2018-203 OPT - Triangle J transportation demand grant

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FY19 PROPOSAL NARRATIVE Please format your application following the outline below. The elements listed under each item are REQUIRED. OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM Background: Include a brief description below of the organization and program. Starting in November of 2017, The Orange County Commuter Options (OCCO) Program was launched as the point of contact for county staff and local businesses who want to use alternative commuting methods. The OCCO Program connects Hillsborough commuters and Orange County staff to resources and best practices from across the Triangle to make sure that each person has the most convenient and well- informed options possible. This includes providing information on transit routes, and new routes to come from Orange County Public Transportation (OCPT) and GoTriangle. The OCCO Program also promotes STRNC to help establish vanpools and carpools, and works with the Human Resources department to offer flex or compressed schedules to those employers who qualify. OCCO will continue to promote the Telework program and provide training for approved applicants. As a final example, the OCCO Program works with the local Bicycle Safety Task Force to develop and promote biking and walking options. Orange County's support for TDM programming precedes the creation of the OCCO program and has enabled the new program to come up to speed quickly. With the adoption of the "Environmental Responsibility Goal" in 2005 committed the County in part to "Implement programs that monitor and improve local and regional air quality by promoting public transportation options and incentives within the County that increase connectivity and decrease dependence on personal vehicles." Additionally, the County created a complete Telework program (a package of administrative rules, forms, and trainings) in the Fall of 2016. This alternative commute service for County employees was created and implemented through collaboration between Human Resources and the County Sustainability Program. Staff Members: Provide the staff members working on the project and an estimate of the percentage of each staff member's time that will be spent on each major task. The OCCO Program is headed by the Orange County Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Coordinator, Allyson Coltrane with shared oversight by the Orange County Sustainability Coordinator, Brennan Bouma, and Orange County Public Transportation's Transit Director, Theo Letman. Identify Geographic Region /Hotspot(s): As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, Orange County is one of a few large employers with multiple worksites, many of which are concentrated within Hillsborough (Hotspot 11, in Figure 2) though others fall within or near other commuter hotspots in Orange County. The OCCO program works with all employers in Hotspot 11 and with all Orange County staff throughout the County. Figure 1: Principal Employers in Town of Hillsborough Employer Town Population Orange County Schools * 20.14% Orange County Government * 14.81% Sports Endeavors, Inc. 6.84% PH E 5.46% Triangle J Council of Governments