Commuting Is a Wellness Issue: How TDM and HR Leaders can team up for better commutes and happier employees

When we talk about employee wellness, our minds often jump to gym stipends, meditation apps, or healthy snacks in the office. But there’s a critical piece of the wellness puzzle that often gets overlooked; the daily commute. For many employees, commuting is the most stressful and time-consuming part of their day. And yet, it's rarely considered in wellness programs.

At the same time, transportation demand managers are focused on shifting commute behavior to reduce congestion and emissions, but often without connecting the dots to employee experience and well-being. This is the moment for HR and TDM leaders to align strategies and recognize that commuting is not just a transportation issue, it's a wellness issue.

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The Commute-Wellness Connection

The data is clear:

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average one-way commute time over the last 10 years is around 26 minutes.
  
  
• Long commutes are correlated with lower job satisfaction, higher stress, and even physical health impacts like increased blood pressure and back pain.
  
  
• On the flip side, active commuting (like biking or walking) is linked to improved mental health, increased energy, and higher productivity.

In other words, how your employees get to work shapes how they feel at work.

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A Shared Opportunity for HR and TDM Teams

Traditionally, HR teams have owned wellness, while TDM professionals have tackled transportation. But the future of work calls for a more integrated approach. Whether your goals are retention, engagement, sustainability, or reducing parking demand, the commute is a critical lever.

By working together, HR and TDM leaders can develop programs that improve employee well-being. Here’s how:

• Start with shared goals. HR wants to reduce burnout and increase retention. TDM wants to lower single-occupancy vehicle use and ease parking demand. A healthier, more flexible commute benefits both.
  
  
• Design benefits that double as behavior change. When an e-bike stipend is framed as both a wellness perk and a sustainable commuting incentive, it’s more likely to resonate with employees and drive adoption.
  
  
• Leverage cross-functional data. HR can track engagement and wellness outcomes. TDM can measure emissions reductions and mode shifts. Together, they can tell a more compelling story about the full impact of the program.
  
  
• Communicate with a unified voice. When commuting benefits are promoted as part of a broader wellness strategy, rather than a standalone transportation initiative, they feel more personal, accessible, and valuable to employees.
  
  

Ultimately, this kind of collaboration doesn’t just improve commuting. It improves the overall employee experience. And in a world where talent, sustainability, and retention are top priorities, that’s a win across the board.

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Ridepanda: Commuting as a Wellness Benefit

Ridepanda makes it easy for employers to offer electric bikes, scooters, and pedal bikes as a benefit, giving employees an affordable, fun, and sustainable way to get to work.

With Ridepanda, HR and TDM leaders can:

• Turn e-bikes, scooters, and pedal bikes into meaningful benefits by offering a subsidy towards the monthly subscription fee.
  
  
• Track real impact, including reduced emissions, fewer single-occupancy vehicle commutes, and shifts toward active, sustainable transportation.
  
  
• Support return-to-office goals by making the commute more appealing, flexible, and less stressful, especially for employees navigating traffic, long distances, or limited public transit.
  
  
• Elevate the employee experience with a benefit that reduces stress, saves time, and supports both physical and mental well-being.

E-bikes in particular are a game changer: they open up bicycle commuting to a broader range of employees, including those with longer distances, hills, or physical limitations. For those who commute via public transportation, foldable e-bikes and scooters are a great way to tackle the first and last mile of the trip.

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What Success Looks Like

When companies integrate Ridepanda into their wellness and commuting programs, they see results like:

• Higher engagement with wellness initiatives. In a recent survey, 
  
  • 70% of Ridepanda riders said they feel their company invests in healthier commute options. 
  • 50% of Ridepanda riders said they feel their company is innovative and offers top quality benefits.
• Reduced parking and transportation costs.
  
  • In a city like San Francisco, parking can start at $300 per month, per employee. If the company is covering that, they are looking at $3,600 per year, per employee. Offering a $100 per month e-bike subsidy reduces the company’s cost per employee to only $1,200 per year! That’s a savings of $2,400 per employee.
• Happier, healthier, more energized employees.
  
  • In a recent webinar, Carolyn Hernandez, Transportation Demand Manager at Google, shared how e-bike commuting has improved employee well-being, with Google employees reporting lower stress, higher engagement, and greater satisfaction with their commute.
    
    

And most importantly: they create a culture that values time, sustainability, and well-being, starting with the journey to work.

As the return-to-office conversation continues, HR and TDM teams have a unique opportunity to reimagine commuting; not as a necessary evil, but as a well-being benefit. With the right tools and mindset, the ride to work can be one of the healthiest parts of an employee’s day.

Let’s make commuting work for your workforce.

Explore how Ridepanda can support your wellness and commute programs! Fill out the form below and we'll be in touch!

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