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How Industry can help reduce traffic congestion

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Written By Photoyogi - 5 June, 2008

Traffic Bangalore public transport

With the rising cost of fuels and the congestion on the roads one would hate to drive but as work demands we grind our teeth and just pull along. How long is this going to work? I have a friend in the IT Industry, His job is mostly at client locations and currently rides a 2 wheeler. His company offered him a hike of 15K if he moved to a car. Ouch! Not that i don't wish well for my friend, but the incentive to buy a car is promoted by the company sounds not-so-nice from the traffic congestion point of view. Instead i would coax any company who have staff of 300+ to deploy decent buses and offer incentives to people who use the bus to work rather than drive. And for those who drive tax them with heavy parking charges, that would dissuade them to drive to work. No am not a socialist, and since money drives people, i cant think of ways to get commuters to use buses / group transport or at least car pool. Can companies take this up as CSR? and get credit for it too? -- Praveen

COMMENTS

instead of a Cess - a bonus?

narayan82 - 5 June, 2008 - 09:14

What if the company itself was rewarded if the employees traveled by bus? Maybe they get a rebate on tax or something...

Industry and transport

navshot - 5 June, 2008 - 03:31

I think many companies don't realize the real advantages of promoting company/public transport v/s personal vehicles. It improves efficiency in many ways, both direct and indirect, giving a huge cost benefit to the companies at the end, if majority used company transport. This is especially true for R&D/engineering jobs - not sure for those who're on the move all day.

allowances

blrsri - 5 June, 2008 - 03:47

My company, as others do, provides allowances for commuting. One good practice they have is they give free bus passes from ITPL..this is worth 1200+

However they give car users 500 only and 2 wheelers 200 only!

making public transport more affordable and safer way to reach office.. 

Pubtrans - To be Made Primary

Naveen - 5 June, 2008 - 04:32

 

Yogi,

Your post is thought provoking. The companies that promote such car use cannot be penalized in any manner other than by trying to demerit them on blogs such as ours. If you see this from the co's perspective, it is to their advantage if employees use car since it promotes their image. So, they encourage it & both employee & employer benefit in a win-win situation for both of them, as they see it.

The consequences of car primacy, while a boon for the mobility & image of the people & their employers, are unfortunately quite negative for traffic flow, safety & air pollution.

Efforts by more responsible employers, no matter how sincere, will never solve this traffic excess & congestion problems, nor discourage car & two-wheeler use to levels sufficient to result in manageable levels, & at best, would continue to be referred to as "Positive Initiatives", whilst chaos continues & worsens.

The only way to fight this is by substantially improving public transport & make it compete with cars for traffic, whilst on the other side, discourage car use by imposing restraints & bringing in inconveniences such as higher costs & longer travel times.

Widening roads, building more flyovers, etc. without focus on public transport is possibly the worst solution & would be playing into the hands of car users & inviting more to the party !

 

Car Vs Money

narayan82 - 5 June, 2008 - 02:49

Companies always work with a self-interest! A car will give the man a better image...hence they promote it. But companies can really do a good job if they start giving perks to bus users. As you correctly said, money is the biggest decision maker. So if Travel Allowance a month is say Rs 5000/- the company can either give cash or a bus pass worth 2000/- and cash of Rs.4000/- (hence he makes a bigger profit). But again,I guess the companies P.O.v is that they want the emplyees on time, neat and clean and full of energy!

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