Note: Prior ordinance history: Ords. 1625, 1581, 1454, 1231, 1154.
The city has adopted general plan policies to reduce the total number of average daily traffic (ADT) trips and to evenly distribute the ADT trips throughout the nonpeak hours. The purpose of this chapter is to implement these policies by creating a voluntary, rather than mandatory, employer trip reduction program.
The city finds as follows:
A. 
Although recent legislation (SB 437) (Health and Safety Code Section 40929) that prohibits public agencies from imposing mandated employer trip reduction programs, the city believes that a voluntary program can accomplish the same objectives as the mandatory program.
B. 
Transportation planning studies done for the city of Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley have all indicated the need to manage the transportation system and conserve capacity. The 1995 Tri-Valley Transportation Plan/Action Plan for Routes of Regional Significance indicates the gateways—I-680, I-580, Hwy. 84 and Vasco Road—will have more demand than capacity. Traffic studies of Pleasanton's build-out of land use also indicate that many of the critical intersections in Pleasanton will be operating near capacity. The impact of any significant cut through traffic would further aggravate these traffic conditions. Transportation planning in Pleasanton relies on continued traffic management strategies to maintain acceptable levels of service.
C. 
The general plan mandates an uncongested traffic circulation system, energy conservation, and maintenance of noise and air quality levels within established standards.
D. 
The general plan also mandates reducing the total number of average daily traffic (ADT) trips and minimizing the number of employees traveling to and from work during the peak commute hours through promoting transit, ridesharing, bicycling, walking, telecommuting programs and alternative work hours program.
E. 
Reductions in traffic trips, both absolutely and within peak hour periods, are beneficial in terms of reducing traffic congestion, vehicle emissions, energy consumption, and noise levels. The improved traffic levels of service, air quality, and ambient noise levels contribute to making the city an attractive and convenient place to live, work, visit, and do business.
F. 
Minimizing inconvenience in commute trips and retaining an attractive environment will enable employers to: (1) be easily accessible to clients; (2) assure the delivery of goods and services; and (3) effectively recruit and retain qualified personnel.
G. 
Voluntary participation by public and private employers is critical to the success of a transportation systems management (TSM) program.
(Ord. 1708 § 2, 1997)
For purposes of this chapter, the following words or phrases shall have meanings as provided in this section:
"Alternative work hours program"
means any system for shifting the workday of an employee so that the work-day starts and/or ends outside of the peak periods. Such programs include, but are not limited to: (1) compressed work weeks; (2) staggered work hours involving a shift in the set work hours of all employees at the workplace; and (3) flexible work hours involving individually determined work hours within guidelines established by the employer.
"Carpool"
means a vehicle occupied by two to six people travelling together between their residences and their work sites or destination for the majority of the total trip distance. Employees who work for different employers, as well as nonemployed people, are included within this definition as long as they are in the vehicle for the majority of the total trip distance.
"Commute trip"
means the trip made by an employee from home-to-work or work-to-home. The commute trip may include stops between home and the work site.
"Compressed work week"
means a regular full-time work schedule which eliminates at least one round-trip commute trip (both home-to-work and work-to-home) at least once every two weeks. Examples include, but are not limited to, working three 12-hour days (3/36), or four 10-hour days (4/40) within a one week period, or eight nine-hour days and one eight-hour day (9/80) within a two week period.
"Commute alternatives"
means carpooling, vanpooling, transit, bicycling, walking, and telecommuting.
"Employee"
means any person working for an employer for either wages or salary, including part-time, seasonal and limited term employees. The term excludes independent contractors.
"Employer"
means any public or private employer, including the city, with a permanent place of business in the city. "Employer" also means any managed commercial area consisting of individual employers within a defined geographic area.
"Employer trip reduction program"
means a program developed and implemented by the employer to provide information, assistance, incentives or other measures for employees to increase commute alternative use, increase the number of employees using alternative work hours program and decrease the number of trips made inside the peak period.
"Flexible work hours"
means a system for shifting the workday of an employee so that the workday starts and/or ends outside of the peak periods.
"Level of service"
means a measure of the percentage of capacity of a roadway or intersection being used during the peak hour, as determined by the city engineer, and in accordance with the definition contained in the "Highway Capacity Manual," HRB Special Report 87.
"Peak hour periods, peak hour, and peak periods"
means the hours from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. during workdays for calculating peak hour vehicle reduction.
"Single-occupancy vehicle"
means a motor vehicle occupied by one person.
"Survey"
means a form designed to ascertain employee commute information in order to calculate peak hour vehicle reduction for the work site.
"Telecommuting"
means a system of working at home or at an off-site, nonhome telecommute facility for the full workday on a regular basis for at least one day per week.
"Transportation coordinator"
means a management employee who is responsible for the implementation of the TSM program and for fulfilling the conditions of the city/employer participation agreement. The transportation coordinator is also a member of the transportation committee.
"Transportation committee"
shall consist of transportation coordinators from each employer enrolled in the TSM program and the city TSM coordinator, a representative from each of the following may participate: any transit authority serving Pleasanton, Business Parks, Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, and the Pleasanton Downtown Association. The transportation committee shall participate in any and all programs necessary to coordinate and implement citywide TSM efforts.
"Vanpool"
means a vehicle occupied by seven to 15 employees including the driver who commute together to work for the majority of their individual commute trip distance. Employees who work for different employers are included within this definition as long as they are in the vehicle for the majority of their individual trip distance.
"Work site"
means any place of employment, base of operation or predominant location of the employer including multiple buildings or facilities occupied by the same employer within the city. A temporary building construction site is excluded from this definition.
(Ord. 1708 § 2, 1997; Ord. 2194 § 2, 2019)
Every existing or future employer with 50 or more employees wishing to enroll in the TSM program shall enter into a participation agreement with the city to do the following:
A. 
Develop an employer trip reduction program plan designed to achieve the purpose of this chapter. Develop cooperatively with the city reasonable and ambitious trip reduction goals with the goals to be based on a variety of criteria, which may include employee commute patterns and times and the corporate environment. A copy of the plan shall be filed with the city.
B. 
Every other year each employer shall, during the month of May, conduct an employee transportation survey at the work site. This survey will provide the employer with monitoring, planning and marketing information to help develop an effective trip reduction program. The aggregate results of the employer survey as well as progress toward the employer's goal shall be shared with the city.
C. 
Within 30 days following enrollment in the TSM Program, the employer shall appoint a management level employee as the transportation coordinator.
D. 
The transportation coordinator shall represent the employer as a member of the transportation committee.
(Ord. 1708 § 2, 1997; Ord. 2194 § 2, 2019)
The city is committed to providing support, guidance and assistance to employers who enroll in the TSM program. city shall:
A. 
Appoint a city TSM coordinator who will coordinate and staff the transportation committee, provide direct support to employers and manage the citywide TSM program.
B. 
Develop and provide marketing materials.
C. 
Form and support the transportation committee that will provide networking opportunities, information sharing, help in designing TSM programs, and participation in applying for grants.
D. 
Offer training for the transportation coordinator.
E. 
Coordinate and/or conduct on-site events.
F. 
Conduct one to two major membership-wide events per year.
G. 
Sponsor employer recognition through awards, TSM newsletter and local newspaper articles.
H. 
Develop TSM program guides (e.g., preferential parking, telecommuting, alternative work hours, etc.).
I. 
Operate a guaranteed ride home program for participating employers.
(Ord. 1708 § 2, 1997)
The transportation committee shall be formed and shall participate in any and all programs necessary to coordinate and implement citywide TSM efforts in order to achieve as congestion-free circulation system as feasible. The transportation committee shall hold its first meeting within 60 days following the effective date hereof, and shall continue to meet on a regularly scheduled basis, as determined by the transportation committee.
(Ord. 1708 § 2, 1997)