Options Help Manage the Cost of Commuting

Whether your commute to campus is five minutes or 55, high prices at the gas pump are affecting everyone, and the Georgia Tech community is no exception.

Georgia Tech remains focused on the well-being of students, faculty, and staff — especially during these very stressful times when many are feeling the substantial impact of rising gas prices.

We know that Georgia Tech thrives only because of hard work and dedication from the entire Yellow Jacket community. And as we all face the uncertainty of the future, we want to assure you that we are here for you.  

Georgia Tech is taking a proactive stance now with the resources we have available and is committed to continuing to monitor the situation and adjust our approach as needed. So, multiple units campuswide are collaborating to identify and implement measures that will ease the cost of driving to work.

We recognize this situation is rapidly evolving. While we continue to re-evaluate business operations at Tech and will continue to offer a residential experience for our students, including in-person course delivery, we strongly encourage all employees to explore more immediate alternatives to their daily commutes.

Cost-Effective Commuting Options

Here are a few options with potential cost-savings:

• Carpool and Rideshare Programs
  Did you know a Georgia Tech carpool permit costs $100 less than annual individual permits and can be split among carpool members? Visit pts.gatech.edu to explore carpooling incentives through Georgia Commute Options, Waze Carpool, and even Zipcar.
• Public Transportation Discounts
  Students and employees can purchase discounted monthly transit passes. Employees can purchase their transit passes via payroll deduction for MARTA, GRTA Xpress, CobbLinc, and Gwinnett County Transit.  
• Scooters and Bike Sharing Options
  Whether commuting to campus or navigating when you get here, Georgia Tech is a Gold Level Bike Friendly University and has worked hard to encourage bicycling (or scooting) as a healthy, convenient, and low-cost form of transportation.
• Flexible Work Arrangements
  In addition to telecommuting, consider flextime or working a compressed workweek to help reduce travel time and costs. Discuss your flexible work options with your supervisor. Click here for tips that will prepare you for the discussion. 
  
  Please Note: Telework approvals are based on management discretion and should be granted based on what best serves students, lessons learned from the past year, and the overall institutional mission. Please work with your manager to determine your most practical teleworking options.

Share Your Suggestions

We know uncertainty of any kind is not easy. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide solutions where we can. We want to hear from you: email staffcouncil@gatech.edu or visit Georgia Tech’s Staff Council’s virtual office hours to discuss or share your suggestions.

Employees are also encouraged to reach out to their HR Business Partner or Unit HR Director to ask questions and share ideas.