1. Reducing vehicular Emissions by Commuter Choice Program
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
(18th March 2019)

2. Background
As per CPCB study, out of 102 most polluted cities 17 cities (Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Badlapur, Chandrapur, Jalgao, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Sangli, Solapur and Ulhasnagar) are from Maharashtra state
Particulate Matter (As per NEERI reports, PM10 and PM2.5 contribution is 20 – 30%) is major pollutant observed in these cities along with NOx
For these 17 Non-attainment cities, MPCB has submitted action plan in which one of key challenge is to restrict vehicular pollution Though, we have implemented stringent emission norms (BS IV) and further enforcing Bharat Stage VI norms from April 2020, but unless improvement in traffic situation, better ambient air quality will be a remote possibility
Daily huge number of car users commuting between home and workplace (out of which 80% are single user cars) are the main contributor as well as sufferer of the air pollution due to traffic congestion
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

3. As traffic congestion in peak hour commute pattern due to huge number of private / personal vehicles ply at same time contributes to air pollution.
Objective of MPCB initiative is to reduce vehicular pollution by moderating traffic congestion by promoting public transport system and reducing number of private / personal vehicles
US EPA and European union environmental agency developed program to address above objectives
Objectives
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

4. US EPA Commuter Choice Program
US EPA announced state implementation plan to reduce emissions , commuter choice programs to meet Clean Air Act requirement. This program started in Dec. 1998
The major elements of this program is responsibility of employer towards the employee commute where
Employers have to draft alternative commute modes for employee
Offer one primary cash benefit in terms of carpool incentive or parking cash out
Offer 3 secondary incentives from various options such as shuttles from transit stations, carpool matching through agency etc.
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

5. Employer Form for annual submission as per Commuter choice program to local air pollution control authority
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

6. Under CIVITAS initiative, a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) is defined which It is a new and people-focused planning approach.
Employer guideline involves baseline evaluation of travel patterns and site audit in stage 1
In subsequent stage, employers has develop their own employee mobility plan, and promote them effectively. Options involve the use of public transport, collective company transport, car-pooling etc.for home-work journeys
Several monitoring and evaluation tools for travel plans have been developed in Europe such as Max Sumo which need to be updated annually or bi-annually for the effectiveness of employer’s implementation plan
Various cities London, Paris, Bucharest, Budapest etc. are part of this program
European Union
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

7. Employer must take responsibility of employee commute.
Employer must have baseline data on employee commuting patterns and number of vehicle trips, travel mode, travel distance and respective emission.
Employer must offer an optional bouquet of various programs to employees to reduce employee commuted kilometres (daily and peak hrs) and respective emissions.
Employer shall report the achieved reduction of vehicle trips by their employees and prospective emission reduction on periodic basis.
Principles emerging from US EPA (Commuter Choice Program) and EU (SUMP)
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

8. MPCB – Commuter Choice Program
Bouquet of Choices to Employees
Carpooling
Staggered Time slots for employees
Compressed Work hours
Shuttle services from transit stations
MPCB – Commuter Choice Program
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

9. Without Carpooling Fuel Emissions
With Carpooling A A’ B B’ C’ C D D’

10. Carpooling Based on ‘Sharing Economy’ principle
More than 20 percent of Mumbai's traffic is being transported through private vehicles.
The occupancy in the office commuting private vehicles is mostly single
If passengers traveling in one office or at one place, travel by personal vehicles and if three to four people come together, this can reduce the number of private and personal vehicles on the road and hence will reduce the pollution due to vehicles. This will encourage car-pooling.
Fuel reduction, GHG & emission reduction (10 – 15% based on various researchers) are direct benefits
Various incentives such as preferred parking spots, cash incentives etc. should be offered by
App based solution are developed by various private players
Carpooling
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

11. Benefits of Carpooling
Employee
Employer
Benefits of Carpooling
Fuel saving and associated monetary benefits
Monetary incentives by employers for carpooling
Better and quicker parking space
Relationship with colleagues
Reduced parking space requirement and associated cost
Motivation to employees
Better time-management
Improved Brand image – Green / Eco-friendly company
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

12. Concept of Staggered Work Hours
Traffic Density
Emissions due to Traffic Inflow in
8.00 – 9.00
Traffic Density
Staggering
Work Hours
Emission Hot spot due to Traffic Inflow in
8.30 – 9.30
Emissions due to Traffic Inflow in
9.00 – 10.00
Traffic Density
Emissions due to Traffic Inflow in
10.00 – 11.00
Traffic Density
Traffic Intensity peaked due to sudden inflow of vehicles.
Air Pollution Load concentrated for the time slot which may be issue considering dispersion modelling
Traffic Intensity reduced due to distributed inflow of vehicles over the 3 hrs.
Temporal segregated reduced air pollution load which is safe considering dispersion modelling

13. Staggered Work Hours 10 am – 11 noon 9 – 10 am 8 - 9 am
Inflow of traffic depends on the workhours. Therefore distributing inflow of employees will help to reduce pollution intensity
The concentration levels will be lower and dispersion of pollutant will be effective
Studies by MMRDA and MPCB shows
Saving in the idle time of vehicles ~ 40 %
Saving in Fuel by ~ 30 %
Reduction in Peak PM ~ 38 %
Reduction in Peak CO ~ 42 %
Employer should mandatorily offer work hour choices to employee
Employers in certain areas in India have initiated this drive e.g. Hinjewadi – Pune, Electronic city – Bengaluru
Success of this initiative depends on the increasing the participation
Staggered Work Hours
10 am – 11 noon
9 – 10 am
Employers will be involved in this initiative which will implement this initiative for respective staff (employees and contract staff)
Employers may face administrative challenges which can be resolved
Effectiveness of this initiative need to be assessed on appropriate time scales considering the implementation schedules and involvement of employers from selected areas
Govt. may provide incentives to employers for the implementation of same
8 - 9 am
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

14. Transit Shuttle Service
In Mumbai, modal share of public transport was 81% in 2005 which is dropped to 63% in 2015
The major reason for lowering of public transport use is
– last mile connectivity
In transit shuttle service offering, employer itself or agency appointed by multiple employers should offer transit shuttle service from possible public transport hubs (bus , railway stations)
The frequency and availability of shuttle in peak hours (morning and evening) will ensure the last mile connectivity which may increase public transport use.
Transit Shuttle Service A B
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

15. Employers ask individual employees to complete certain workhours for week / month
Employer may provide the option of ‘Compressed Work hours’ in which employee can utilize the allotted work hours in less days
Example - 40 hrs week can be finished as 8 hr/day in 5 days or employee may willing to work 10 hrs/day for 4 days only
This will result into reduced travel requirement and lowering traffic congestion
This can be integrated with ‘Work from Home’ policy of employer
This should be voluntary initiative by employers based on the type of service the industry is offering
Compressed Work Hours
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

16. Commuters’ Pollution Potential Annual Return by Employer
Employer (Employee + Contract Staff > 100) should file commuters’ potential pollution return Annually to MPCB
For any employer, Employee and contract staff is considered as commuter
In this return, it is expected that employer should
Map the employee commute by
Mode of Travel
Distance of Travel
Associated pollution inventory
Prior Efforts / initiatives with achievement in the reduction of pollution inventory of commuters
Commuters’ Pollution Potential Annual Return by Employer
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

17. Employee + Contract staff daily work travel is the responsibility of Employer
MPCB has recently issued directions to the employers (strength more than 100 employees) to implement commuter choice program.
Employers are asked to mapped total employee vehicle kilometres along with efforts for reducing the same , associated pollution potential,
Annually employer will be asked to submit ‘ Commuters’ Pollution Potential Return’ to MPCB
Employers should come up with various initiatives and incentive schemes (communicated to MPCB) to increase the use of public transport by commuters
As we are entitled for Clean Air – same way we have duty towards same. Therefore success of Commuter Choice Program depends on the employers’ honest efforts regarding the same
Concluding Remarks

18. Thank You
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board