ANCHOR LEAD IN:
WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORDS CARPOOL, DO YOU PICTURE LITTLE KIDS WITH STICKY FINGERS HOPPING AROUND IN THE BACKSEAT? IT'S TIME TO UPDATE YOUR THINKING! ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, GAS PRICES ARE ENTICING GROWN UP MEN AND WOMEN TO HOP ON BOARD THE CARPOOL MOVEMENT...SAVING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS! AND, AS ______ TELLS US - IT'S SO SIMPLE.

NAT SOT: :01
CAR HONKING

TRACK ONE Length: :08
TRAFFIC JAMS, ACCIDENTS, GAS PRICES.
THAT DAILY WORK COMMUTE CAN MAKE YOU CRAZY.HOW CAN YOU SPELL RELIEF? YOU MIGHT TRY CARPOOLING

SOT:
KEY @: :12 Yufen Chen, Vanpool Participant
"I like riding in with co-workers, and we chat about work, we chat about what's going on during the weekend."

TRACK TWO Length: :05
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics
TEN PERCENT OF AMERICANS ALREADY CARPOOL. AND NOW, MORE THAN EVER, IT'S EASIER TO JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON.

NAT SOT Length: :02
"Thanks for driving Stan!"

TRACK THREE Length: :15
IF YOUR COMPANY DOESN'T HAVE A CARPOOLING PROGRAM, MOST STATE DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION HAVE 1-800 CARPOOLING LINES. RENTAL CAR COMPANIES SUCH AS ENTERPRISE OFFER VANPOOLING PROGRAMS -- AND A GROWING NUMBER OF FREE AND COMMERCIAL WEBSITES MATCH CARPOOLERS WHO LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER...

SOT:
KEY @: :41 Gaston Legorburu, Senior Vice President, Sapient Experience Marketing
"There's almost waiting list/EDIT/We're looking at adding another one."

TRACK FOUR Length: :08
Source: http://www.catsmpo.com/ride-employer-services.htm
RESEARCH SHOWS CARPOOLING RAISES WORKER PRODUCTIVITY AND LOWERS THE RATE OF ABSENTEEISM. AND, COMPANIES SAY IT'S ALSO A GOOD RECRUITMENT STRATEGY...

SOT:
KEY @: :51 Gaston Legorburu, Senior Vice President, Sapient Experience Marketing
"We had issues in terms of trying to get people to come here to work. And it was, it tends to be a long commute."

TRACK FIVE Length: :05
FOR THESE CARPOOLERS IT MAKES MONEY SENSE. THEY'RE SAVING TWO TO THREE-HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH!

SOT:
KEY @: 1:03 Elizabeth Capdevila, Vanpool Participant
"It eliminates the cost of gas which is fantastic for me."

TRACK SIX Length: :10
AND...ANOTHER ADDED BENEFIT? IF YOU'VE GOT A MORALE PROBLEM AT WORK, FORGET PARADIGMS AND LEVERAGES...THINK MINIVANS AND BEVERAGE HOLDERS. CARPOOLING BUILDS TEAM SPIRIT!

SOT:
NO KEY Gaston Legorburu, Senior Vice President, Sapient Experience Marketing Vanpool Participant
"Some friendships have developed that really wouldn't, so it's been good just in terms of team building."

ANCHOR TAG:
Source: Transportation Research Board
THE SENATE IS CONSIDERING A BILL TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO CARPOOL.
DOWNSIDES? RESEARCHERS SAY IT LENGTHENS THE COMMUTE BY ABOUT 10 MINUTES EACH WAY...BUT VANPOOLERS CAN OFTEN USE SPECIAL TRAFFIC SERVICES...

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Jenny McLain
Sapient
503-288-1340

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND/SOURCE INFORMATION:
Employers can provide up to $105 per month in tax-free transit/vanpool benefits to employees. The
employer does not pay payroll taxes on the benefit, and employees do not pay income or payroll taxes on it. As a result, giving an employee $105 in transit/vanpool benefits is less expensive for an employer than raising the employee's salary by $105, and the employee takes more home.

Several states offer tax incentives for providing transit/vanpool benefits. Maryland offers a 50 percent tax credit up to $30 per employee per month for costs associated with providing transit/vanpool benefits to employees.

Minnesota provides a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the difference between what the employer pays for transit/vanpool passes and what employees are charged for the passes. Georgia offers a $25 tax credit for each employee receiving a transportation fringe benefit, as long as the tax credit does not exceed the amount of money spent on the program. Other states, including Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Oregon, offer tax credits to eligible companies that implement commuter transportation benefit plans, which could include transit/vanpool benefits. State tax credits may reduce the amount of federal tax savings, due to smaller federal deductions for state taxes. Employers should discuss state tax credit implications with a qualified tax advisor. More detailed information on state tax credits is contained in a separate briefing paper, Commuter Tax Benefits.
http://www.commuterchoice.gov/pdf/05_transitvan_5.pdf

1. Employee Enhancement
The employee productivity and performance of those who take transit or rideshare to work have been documented. Research on productivity increase when employees rideshare or use transit have been compiled by Dr. Raymond Navoco, Research Professor, University of California at Irvine. In summary Dr. Navoco's research found the following benefits.
* Increased employee productivity
* Greater workforce retention
* Reduced absenteeism
* Increased company morale
http://www.catsmpo.com/ride-employer-services.htm