATMA programs
and determine which workers in Downtown and Cal Ave were open to shifting their commute
from single occupancy vehicles to mass transit or active mobility.
Among the 511 respondents, Figure 1 shows the percentage of respondents from the four main
sectors Downtown and on Cal Ave: government, light office, service, and tech.
Figure 2 below shows the primary mode workers use to commute each week. More than half of
the workers who participated in the survey shared that their primary commute mode is a single
occupancy vehicle.
26%
16%48%
10%
Figure 1 -Survey Respondents by Industry
Government Light Office Service Tech
2
Data collected in the 2022 commute survey informs opportunities to expand PATMA program
offerings that will help realize the City of Palo Alto’s goals to reduce traffic congestion, reduce
demand for parking, support the economic recovery, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Introduction
In 2022, the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association (PATMA) conducted their seventh
annual employee commute survey according to the funding agreement with the City of Palo Alto
(COPA). PATMA contracted with ALTRANS TMA Inc. to conduct the survey in-house and
performed outreach in September and October 2022.
The survey was designed to identify how Palo Alto employees working in the University Avenue
Downtown (Downtown) and California Avenue (Cal Ave) areas commute to work, raise
awareness of PATMA’s program offerings, and determine who is open to mode shift away from
single occupancy vehicles.
Survey Population
The total worker population for the Downtown and Cal Ave areas, according to the U.S. Census
OntheMap data tool, shows 16,961 workers in census tracts in Dow ntown and 3,056 workers in
census tracts in the Cal Ave area. This data from OnTheMap is pre-pandemic, from 2019, but is
the most recent data available.
The number of workers in the two areas are split into four different employment subcategories
in Figure 3.
55%
5%
26%
7%5%
2%1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Drive alone Carpool Transit Bike Walk Telecommute
(work remotely)
Other
Figure 2 -Primary Commute Mode
3
Figure 3 – Number of Workers in Two Palo Alto Commercial Areas
Area
PATMA Business
Category Count
%
Share
Downtown
Service 6,364 37.52%
Technology 7,042 41.52%
Light Office 2,874 16.94%
Government 681 4.02%
Total 16,961 100%
California Ave
Service 1,296 42.41%
Technology 1,092 35.73%
Light Office 668 21.86%
Government 0 0.00%
Total 3,056 100%
Source: U.S. Census OnTheMap, 2019 data
Of this population, the team ended up receiving surveys from 511 people, with completed
surveys from 156 service sector workers, 85 government staff, 53 light office workers, and 31
tech workers. Compare this to the number of surveys received in previous y ears: 551 respondents
in 2021, 1,471 in 2019, 496 in 2018, 892 in 2017, 829 in 2016, and 1,173 surveys in 2015.
Survey Methodology
In fall 2022, the PATMA team reached out to hundreds of businesses and organizations to
administer the survey. Questions asked about the primary travel mode workers use to commute,
their city of residence, employer, income level, applicability of current PATMA programs,
openness to alternative commute options, and interest in commute counseling.
The survey employed skip logic and survey branching to optimize question relevance to different
survey respondents.
The survey was administered both online and in person, in English and Spanish, by providing
subjects with QR codes which they photographed on their smartphones and that then directed
them to the online survey. Respondents appreciated the availability of QR codes to facilitate
access to the survey.
While more people are back in the office at least a few days a week, many people still work
primarily from home. This is particularly the case for tech workers, but also for light office and
government workers. Amazon offices downtown, for example, report that only 5-25% of
employees have returned to the office at least a few days per week since the start of the COVID-
19 pandemic.
4
To improve the response rate at a time when many people are working from home, TMA staff
laboriously undertook block-by-block, door-to-door canvassing resulting in a dataset of hundreds
of businesses and organizations in the Downtown and Cal Ave areas. Survey outreach was
bolstered by mass texting, cold calling, and email follow-up to business contacts originally derived
from the City’s Business Registry.
Despite difficulties encountered, the PATMA team was able to secure 511 responses to the
survey during the pandemic, which helps us to determine where to focus the development of
future PATMA programs.
Results
Data collected in this survey shed light on several topics:
• how people commute to work;
• where they are coming from;
• which workers could get to work taking just one transit pipeline running into Downtown
or Cal Ave;
• which workers are open to a different commute mode; and
• what information, equipment, incentives, or rewards could encourage them to make the
shift.
The following graphics show the results for each question.
Q1. How do you usually travel to work? If you use more than one type of transportation, choose
the one used for the longest distance of your trip.
55%
5%
26%
7%5%
2%1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Drive alone Carpool Transit Bike Walk Telecommute
(work remotely)
Other
Figure 4 -Primary Commute Mode
5
Many commuters use more than one type of transportation for commuting. To be able to
compare this year’s data with previous year’s data, we asked people to answer with the main
mode for the longest distance of their trip.
Figure 5 sorts the data by sector – either government, light office, service, or tech.
Figure 6 shows changes of commute mode over the past seven years.
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Government
Light Office
Service
Tech
Figure 5 -Commute Mode by Sector
Drive Alone Transit Carpool Bike Walk Telecommute Other
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Drive Alone Transit Carpool Bike/Walk Telecommute
Figure 6 -Changes in Commute Modes 2015-2022
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022
6
Q2. If you drive alone to work, what are your main reasons for doing so? (select up to 3)
• Live too far or too close to work (102)
• Prefer to drive my own car (83)
• Might need to get home quickly for an emergency (46)
• Need to pick up or drop off children before or after work (43)
• Work too early or too late to take mass transit (43)
• Need my car during work (5)
Many people find driving their own vehicles more convenient and faster, depending on where
they live, or have other obligations before or after work.
Q3. If you drive alone to work, which of the following sustainable commute modes are you open
to taking?
Of workers who identify as single occupancy vehicle (SOV) drivers, Figure 7 shows that over two-
thirds are open to a sustainable commute mode of carpooling, vanpooling, mass transit, bicycling
or walking.
Q4. If you drive alone to work, is your home located less than one mile from a Caltrain station,
VTA 22/522 bus stop, SamTrans ECR bus stop or Dumbarton Express bus stop?
Figure 7 -SOV Drivers Open to Sustainable Commute Alternatives
Transit Carpool Vanpool Bicycle Walk Prefer to drive
7
More than one-quarter of single occupancy vehicle drivers reported that they live less than one
mile from a transit pipeline that runs to Palo Alto.
Q5. If you live less than 5 miles from work, are you open to switching to an active mobility mode
(bicycle, electric bicycle, scooter, or electric scooter) for commuting?
Yes
29%
No
58%
Not sure
13%
Figure 8 -SOV Drivers Living Less Than One Mile from Transit Stop
Yes No Not sure
36%
29%
31%
4%
Figure 9 -Live Less Than Five Miles from Work
Open to Active Mobility Commute
Yes No I'm thinking about it I already do
8
Two-thirds of respondents who live less than five miles from work are open to switching to an
active mobility commute.
Q6. If you answered "yes" or "I'm thinking about it," do you...
o Already have either a bicycle, electric bicycle, scooter, or electric scooter
o Want a bicycle
o Not applicable
o Other
Sixty-six respondents answered that they would like a bicycle.
Q7. If you bike to work or would like to bike to work, do you need any bike safety equipment?
o Helmet
o Lights
o Bike lock
o No thanks
One hundred and forty people answered that they would like at least one of the following:
helmet, lights, and/or bike lock.
Answers to the next three questions are graphically depicted in Figure 10.
Q8. PATMA’s New Bike Love App: $600/year reward for biking to work, biking to Caltrain, or biking
to the bus
Q9. Do you qualify for and would you benefit from a free bus or train pass?
Q10. If you earn less than $70,000/year, live within 5 miles of your work in Downtown Palo Alto,
and your work shift starts before 8am or ends after 10pm, PATMA offers shared after-hours Lyft
rides.
For all three of these questions, the survey asked, “How well does this solution fit your needs?”
9
Q11. In which city and zip code do you live?
Figure 11 shows the top three counties and top ten cities that workers responding to the survey
reported living in.
Figure 12, on the next page, shows the top 10 home cities for responding workers and their
proximity to transit pipelines.
0
50
100
150
200
250
Bike Love Free Transit Lyft after-hours
Figure 10 -Interest in PATMA Programs
A great deal A lot A moderate amount A little Not at all
10
Figure 12 – Map of Top Ten Residential Cities
Figure 13 on the next page shows home zip codes to give a sense of where respondents are
commuting from. Darker shaded zip codes contain more respondents.
11
Figure 13 – Home Zip Codes
Q12. What is the name and address of your employer? (This information will help us analyze
commuting patterns for the four main sectors of employers [government, light office, service, and
technology] in Palo Alto.)
Among the 511 respondents, Figure 14 shows the percentage of respondents from the four main
sectors which includes workers in Downtown and on Cal Ave: government, light office, service,
and tech.
12
Q13. How much would you estimate you spend per month commuting? (AAA estimates the
average monthly cost of owning and operating a new car in the U.S. is $894/month in 2022.)
o $0–50/mo – for example, walk, bike, receive a free transit pass
o $50-199/mo – for example, bus or train pass
o $200-499/mo – for example, Lyft/Uber rides, used car (gas, repairs, maintenance,
insurance)
o $500-899/mo – for example, new car (car payments, gas, repairs, ma intenance,
insurance)
o More than $900/mo
o I don't know
To raise awareness about the fixed and variable costs people pay each month for their personal
vehicle, the survey asked approximately how much people think they spend. Figure 15 shows
respondents’ estimates.
26%
16%48%
10%
Figure 14 -Survey Respondents by Industry
Government Light Office Service Tech
13
Q14. What is your annual salary? (This question will help us determine eligibility for PATMA
transit benefits and improve program offerings.)
21%
19%
32%
21%
7%
Figure 15 -Estimated Personal Monthly Transportation Costs
$0-49 $50-199 $200-499 $500-899 >$900
54%
46%
Figure 16 -Income Level of Respondents
Less than $70,000/year More than $70,000/year
14
Q15. PATMA staff is available to share information about sustainable commute options that may
benefit you. Would you like information about trains, bus es, shared Lyft rides, or bicycling
incentives? (no pressure, just information).
PATMA staff are currently following up with the 132 people who have responded they would like
information about alternative commute options.
Q16. Are there any issues or concerns you would like to share about your commute?
Question 16 gave respondents an opportunity to share insights and feedback related to their
commute. The following comments point toward opportunities for additional mode shift through
information, rewards, incentives, or new programs from PATMA.
Opportunity: Need for a Guaranteed Ride Home program
“I have to drive 25 miles to get to work one way, and often times taking highway 101 is
my fastest route to getting to work. However, the commute can be unbearable due to
extreme traffic even if I bought FasTrak. I am open to taking the train to work since there
is a station close by to the office I work at, however there are limited hours from using
the train and sometimes my work hours are not set, so I am afraid of using public transit
since it would be inconvenient with my hours.”
Opportunity: Raise awareness about the Transit app for trip planning and real time transit arrival
“The schedule of VTA 40 bus is not consistent and doesn't show up on time.”
“Weekends on Saturday and Sunday morning there are problems with the bus. SamTrans
is sometimes a problem sometimes not.”
Opportunity: Bike safety classes and route planning support
“I've considered biking but I'm afraid of getting into an accident biking on El Camino.”
“Palo Altans run red lights!”
“I walk more than bike, specifically because I have had other bikes and cars not obeying
the rules of the road, specifically stop signs, turning left or right. I feel when I bike, I am
more likely to be hit by car or other bikers. Walking seems to be safer. Even though I wear
bright colors I still have been hit.”
Opportunity: More bike racks
“More bike racks in downtown Palo Alto sorely needed. More pedestrian streets badly
needed.”
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Opportunity: Share online bike maps
“Cycling from downtown PA to Bay Trail involves too much interactions with cars.
Especially with cars always opening doors / parking in the Addison Ave / Channing Ave
bike lanes. Cycling from Bol Park trail to Foothill bike lanes is also needlessly dangerous,
with cyclists having to effectively run through a red light across 3 lanes of traffic due to
having no way to trigger the lights.”
Opportunity: Share information that PATMA’s Bike Love rewards apply to Caltrain stations as well
“At Palo Alto station, especially southbound, the bike train cars are getting quite crowded.
Not an issue yet, but is a concern that riders might start getting bumped.”
Opportunity: Purchase refurbished bikes for service sector workers below income threshold
Opportunity: Bike safety lass, Bike Love app, and Transit app
“I drive from San Francisco (94115) to downtown Palo Alto on average a few days per
week. The commute gets worse on a weekly basis. I spend about 3, sometimes more,
hours in the car per trip to and from the office. I have been interested in exploring publi c
transit but live about 2.5 miles from the nearest train station. I will need to bike to the
train station and I am concerned about my safety. I am open to giving it a try though. This
program is definitely an incentive and made me even more interested in commuting via
public transit.”
Palo Alto service sector worker Rene taking delivery of a refurbished
bike for his commute from Andrew Yee at Bike Exchange
“I do want to say
how grateful I am
for the Caltrain
pass, I definitely
would like to
consider biking to
Caltrain, but right
now I don’t have a
bike, but if I did, I
would totally bike
to Caltrain or even
an electric scooter
would
work…anyhow,
thank you again!”
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Opportunity: Vanpools for super commuters
“I would absolutely prefer to bike, walk or take transit to work, however, I live so far away,
this would make for a much longer commute. Remote work for some of the week is the
only thing that makes it feasible for me to work for a city so far from my home.”
“There are no easy public transportation options for access to City Hall from the city I
reside in at the moment.”
“Desperate to take public transit. Not enough conveni ent bus lines to make happen.”
“I commute really early in the morning, I wonder if there is any assistance for those
working in Palo Alto. I live in Los Banos, and unfortunately, there is no train or bus running
early around 4:00 am from Gilroy. Is there any organization that can help with the long
commute?”
Concerns about unhoused population
“I park in a public garage with homeless people living there. Safety is a concern. I also got
stuck in the garage’s elevator once. That is a concern.”
“I have emailed about the state of the garage on High Street. I am not in a position to take
public transit to work and this need to park in a garage. I feel unsafe parking in this garage.
Please take action to make it feel clean and safe as my company pays money every quarter
for me to park there. Thank you.”
General compliments
“Transit passes are WONDERFUL--give them to EVERYONE who wants them. or at least
raise the maximum income for them. People won't abuse them. Whether you do or not,
publicize them MORE.”
“I'm very happy with the assistance you provide.”
[translated from Spanish]: “I'm worried they will stop this program.”
Key Insights
When the pandemic started in early 2020, mass transit ridership plummeted. People who could
work from home did, while those who had to be physically present to do their jobs fled mass
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transit for single occupancy vehicles due to health and safety reasons. From pre-pandemic to fall
2021, telecommuting increased while walking and biking fell.
Then in the past year, from fall 2021 to fall 2022, transit ridership, carpooling, biking, and walking
numbers bounced back up; while single occupancy vehicle commuting fell and the number of
survey respondents reporting that they telecommute fell.
Data from this commute survey show there are significant opportunities for PATMA to reduce
traffic congestion and demand for parking in the two commercial districts. While many
commuters who drive single occupancy vehicles to work need their vehicles for various reasons,
nearly three-quarters said they were open to a sustainable commute alternative. Over one-
quarter of SOV drivers live less than one mile from a transit pipeline. And of the respondents
living less than five miles from work, two-thirds are interested or open to switching to active
mobility options.
Conclusions
Given the openness of respondents to sustainable commute modes and their proximity to transit
pipelines or short commute from home, these survey results point to opportunities to mode shift
more workers who commute to Palo Alto with information, equipment, incentives, and rewards.
Conducting additional outreach to share information about train schedules and stations, rapid
bus schedules and routes, safer bicycle routes between home and work, Bike Love rewards, and
the availability of refurbished bikes in 2023 are the tools PATMA could apply to realize additional
mode shift.