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Community Technical Assistance Plan

Reflecting on community mobility management and technical assistance

Employer Transportation Solutions for Shift Workers Date: December 9, 2014 FTA Region: VI Organization/Agency Name: Amazon Type: Private employer State: Texas Technical Assistance Objective: Amazon sought help from NCMM with the provision of transportation services for seasonal workers traveling from local Workforce Solutions centers to distribution facilities in Coppell and Haslet Texas, where workers face a last mile access challenge. The company would ultimately like to work with transit providers to place a bus stop closer to each of the distribution centers. Until that is achieved, an interim solution is needed. Background: Amazon hired several hundred employees for work during the holiday season who were in need of transportation access to two Amazon fulfillment centers in Coppell and Haslet, TX (both in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area), as well as to an Amazon facility in San Antonio, TX. The two Amazon human resource staffing representatives tasked with successfully onboarding new employees partnered with local Workforce Centers and the unemployment offices to identify promising candidates. But, there was not any direct bus service within a mile of these locations, and qualified candidates did not have access to personal vehicles and ready carpools. With employment start dates of mid-October 2014, the Amazon human resources (HR) representatives contacted the NCMM, requesting assistance in coordinating with local and state transportation providers and planners to extend bus routes, and otherwise come up with a timely stopgap measure. Amazon had funds available to pay for the transportation solutions the HR department identified.

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Technical Assistance Provided: Preliminary technical assistance included a 45-minute phone discussion between NCMM and Amazon’s Jacqueline Pizana, Amazon Recruiting Administrator-Global Staffing & HR Optimization, and Kim Smitz, Texas Regional Manager in Amazon’s Global Staffing & HR Optimization Division, outlining immediate and long-term needs and solutions. Initially, Amazon representatives inquired about extending an existing bus route to include a stop closer to their fulfillment facilities. NCMM staff explained that achieving that outcome was time consuming and required Amazon’s involvement in the planning process to demonstrate the need and in working with local transit agencies and others to expand existing routes and place new bus stops. NCMM staff did recommend pursuing this course for changes in the longer term, and referred Amazon representatives to the planning organizations serving each of the three communities. These included:

• Two contacts at the Alamo Metropolitan Planning Organization (the Marketing Director and the Public Involvement Program Manager). That MPO is currently involved in long-term term transportation planning and is encouraging industrial parks to share information about the transit needs of their employees. The MPO was hosting a series of public meetings between October 1-15, 2014 and Amazon was encouraged to participate.

• Contact information for the transit providers: Dallas Area Regional Transit (DART) and Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and planning agency (The North Central Texas Council of Governments) were also provided.

Two short-term solutions were then explored. The first was implementation of a company vanpooling program that would transport employees working all shifts from a central meeting site (Workforce Centers) to the fulfillment center. To begin research into the possibility of forming vanpools, NCMM staff referred Amazon to representatives at transit agencies in Dallas (DART), Ft. Worth (The T), and San Antonio (Via) for follow-up and to discuss working through a third-party operator who would establish vanpools to pick workers up at the Workforce Center locations and transport them to work. The second near-term option, which could meet the more immediate need, was proposed: a shuttle operated by Amazon or contracted through a third party operator. To learn more about this option, NCMM staff referred Ms. Smitz to Cheryl Kastrenakes, executive director with the Greater Mercer TMA and Tim McGough, economic development director with Robbinsville Township, New Jersey to discuss a recently launched shuttle service that takes workers to an Amazon fulfillment center in Robbinsville, New Jersey. Amazon provided significant financial support for the shuttle, ensuring its operation for two years. Known as the ZLine, the shuttle operates 365 days a year between Hamilton Marketplace and the Matrix Business Park, where Amazon is located. The free service was recently expanded to accommodate increased passenger usage. NCMM staff also conducted extensive research to identify possible vendors with whom Amazon could contract to provide shuttle services. Efforts were made to identify providers with experience working with private employers. Referrals were made to the following providers:

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• MV Transportation in Dallas – a nationwide service that at one time was awarded Microsoft’s employee shuttle contract

• Cowtown Bus Charters in Dallas – a family run company experienced in providing employment transportation that also serves San Antonio

• Executive Coach – an event oriented service that provides employment transportation

• Echo Transportation Charters – a Trailways affiliated service with a customer base of municipalities, universities, public and private school districts, military and private industry that also provides shuttle services

• Roadrunner Charters - a service that has 52 motor choices and provides multiple shuttles

• Going My Way – a shuttle service with experience working with employers. Services limited to Dallas/Ft. Worth only

• Wynne Shuttles – a shuttle service with experience working with employers

Additional Resources and Referrals provided include:

• An example of how a Texas Workforce agency in Waco championed to expand transportation to day-time and late night work shifts (Texas WIB Invests Energy and Expertise in Job Shuttle Project)

• Resources for North Central Texas:

o North Central TX Council of Governments, transportation and workforce development contacts (Michael Morris and David Setzer)

o Child care providers in North Central Texas (to minimize workers’ stress that their children are being looked after (www.dfwjobs.com/childcareproviders.asp)

• Resources in San Antonio

o Director and Public Involvement Program Manager, Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, for follow-up on long-term transportation efforts and upcoming public meetings.

Agencies Involved: Amazon was able to reach out to Haven for Hope, a program serving homeless individuals, to explore a solution for San Antonio (working in conjunction with Via). Dallas/Ft Worth partnered with Catholic Charities to provide shuttle services. Catholic Charities Fort Worth (CCFW) began providing an expanded range of transportation services in 2012. The CCFW Transportation program provides shared ride services to and from locations outside The T’s service area or outside The T’s hours of operation. Services include partnering to provide

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transportation to employment (operating 24/7), medical appointments and to public benefit offices. As a result of the partnership forged between Amazon and CCFW, a meeting was scheduled for January 2015, bringing Amazon representatives, DART and Catholic Charities together to discuss funding an extended bus route for Amazon’s next peak season. Resources Used: An example of how a Texas Workforce agency in Waco championed to expand transportation to daytime and late night work shifts (Texas WIB Invests Energy and Expertise in Job Shuttle Project) Resources relevant to North Central Texas included:

• North Central TX Council of Governments, transportation and workforce development contacts (Michael Morris and David Setzer)

• Child care providers in North Central Texas (to minimize workers’ stress that their children are being looked after (www.dfwjobs.com/childcareproviders.asp)

Resources relevant to San Antonio included:

• Director and Public Involvement Program Manager, Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, for follow-up on long-term transportation efforts and upcoming public meetings.

Summary of Accomplishments: Ms. Pizana, Amazon Recruiting Administrator-Global Staffing & HR Optimization, noted during an October phone conversation that the information provided by NCMM helped Amazon significantly increase their learning curve regarding providing accessible employment transportation. She thanked NCMM staff for their time and assistance, noting that she and her colleagues had learned so much in such a short time. In December, Ms. Smitz thanked NCMM for the support and guidance provided. Evaluation Method: NCMM will provide ongoing support to Amazon as the company works to implement a shuttle in both communities. Amazon Staff: Jacqueline Pizana, Recruiting Administrator, Global Staffing and HR Organization, Amazon Kim Smitz, Texas Regional Manager, Global Staffing and HR Organization, Amazon

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Technical Assistance Provided by: Carolyn Jeskey, Co-Director, NCMM and Pamela Friedman, Senior Program Specialist, NCMM Person Completing this Form: Pamela Friedman, friedman@ctaa.org Key Words: Employer Transportation, Shuttle, First/Last mile connections

About this series: Community Technical Assistance Plans (CTAPs) are a result of targeted technical assistance provided to specific communities by the National Center for Mobility Management (NCMM). CTAPs are case studies that highlight NCMM’s role in increasing the capacity of communities to adopt mobility management and/or coordination strategies. CTAPs enable other communities facing similar issues to learn about the strategies one community adopted to address a particular challenge or need. NCMM (www.nationalcenterformobilitymanagement.org) is a national technical assistance center created to facilitate communities in adopting mobility management strategies. The NCMM is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Federal Transit Administration, and is operated through a consortium of three national organizations—the American Public Transportation Association, the Community Transportation Association of America, and the Easter Seals Transportation Group. Content in this document is disseminated by NCMM in the interest of information exchange. Neither the NCMM nor the U.S. DOT, FTA assumes liability for its contents or use. 2015.