Community Transit is conducting a survey of small businesses in Snohomish County’s most traffic-congested areas to learn about the particular commuting needs of their employees.

The agency will enhance its outreach to smaller businesses using information from the survey. Owners and managers of businesses with 99 or fewer employees can access the survey at bit.ly/CTsmallbizsurvey through Nov. 6.

The survey focuses on small businesses along five of the most congested corridors in Snohomish County, including:

128th Street Between Hwy 526 and Hwy 9

164th Street SW/SE Between Hwy 99 and Hwy 527

196th Street Between Dayton St and I-5

Bothell-Everett Highway Between 128th St and Hwy 522

Highway 99 Between Hwy 526 and 205th St SW

“Small businesses generally do not have resources, time or staff available to run an employee transportation program,” said Ross Peizer, outreach specialist at Community Transit. Outreach includes educating employees about public transit and providing resources and incentives to use it.

“We can help implement programs for carpool, vanpool, bike sharing and bike parking,” said Peizer, “and even coordinate networking events to connect businesses to each other.”

Small businesses benefit from participating in an employee transportation program by:
· Creating potential tax savings for the business and the employee.
· Reducing employees’ parking needs.
· Enhancing its employee benefits package.
· Enhancing the company’s ability to attract and retain good employees.

To learn more about how Community Transit helps small businesses offer smart transportation options, visit www.communitytransit.org/smallbiz.

Community Transit is responsible for providing bus and paratransit service, vanpool and alternative commute options in Snohomish County. The agency is building a network of Swift bus rapid transit lines, with Swift Blue Line along Highway 99 and Swift Green Line between Canyon Park/Bothell and Boeing/Paine Field coming in 2019.