Look Who's Talking About TMAs

TMAs in Massachusetts are working with the federal, state and local government, public agencies, private developers, and prominent business leaders to provide commute alternatives for employees that reduce congestion and improve air quality leading to an enhanced quality of life in the Commonwealth’s cities and towns. Here’s what TMA supporters have to say. . .

Richard Doyle, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration - Region I
"FTA supports the distribution of Federal transportation funds to TMAs because these funds spur private investment and commitment on the local level to develop and promote transportation alternatives that meet the needs of business, their employees, and the municipalities in which they are located."
 

Lucy Edmondson, Transportation Analyst, U.S. EPA New England
"Every day, transportation management associations (TMAs) provide hundreds of Massachusetts companies with information and services that enable these employers to provide outstanding commuter benefits. TMAs build local capacity to develop effective solutions for commuting challenges. Thus, TMAs help reduce air pollution, traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for everyone in Massachusetts."

William J. Mauro, Former Mayor - City of Marlborough
"The MetroWest/495 TMA played a key role in initiating the process that yielded the Southborough shuttle system, which connects the new MBTA commuter rail station with businesses in Marlborough and Westborough. The organization and the business leaders who financially support it are strong advocates for providing alternatives to driving alone. Their commitment helps alleviate traffic congestion and improve air quality."

Robert W. Healy, City Manager, City of Cambridge
"Cambridge is fortunate that the Charles River Transportation Management Association offers valuable commuter programs to the residents, employees and employers of Cambridge. These programs strengthen and expand the City's work in encouraging people to walk, bike, pool, take transit, and use other commute alternatives."

John Drew, President & CEO, World Trade Center Boston/Seaport Hotel
"Increasing and improving access to one of the Commonwealth's premier business, convention, and vacation destinations is of vital importance to the World Trade Center Boston/Seaport Hotel. The role of the Seaport TMA in providing information, education, and commute alternatives to employees and visitors cannot be understated."

Michael H. Mulhern, General Manager, MBTA
"The MBTA views the TMAs as partners in promoting public transportation, particularly in the suburbs where their shuttles augment the services of the MBTA by providing critical links between employment sites and existing transit stations. In addition, the organizations strongly support the MBTA’s Corporate T Pass Program, as well as the federal Commuter Choice Initiative that provides incentives for those who use transit. Strong commitments between the MBTA and the TMAs continue to provide more options and better choices for the region’s commuters."

Tim Baldwin, Former Executive Director - MassBike
"Massachusetts TMAs have developed creative and successful campaigns to promote non-motorized transportation alternatives for commuters in the Commonwealth. Through promotions such as Bike to Work and the Commute Fit program, TMAs are successfully promoting bicycle transportation as a mode for both commuting and recreation. TMAs are working with businesses to communicate the message that bicyclists are not just happier and healthier workers, they are also more productive workers."

William J. Gasper, President, Transportation Solutions for Commuters, Inc. (TranSComm)
"The beauty of the TMA concept is that by promoting and enabling a higher utilization of public and private transportation systems to transport people to and from the workplace, and by establishing creative transportation/commuting programs, we have cleaner air, less traffic congestion, more productive employees, greater tax revenue, and more efficient transportation systems. This macro benefit to our economy and our society emanates from the collective efforts and activities of our TMAs, which work tirelessly to facilitate transportation options for our respective communities. On a local level, I unhesitatingly and proudly represent to you that Transportation Solutions for Commuters, Inc. (TranSComm) has effectively broadened and enhanced the transportation options available to the employees, students, patients, visitors and neighbors of our member organizations, which include Boston University Medical Campus, Boston Medical Center and the Public Health Commission."

David Eppstein, Vice President of Operations at MASCO, Inc.
"Transportation Management Associations in Massachusetts play an important role in eliminating traffic congestion and reducing air pollution by creating innovative programs and solutions which provide viable alternatives to the use of single occupancy vehicles."

Julian Fredie, Director of Corporate Support Services, Staples
“Staples has nearly 500 associates who carpool on a regular basis. Being able to offer the MetroWest/495 TMA’s Guaranteed Ride Program has given them a great feeling of security. Associates feel more comfortable knowing that they can get home or to their child in the event of illness even if they didn’t drive their own car in to work that morning.”

Rob Tuchmann, Hale and Dorr, LLP
“The TMA has been an effective way for employers to help employees do their part in reducing air pollution by commuting by transit or car or vanpooling. By making us aware of easy opportunities to inform and help our employees, we can capitalize on a few small subsidies and change commuting habits. For instance, the Guaranteed Ride Home Program gives employees the safety net they need 99 days out of 100 so that they don't have to drive alone to work. The result, aside from cleaner air, is a less congested downtown Boston, clearer streets for delivery vehicles and buses.”

Ken Daly, Former Managing Director - Putnam Investments
"Putnam Investments is proud to be a member of several TMAs. The collaborative efforts between Putnam and our TMA members have resulted in numerous benefits. As a TMA member we have leveraged a work-force of 10,000 employees who have benefited from several transportation initiatives set forth by the Board of Directors."

Christopher Perley, Managing Director, Wyeth BioPharma, Andover
"The Transportation Management Association model (as represented by the Junction Transportation Management Organization) demonstrates the best in public/private cooperation and return on investment by providing the resources needed to offer commuter services as measurable benefits for our employees."

John McDonald, Assistant Director of Enterprise Services, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"The Charles River TMA provides MIT with a higher level of awareness of transportation and commuting options than we would have on our own. The wealth of knowledge of the local transportation environment, as well as the knowledge of regional and national issues that the TMA brings is invaluable. The concept of Transportation Management Associations falls in line with MIT's belief that transportation and commuting issues are a community concern, not just a single entity's issue."

"Transportation Management Associations (TMA) play a crucial part in connecting private sector initiatives with public sector initiatives in areas of transportation planning and services, economic development, and the application of Smart Growth Principles. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) has worked closely with several Massachusetts TMAs on projects ranging from large federal grant awards to local community-based initiatives and has been pleased with the high level of dedication to mission that is clear and evident in each TMA.

"The TMAs are particularly effective in needs assessment at the local level. Because the Massachusetts TMAs are closely linked and work cooperatively, regional perspectives are also identified, brought forward, and considered in any project planning process. Additionally, because of a long-term track record of success in serving private sector needs, TMA partnerships bring significant private sector resources to MAPC project work involving low-income populations. By brokering public/private sector partnerships, TMAs increase the impact of public/private sector resources.

Marc Draisen, Executive Director Metropolitan Area Planning Council 
"It is important to note that the Massachusetts TMAs are driven by commitment to customer service. Public/private partnerships can be very challenging because of the differences in public and private sector organizational values. MAPC has seen the TMAs work very successfully across sectoral lines, and in fact has learned a great deal from the TMAs in how to improve our own working relationships with both public and private sector partners."