For employers and colleges across the Centralina region, commuting remains a real and growing challenge. Many employees and students travel across county lines, often from areas with limited or inconsistent transit service options. Long distances, rising fuel costs and unreliable commute options continue to affect attendance, retention and overall access — particularly shift workers, nontraditional students and rural commuters.
CONNECT Centralina’s New Year, New Route campaign focused on carpooling because it directly supports regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) goals outlined in the CONNECT Beyond Regional Mobility Plan: reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips, improving access to jobs and education, and making better use of existing transportation systems.
Carpooling and vanpooling are especially effective in a region like Centralina, where job centers, campuses and housing are spread across urban, suburban and rural areas. These shared-ride options do not require new infrastructure and can be implemented quickly,making them practical tools for employers and colleges looking to ease parking demand, improve reliability and expand access to opportunity.
How CONNECT Centralina Supports Employers and Colleges
CONNECT Centralina helps organizations move from awareness to action. With deep local knowledge and a dedicated regional staff, we work directly with employers and colleges to establish or improve commuter benefits programs tailored to their workforce or student population.
Free assistance includes:
- Personalized assessments of current commute patterns and challenges
- Analysis of where employees or students are traveling from and what options exist
- Identification of realistic solutions such as carpooling, vanpooling or transit connections
- Support for packaging these options into clear, easy-to-share resources for staff or students
The result is a commuter benefits approach that reflects the realities of the Centralina region — helping organizations reduce transportation barriers while supporting regional mobility and workforce goals.
To learn more about how CONNECT Centralina can support your organization, contact Rose Thomalen at rthomalen@centralina.org.
