Galleria area is a commuter haven
By MONIFA THOMAS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
People who work in the Cumberland/Galleria office market receive some of the best commuter services in the country, according to the EPA.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently recognized the complex as a Best Workplaces for Commuters district, one of only two in the country.
Ordinarily, the EPA highlights individual companies for their efforts to provide time and fuel efficient ways to get employees to and from work.
But this year, all of the more than 3,000 companies in the office plaza earned the designation, thanks to the efforts of an organization called Commuter Club.
“It’s one of the few organizations of its kind to be able to guarantee this level of quality services for such a large group of employers,” said Malaika Rivers, executive director of the organization.
Whether by car, bus, van or even taxi, Commuter Club helps companies like Home Depot and Georgia-Pacific coordinate transportation services for the more than 70,000 people who work in the complex.
Commuter Club is funded by the Cumberland Community Improvement District, a self-taxing business group providing seed money for infrastructure improvement projects.
Rivers said there are several benefits to being a commuter-friendly company.
“Van pools in particular have a wondrous effect on employee morale, since these groups become part of people’ lifestyles,” Rivers said. “That, in turn, leads to advanced recruitment, higher retention rates, and good PR for the company. Best of all, it saves companies and property managers money.”
Now that her organization has been nationally recognized, Rivers said she is eager to share the vision of Commuter Club with other business districts throughout metro Atlanta.
“We want the entire Atlanta business community to wrap its arms around this, so that they, too, can qualify to be best workplaces for commuters,” she said.
For more information, call the Commuter Club at 770-859-2331, or go online to www.CommuterClub.com.