The Transportation Demand Management (TDM) department has provided clean-air commuting resources to various business units, employees, and Cast Members at The Walt Disney Company since 1989. As of the last reporting period, nearly 14,000 employees have enrolled in Disney Commuter Assistance programs to help reduce GHG emissions, save money at the pump, and reduce parking demand.
In addition, Disney has ensured that all fleet vehicle purchases in Southern California are certified by the California Air Resources Board as Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) or better – among the cleanest vehicles on the market. The Company has purchased ULEVs or better for several years to replace older vehicles near the end of their lease or useful life. Starting in 2009, this standard will be applied to all Disney locations throughout the U.S.
TDM also offers a terrific program to help employees purchase commute-related transit and parking with pretax dollars. This can save employees up to 40 percent on commute costs while giving the Company a payroll tax savings of 7.5-11 percent, depending on the state. This encourages more employees and Cast Members to use public transit and leave their personal vehicles at home. In 2007, employees using pretax dollars saved approximately $800,000 collectively, and the Company realized approximately $100,000 in real savings.
