Mondays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. These are days many workers are commuting in the return-to-office or hybrid work era. No matter what it’s called, the work week looks very different now than it did in previous decades.
Most workers with remote-capable jobs in the U.S. are working hybrid schedules where they commute just a few days per week, according to Gallup. While this may be the preferred work schedule for many employees, some employers say it’s creating challenges.
A new report from commercial real estate firm CBRE notes that across the U.S., Canada and Latin America: “Eighty-seven percent of organizations report that current office attendance realities are creating more challenges that require strategic action to resolve. More than half of organizations report that a lack of office vibrancy on non-peak attendance days is a central challenge.”
While the work week has evolved, it’s clear leaders are looking for ways to entice employees to come into the workplace. The fix is often simple: change the commute. A recent survey from HealthEquity finds that employees say commuting costs are the number one obstacle preventing them from coming into the workplace more often.
To help solve this, many organizations are embracing vanpooling as a commuter benefit. Groups of 4-15 coworkers who live near each other or along a common route can connect and share driving responsibilities, helping them save on personal commuting costs and get time back in their day.
As the largest vanpool service provider in the U.S., Commute with Enterprise sees that the average vanpool rider saves $10,000 per year on commuting costs, including fuel and vehicle maintenance.[1] There are also added vanpooling benefits of teammates building comradery, supporting organizational sustainability goals, reducing the number of parking spaces needed and more.
Stanford Research Park Embraces an Innovative Commute
One place that has seen tremendous success from vanpooling is Stanford Research Park. Spanning 700 acres in the heart of Silicon Valley, it is known as a hub of innovation with approximately 140 industry-leading companies in tech, life sciences, automotive and more. Unsurprisingly, Stanford Research Park has been on the forefront of innovative commuting solutions for the past decade.
In 2016, several tenants asked for help with employee transportation. The Research Park set its sights on a collaborative commuter solution and the Stanford Research Park Transportation program was born. Vanpooling from Commute with Enterprise was soon introduced to organizations across the campus.
Over the years, the program has expanded and continues to provide people working at the Research Park with significant savings. In 2024, participants in the program collectively saved $1.8 million on commuting costs.[2] The program has also helped reduce traffic congestion in the area, parking demand in Stanford Research Park and tailpipe carbon emissions.
“Our relationship with Commute with Enterprise rests solidly on years of reliability and trust in the team’s resources, capabilities, professionalism and record of success with our team and Stanford Research Park commuters,” says Amy McCrary, Assistant Director of Sustainable Transportation, Stanford Research Park. “Vanpooling is a commute option that can pay off in savings to commuters, employers and the community by helping to reduce traffic congestion and emissions in the area.”
In the era of hybrid work, Stanford Research Park continues to be on the cutting-edge. Commute with Enterprise introduced a new vanpool offering this year for hybrid workers commuting a few days per week. Stanford Research Park was one of the first adopters and already has employees enjoying the benefits.
Commuter benefits, like vanpooling, have the potential to support a wide range of organizational goals like attendance, recruitment, retention and sustainability. At the same time, it can bring life-changing benefits to workers.
Melissa Banigan is Assistant Vice President of Commute with Enterprise for Enterprise Mobility. She is responsible for overseeing sales and operations for the organization’s vanpool and commuting solutions.
Commute with Enterprise is the largest vanpool service provider in the U.S., taking approximately 50,000 vehicles off the road and out of parking spaces each workday.[3] This commuting solution offers customizable programs to help organizations overcome commuting challenges.
[1] Estimates based on 2024 Commute with Enterprise reporting, an average 5-day/ week commute and 2024 AAA costs associated with operating a vehicle including fuel, maintenance and depreciation. CommutewithEnterprise.com/Showmethemath
[2] Estimate assumes 5-day work week and assumes participants previously drove alone.
[3] Estimates based on 2024 Commute with Enterprise reporting. Assumes 5-day work week and participants previously drove alone.
