Yale New Haven receives award for commuter incentive programs

Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) received the "Innovative New Transportation Demand Management Program Award" at the fifth annual New England Transportation Demand Management Conference, held in Massachusetts recently. The award is given to an organization that has implemented an innovative transportation demand management program.

YNHH formally launched its Traffic Demand Management (TDM) program three years ago, encouraging use of alternative travel modes, reducing the demand on parking, minimizing congestion on local roadways, improving air quality and responding to rising fuel costs.

"We're really proud not only to receive this prestigious award, but to have been nominated by our partner in our efforts to provide commuter options - Rideworks of Greater New Haven," said Nick Proto, director of protective services and parking at YNHH. More and more of our employees are taking advantage of the various options available to cut down on commuting."

In the three years since the hospital first initiated its official TDM efforts, the program has continually evolved and now includes options such as public transit subsidies, carpooling incentives and employee shuttles as well as new bicycle racks, lockers and showers. Yale New Haven's TDM program has reduced employee car usage at the hospital by more than 460 vehicles per day since the program began.

Additionally, to help minimize traffic congestion, the hospital worked with the city to encourage the installation of re-designed traffic signals at 13 key intersections to enhance the flow of traffic and help ensure pedestrian safety.