What is smarter travel @ work?
The Smarter Travel @ Work program helps businesses reduce the number of single occupant car trips used for business and commute travel by providing safer, greener and more active travel options.
Benefits to your workplace
- cost savings
- improve health and wellbeing for staff
- contribute to corporate social responsibility
- reduce risk and staff exposure to road crashes
- relieve parking pressure
Our role
- provide businesses with a travel survey
- undertake survey analysis and provide results to your workplace
- recommend initiatives
- coordinate a Smarter Travel @ Work network
- manage online resource portal.
Your role
- submit an expression of interest which confirms the support of management
- coordinate staff access to travel survey
- develop initiatives and actions (based on survey results and organisation capacity)
- implement initiatives and review success.
Steps for smartertavel@work
Workplace submits an Expression of Interest to participate
DPTI and workplace meets to discuss interest in participating.
If workplace is interested DPTI will write to workplace. Workplace confirms their ‘expression of interest’ by signing and returning letter from DPTI.
By signing the letter the workplace agrees to be an active participant in smarter travel @ work and will implement suitable travel initiatives as identified though the DPTI survey.
DPTI surveys Workplace
DPTI provides a survey template which is personalised for the needs of the individual workplace.
The survey is then distributed electronically to staff at an agreed time. If electronic distribution is not available other options are discussed.
Survey results outlined to workplace by DPTI
DPTI collates the survey results and presents the key findings back to the workplace. This will include recommendations on initiatives that are likely to be successful.
Workplace wants to participate and identifies initiatives to implement
The workplace then determines which initiatives to deliver. DPTI can assist in scoping, costing and refining initiatives.
Workplace identifies human resources and budget required to implement initiatives.
Workplace joins network group and can access the online portal
The workplace can access information through an online portal including resources, discussion boards and surveys to support workplace through the process. Other networking opportunities are also available to participating workplaces.
Workplace implements initiatives and can apply for TravelSMART grant funds
Participating workplaces can apply for Grants Funds through the department’s annual TravelSMART Grant Program up to $5000. Go to the Grants page www.dtei.sa.gov.au/communityprograms/programs/travelsmart_grants for more information on previous recipients and how to apply for the next round.
DPTI re-surveys Workplace to measure achievements
After workplace completes project/s you are re-surveyed. This second survey is a shortened version of the first survey specifically designed to measure success. The survey will provide results on;
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- Changes in car use and other modes
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- Changes in perception
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- Participation in initiatives.
The results along with other evidence look at further project opportunities.
Workplace wants to continue in the program
The workplace has been successful and wishes to continue with the program.
Following the second survey the workplace may decide they wish to continue to deliver travel behaviour change initiatives.
Review initiatives, develop new actions and continue to deliver
Workplaces are generally getting the hang of things now and continue to participate with less need for DPTI support.
Thee workplace still has access to the network, including the portal and other networking opportunities.
Workplaces still can receive a yearly follow up surveys.
Workplace implements initiatives and can apply for TravelSMART grant funds
Participating workplaces can apply for Grants Funds through the department’s annual TravelSMART Grant Program up to $5000. Go to the Grants page www.dtei.sa.gov.au/communityprograms/programs/travelsmart_grants for more information on previous recipients and how to apply for the next round.
What do I need to do?
You can get involved through your local council (if they participate in the program) or by contacting us at
DTEI.TravelSmartSA@sa.gov.au. We will give you more information about Smarter Travel @ Work. Interested work places are then asked to submit an expression of interest to confirm the support of management.
Smarter travel @ work is designed to meet the particular needs of the individual workplace.We survey your staff and profile your workplace so that we only recommend initiatives that we think will work for you.And, of course, all initiatives have to be endorsed by management so your workplace gets the final say.
The department can help you develop a business case to enlist senior management support. We can show how our program will benefit both the staff and the organisation. Workplaces that have taken up the program have experienced reduced absenteeism and staff turnover, increased productivity, improved social contact and cohesion, increased staff wellbeing and other health environmental benefits. There may also be direct costs saving through reductions in fleet costs, car parking demand and travel expenses.
Once you have submitted an expression of interest, and have been accepted on to the program, we will provide you with a survey for your staff. We then analyse the survey results and recommend initiatives that might work for your workplace. Being part of the program also entitles you to the ongoing support of a department project officer and access to online resources through the smarter travel @ work portal.
To be eligible to participate in the smarter travel @ work program, workplaces need to provide an expression of interest signed by a senior manager to confirm management support. They also need to commit to completing a before and after staff travel survey and undertake identified initiatives for a period of up to two years.
How much time you need to devote to the smarter travel @ work program will depend on what sort of initiatives and actions your workplace undertakes. Many initiatives, for example publishing intranet guides to available transport options, require some work upfront and then require minimal periodic review. Other initiatives, for example running a workplace challenge, can be quite labour intensive. Some initiatives such as a carpooling program, may involve long term human resourcing. What you take on, is up to you.
As a rough guide a few weeks work is likely to be enough to commence implementation of your workplace’s action plan, with a few days a month set aside for maintenance. A proportion of the work will be carried out by the department. This includes surveying, evaluating, reporting and maintaining the portal. Your council may also assist by putting you in touch with other workplaces through a smarter travel @ work network.
Information for Councils
The department works in partnership with local government agencies to deliver travel behaviour change programs across the State.
Benefits to councils
- reduce congestion in local communities
- increase in cycling, walking and use of public transport
- opportunity to assist local businesses and workplaces
- opportunity to work with State Government to achieve strategic goals
- access to grants for councils and local workplaces
To learn more about how your council can become involved in this program email DTEI.TravelSmartSA@sa.gov.au
How do I become involved in the smarter travel @ work program?
