Welcome to MTM Transit Talks, where we’re bringing you monthly posts from our Chief Operating Officer Brian Balogh! Every month, Brian will discuss all things safety, transportation, sustainability, inclusion, and much more. Welcome to the January edition, where Brian introduces our new transit per diem employee benefit. The per diem gives our teammates additional transportation options focused on cost savings, reliability and sustainability, and personal health–while also supporting our clients’ transportation systems nationwide.
There are many things MTM Transit thinks about to ensure our priorities always lie with our passengers and employees. Whether it’s technological advances or renewed health and safety guidelines, we make sure to set our goals to fit those we serve, including our teammates. One way we’re putting our employees first is through our transit per diem benefit, which offers a per day reimbursement for employees who choose to utilize public transit during company travel instead of a rental car. This benefit was developed to encourage company travelers, and even employees on personal trips, to use public transit options–which are always more efficient than private vehicles for travel. It also aligns well with our goals to encourage and reward better understanding of the transit options we operate.
Here’s why we think the transit per diem is a great fit for MTM Transit and our teammates:
Cost Savings and Budget Flexibility
Did you know that the rental car market size growth prediction for 2022 is almost 30%? As the price of rentals continues to increase substantially, and more vehicles become frequently unavailable, a transit per diem is a valuable solution for cost savings. We encourage our employees to plan ahead and use the transit per diem to their benefit for budget flexibility!
Reliability and Sustainability
As business travelers continue to encounter situations where transportation is not available, the transit per diem holds the solution, providing access to more reliable and sustainable options. MTM Transit holds a strong commitment to sustainability and is always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. With the transit per diem, we let our employees choose their preferred mode of transportation during business travel, such as public transit systems like rail or bus, rideshare services, shuttle, and others. But we also encourage environmentally friendly–and fun!–options, like city bike shares and scooters, which also offer the chance to explore more of the places our employees visit.
Health Benefits
Besides the obvious benefits of walking or using eco-friendly transportation options covered by the transit per diem, health benefits and accessibility were incredibly important in our decision to offer this benefit. As our world continues to address social determinants of health, we make sure our employees have access to transportation options that fit their lifestyles and budgets. Staying healthy while still being able to get where you need to be can affect social determinants in a positive manner. If you’re interested in learning more about the social determinants of health outlook for 2022, take a look at this recent article written by MTM’s Director of Social Determinants of Health and Product Development Tamara Carlton.
The final reason we introduced the transit per diem? To continually commit to our business partners. The use of local public transit infrastructures solidifies our partnership with public transit agencies. It is a perfect extension of what we do today for transit systems and communities nationwide. We’re truly “walking the walk” as we put into practice a service that we offer to our clients.
