In the Bay Area, more and more companies are offering corporate shuttle programs. No program I’ve seen is as large as Google’s, which is probably the largest corporate shuttle program in the Silicon Valley. Some say it even rivals public transportation programs in some cities and metropolitan areas. I recently came across some information which is about a year old, but I wanted to share it with you. I applaud Google for using its influence, scale, and money to do some real good for our environment (and for its employees).
As of the middle of last year, Google was running 32 shuttles, each carrying up to 37 passengers each. The shuttles carried and estimated 1,200 employees per day over an estimated 132 trips and 4,400 miles. The Google shuttle network covered 230 miles of freeway, and came as far as 54 miles away from the Googleplex. The shuttle service is truly impressive. Service starts as early as 5:05 am on some routes and ends as late as 10:05 pm. During peak times, a shuttle comes every 15 minutes. I recently spoke with an employee at Google and heard the rule for a new shuttle is that at least 25 people must sign up for the program to ensure the system remains as green and efficient as possible. In fact, he is in the process of getting a new shuttle run to his area, where as many as 70 people have requested a pick up. They only live about 10 miles from campus, but even 30 people taking the shuttle each day would save over 500 miles from being driven per day, or over 180,000 miles per year.
In true Google style, the shuttles are equipped with wireless Internet access and leather seats. Bicycles can be carried on exterior racks, and dogs are allowed on the front seats. Since I work near the Google campus, I’ve seen the new Google shuttles. Some are now full sized coaches capable of carrying more than 37 passengers each, which means the program is growing in popularity. I only expect this to continue as gas prices continue to increase. What a fantastic program! If anyone has more information about Google’s shuttle program or any other corporate environmental program, let us know.
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