Staff Get on Board for Commuter Alternatives

To reduce traffic congestion and encourage alternative modes of transportation, all employees of Packard Children’s were provided with Caltrain GO Passes at the beginning of the year. The Go Passes allow staff to ride Caltrain for free—encouraging the use of mass transportation for their commute to and from work. So far, more than 1,000 employees have taken part in the program and are riding the rails to cut back on commuter driving.

The program was put in place two years ahead of schedule to help alleviate potential community traffic concerns associated with the hospital expansion and reinforces the hospital’s support of environmentally friendly alternatives for employee commutes. The program also frees up the road for patients and their families.

“We are excited to provide the GO Pass to our staff,” said Christopher G. Dawes, president and CEO of Packard Children’s. “By doing so, we hope that our staff will choose Caltrain as opposed to driving. By reducing Medical Center employee traffic, we will better facilitate access to our hospitals for our patients and families.”

The Caltrain passes and additional Marguerite Shuttle services are being provided by Packard Children’s and Stanford Hospital & Clinics at a cost of $1.5 million per year.