The benefits derived from ridesharing are varied and accrue to a variety of individuals and groups. The beneficiaries may be classified into three general groups -- employees, employers, and the community. The benefits that accrue to employers are not as well understood, but they are essential to the marketing of ridesharing in times of stable or declining energy prices. Although ridesharing can be accepted as good business practice and as an aid in enhancing the corporate image, to achieve employer support frequently a case needs to be established that ridesharing is not just public relations but returns distinct and tangible benefits to the employer. The objective of this paper is to document the costs and benefits available to private-sector employers through the operation of employer ridesharing programs. Special consideration was given to employers having a direct involvement in operating a corporate ridesharing program. An analysis of the responses from 160 private employers indicates a positive assessment of ridesharing's cost-effectiveness. Respondents were requested to provide specific monetary estimates of the benefits derived from their ridesharing programs. Although the employers did recognise and acknowledge the presence of benefits, most could not quantify the benefits. Most of the benefits were of an intangible nature -- reduced absenteeism, enhanced corporate image, reduced employee tardiness, and so on. Many employers did not have a specific economic criterion on which to initiate corporate rideshare programs but were more concerned with employee and community benefits. Thus, it is clear that the data base necessary to generate cost-benefit analyses does not exist. Even though the benefits cannot be quantified, they are perceived by employers as being real and present.
Samenvatting