🔒CTrides sells public transportation as a stress buster

Ask state Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker the biggest challenge of moving more people into public transportation and he'll say lack of awareness and stress. The DOT is working on both to pump up ridership of the new busway and other public transit options.

“People are often unaware that other options exist. There is also the stress of trying something new that you haven't done before. Where do I get dropped off? How do I pay the fare? What if I am late? It can seem easier to just keep doing what you've always done,” Redeker said.

It's a challenge largely left up to CTrides, a contractor that has been working on the state's behalf to take more cars off the road. It's paid $3.7 million annually for outreach, advertising and maintaining a call center to advise potential riders. A large portion of its funding comes from federal dollars to improve air quality and reduce congestion.

CTrides tackled the issue of stress directly in three business forums held across the state recently. They featured presentations by Millie Grenough, a clinical instructor in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine who offered insight on reducing commute stress.

“In this day and age, if you're dependent on highways you gauge your life on how to manage them,” Grenough said in an interview before the workshops. “Driving alone uses bandwidth you could use on something else.”

What Grenough preaches are the benefits of commuting as a stress-reduction tool. She cites a statistic that claims American corporations lose $300 billion annually in productivity because of factors related to stress, including absenteeism, poor morale and turnover.

“That's one of the statistics that I give to people in business who think talking about stress management is touchy feely,” Greenough said.

What using public transit does, she explained, is reduce stress, which in turn leads to better professional and personal situations. “It works both ways,” she said. “When they leave work, they can de-stress on the way home, so they're in better shape.”

Of course, Greenrough recognizes that not everyone is going to immediately hop on a bus to reduce stress. She has a practical suggestion for making even a lone-drive commute more refreshing: change the channel. That means mixing up what you listen to during your commute. Grenough had one client who found himself incensed by talk radio. She switched him to music and his driving ability improved (after being involved in numerous accidents).

Eventually her client just switched off the radio entirely. “He discovered he liked the quiet,” Grenough said.

Financial perks help

One method CTrides is using to attract ridership is simple pocketbook appeal. It runs a program called “Ride, Match & Reward.” It offers registered riders rewards such as free zoo admission for a family of four, discounts on dining and sporting event admissions.

Since its inception in 2005, CTrides' 34,906 members have redeemed rewards worth almost $1 million through Oct. 2015. CTrides estimates there have been 2.8 million shared rides in that decade and 2.3 million transit trips. All of the alternative modes of getting to work (including telecommuting) add up to 139.3 million miles not driven in that time period.

There's also another little-known service CTrides offers that might make people more willing to commute using public transit. Jody Santoro, CTrides communications manager, said monthly bus and train pass holders can get free taxi rides home once a quarter if an emergency or other disruption arises that makes it impossible to take public transit.

To address the commissioner's view that lack of awareness is also an issue, CTrides offers a complimentary 10-trip trial pass for interested consumers. “Another barrier has been trying something you're not used to,” said Santoro. “That's why we try to sweeten the deal.”

Santoro, who telecommutes to work twice a week, said there has also been growing interest in telecommuting. According to CTrides statistics, among the 34,906 people enrolled in its online program, there have been 237,740 telecommutes logged. CTrides will help companies establish guidelines for telecommuting. Santoro said one of the benefits of establishing a telecommuting plan in the workplace is it provides business continuity when an establishment is closed by bad weather. 

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