Austin businesses could be eligible for grants to help with their employee commutes

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An Austin-based transportation management association is working to help local businesses combat the costs that come along with commuter employees by offering grants and other incentives.

KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes sat down with the new Executive Director of Movability to talk about the ways the organization is trying to help. According to its website, Movability works with employers and individuals to improve the region through commuter options that save time and money.

Brennes: "Joining me today is Lonny Stern. He is the new Executive Director of Movability. Tell me a little bit about what this new role means."

Stern: "Well, a lot of the work that we do serves our local businesses that may be struggling with the cost of parking, maybe if they're downtown, also the struggles of getting people back to work in the office. Or maybe there's just a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday problem now that we're all virtual officing. And so we help businesses, whether it's things like travel planning, things like vanpooling, carpooling, bike racks, whatever it would take so that way people will share the ride rather than create more congestion on our morning and evening commutes."

Brennes: "Are there any incentives for employees or benefits for employers?"

Stern: "Well, it really -- for the employer -- helps in terms of bottom line, you know, parking downtown can be $250 - $300 a month per employee. And there are plenty of people in certain departments who really don't need the spot, they could get to and from work and another way. For employees, a lot of it is about satisfaction in their employer. And so having an option of 'I want to ride a bike, but I don't have a place to shower and change.' Once you address that concern, it really makes them so much happier to come to the office."

Brennes: "Has that been an issue for the downtown Austin core, getting people back at an office?

Stern: "Well, luckily, our region has really embraced teleworking. And I think that as a new report comes out, and we look at the Austin strategic mobility plan, we'll find a lot of people are choosing to work from home instead of five days a week at the office. And so that's a good thing. But on the other hand, it's making people fall back into bad habits. And so rather than maybe sharing the ride with a coworker, or joining a vanpool, or maybe making Tuesday, your Transit Tuesday, just once a week pulling yourself out of the traffic... People have really gotten out of the habit of that. And so as we grow again, as a region as we start welcoming more and more businesses and people here. And on top of that, if you consider there's construction for I-35 being planned, we're going to be adding a new light rail system on our major corridors, the airport will be under construction and the convention center all at the same time."

Brennes: "What's the best thing companies all across the Austin area can do to get in touch?"

Stern: "I would recommend taking a look at Movability online, you can go to movabilitytx.org for more information. Maybe you're a small business thinking about some improvements, later this summer, we'll be releasing $7,500 grants. We also work with employers who maybe they want to reduce the cost of choosing monthly bus passes or train passes for their employees. And we can also provide discount opportunities for that as well."

You can learn more about the Movability grant application qualifications online.