We're excited to invite you to the Washington County Employer Commute Workshop on April 2nd, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Beaverton E-Suites Training Center (3rd Floor), 12725 SW Millikan Way, Beaverton, OR 97005. 

After the session, there will be a no-host lunch at BG's Food Cartel for further networking and discussion.

This workshop is designed to help employers navigate the challenges and opportunities related to employee commuting. We'll show you how we can help you: 

• Optimize your return-to-office initiatives and create effective strategies for your workforce.
• Get insight into commute data trends from before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Explore research-based approaches for promoting sustainable commute options in your organization.
• Discover new transportation solutions for your business with the unveiling of our electric-assisted cargo bike fleet powered by the PGE Drive Change Fund and DEQ's Oregon Clean Fuels Program.

We hope you can join us for this valuable opportunity to collaborate and learn from experts and peers.

Please RSVP to secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

WTA is teaming up with Get There Oregon to help employers improve employee commutes and deliver business benefits. Get expert insights and strategies to take your employee commute support to the next level during our hybrid Employer Commute Solutions Summit on Friday, March 14th, at Nike's World Headquarters in Beaverton, OR. Attend in-person or online--FREE! 

Summit details: 

• Date: Friday, March 14, 2025
• Time: In-person: 8 am - 4 pm / Online: 9 am - 2:30 pm
• Location: Nike World Headquarters - Beaverton, OR or join online
• Cost: FREE!

Topics and expert speakers include: 

• The State of the Commute & Traffic Impacts Kick-Off Panel--Oregon's new Chief Economist and business services firm CBRE
• Evolving Employee Perceptions of Work & Benefits--Columbia Sportswear Company
• Employer Insights & Strategies Panel--OHSU, City of Hillsboro, and Meduri Farms
• Building Buy-In for Transportation Demand Management (TDM)--Oregon State University
• Interactive Table Exercise/Breakout Session--facilitated by experts who can help you build an employee commute support program

​Learn more + register: ​

Give your employees the resources they need to get to work.
We're getting ready to supply our members with renewed Transportation Options Maps. These maps will show your employees biking and walking routes, plus public transportation available within a 10 minute biking and walking radius of your worksite. Along with a custom poster for your worksite(s), we'll prepare the same information for digital formats for display in your break rooms or common office areas. We'll also supply a display with appropriate transit route maps, jurisdiction specific bike maps, and other WTA benefit information to display alongside your custom map.

Are you a member interested in getting a Transportation Options Map for your worksite?
Send us a message! We'll work with you to supply as many posters and digital formats as needed: [email protected]

Not yet a member, but interested in getting your very own Transportation Options Map?
Submit a membership inquiry on our website: WTA-TMA.org/Join

Want to walk, roll, bike, or take transit during these last wintery days but not sure where to start? Get all your winter weather questions answered! The Street Trust joined us for a virtual multimodal winter clinic last month, and even if you missed the live event you can still watch! Get all the knowledge you need for getting around walking, rolling, and using public transportation when it's dark, rainy, icy, snowy, and cold.

​Want to join in on the Winter Walk & Roll Week, but not sure where to start? Get all your winter questions answered! Join us and The Street Trust for a virtual multimodal winter clinic this Tuesday, February 11 at noon - 1:00 p.m. Learn about this week’s incentives, and get all the knowledge you need for getting around walking, rolling, and using public transportation when it’s dark, rainy, icy, snowy, and cold.

Member Spotlight: LAIKA, ​Setting Standards in Sustainable Transportation for the Stop-Motion Industry

LAIKA is committed to telling original, timeless stories and sharing them with the broadest possible audience, all while leading the way in filmmaking. By blending cutting-edge technologies with traditional techniques, they craft state-of-the-art classics. This spirit of innovation also shapes the studio's approach to environmental stewardship, as they aim to drive sustainability advancements within the stop-motion industry.

“We implement practical solutions that minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency to ensure studio accountability in reducing our carbon footprint. Through research, education, and action, we aim to inspire stress-free, sustainable habits among LAIKAns while also supporting partnerships with our local communities and organizations that share our values around environmental responsibility. Westside Transportation Alliance is one such partner,” said Carla Chen, Sustainability Program Manager at LAIKA.

LAIKA is focused not only on what stories they tell but also on how they tell them, and that includes continually evaluating and improving behaviors and processes at the studio to be better stewards of the environment. Encouraging and facilitating greener commuting habits among employees is an important arrow in their quiver, as the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon, accounting for 35% of all emissions in 2021, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)*. 

The LAIKA Sustainability Program promotes transportation subsidy initiatives to reduce roadway congestion and carbon emissions by offering incentives to encourage employee use of alternative or low-emission modes of transportation. 

Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA) is a long-term partner in helping LAIKA develop and maintain its robust transportation subsidies. LAIKA’s Carpool Program reduces commuter miles across the Portland metro area each month, with an average employee participation rate of 21% (based on the DEQ 2023 Employee Commute Options, or ECO, Survey).

LAIKA provides employees with access to 12 at-cost EV charging stations that reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 49,167 pounds in 2024, according to Blink Charging. The studio also offers 50% off monthly bus passes for employees.

LAIKA Sustainability sponsors an annual on-site Bike Repair Event in partnership with WashCo Bikes, a non-profit organization in Hillsboro whose vision is to create a future where bicycling is seen as the safe and practical choice for short-distance trips. Last year, more than 30 employees’ bikes were repaired at no cost to them. In addition, the studio offers a Bike Borrowing Program, with bikes available for employees to use to run errands or enjoy a ride during their breaks. 

Since 2023, LAIKA has participated in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management Program, which is dedicated to identifying improvement opportunities in energy conservation. LAIKA’s commitment to innovation in sustainability earned the studio Washington County’s Green Business Leader Gold Award in 2023, a three-year designation.

In 2024, LAIKA attained EVAL Silver certification in Electric Vehicle Adoption Leadership through Forth Mobility and was distinguished by the Environmental Media Association (EMA) with their Green Seal Award for Studios, a recognition program that identifies best practices through a point system focused on sustainability. EMA is an organization dedicated to promoting environmental progress in the entertainment industry, and LAIKA is the first stop-motion company to achieve their Green Seal Award for Studios.

About LAIKA
LAIKA was founded in 2005 in Oregon by President & CEO Travis Knight. The studio’s five films Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), and Missing Link (2019) have all been nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA® Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. LAIKA is currently in production on its next animated film Wildwood. The studio is developing the animated feature films The Night Gardener, from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark, and Piranesi, based on the NYT bestselling novel by Susanna Clarke. LAIKA has launched a Live Action subsidiary with a range of projects in development including feature films based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow and an original script Crumble, written and directed by Brian Duffield with Phil Lord and Chris Miller producing. Oscar®-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts (Dune) will write and make his directorial debut on another original live action film project. Learn more at www.laika.com.

*Source: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ghgp/pages/ghg-inventory.aspx​

​By joining one of ODOT's statewide transportation safety committees, you'll play a vital role in shaping policies and programs that save lives and make our roads safer for everyone. ODOT is currently seeking members for: 

• Oregon Transportation Safety Committee​
• Governor's Advisory Committee on Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
• Governor's Advisory Committee on Motorcycle Safety​

Who Can Apply?
Any Oregonian with an interest in transportation safety can apply. Diverse perspectives are valued to help make Oregon's roads safer for everyone.

What You Need to Know

• Terms: Each appointment is for four years.
• Travel: Most committees require little or no travel. Many meetings also offer a virtual option for added convenience. When travel is needed, the committee covers costs.
• Interviews: Interviews can be done in person or online using Microsoft Teams.
• Applications: Applications are always open and managed through Workday. Find guidance for applicants here.

For more information about these committees, visit ODOT's Governor's Advisory Committees webpage.

As businesses embrace return-to-work initiatives, offering transportation support is essential to ease commuting challenges for employees. By offering incentives for cost-effective commute options and flexible work schedules, companies can help employees—especially those living far from the office—reduce travel expenses while enjoying the continued benefits of flexibility. 

Reducing Commute Costs
For many employees, commuting expenses can add up quickly, particularly for those who live long distances from their workplace. Companies can help by offering rideshare programs, transportation subsidies, and on-site facilities for bike commuters. These benefits not only lower costs but also improve morale and retention.

Supporting Hybrid and Remote Workers
Flexible work schedules, including hybrid and remote options, help ease commute burdens for employees while enabling employers to tap into a broader talent pool. In Oregon, which has the second-highest share of remote workers in the country, return-to-work initiatives are trending. While many businesses are encouraging a return to the office, there is still strong support for hybrid and remote work arrangements—at least part of the time. This flexibility not only reduces commuting costs and time for employees but also helps companies attract and retain top talent, maintaining the benefits of flexibility even as the workplace evolves.

By integrating transportation support and flexible work arrangements, businesses can ease return-to-work challenges, reduce turnover, and improve overall employee satisfaction. These initiatives are key to creating a more dynamic and employee-friendly work environment.

As always, WTA is here to help! Reach out today, and we'll help you develop a tailored strategy to support your workforce. 

The start of a new year offers a perfect opportunity to explore alternative ways of getting around. Whether it's taking public transit, walking, or biking to work--even just once a week--changing up your commute can bring numerous benefits. A new mode of transportation can break up the routine, offering a fresh perspective on your neighborhood, all while helping you get outside, stay active, and reduce stress. Plus, leaving the driving to someone else can provide a welcome break from the pressures of traffic. Why not kick off the year with a healthier, more enjoyable way to commute? 

Don't know where to begin? We're here to help! WTA offers personalized commute consultations to help you plan a custom route with expert advice, making your commute easier and more efficient! 

Click here for helpful resources to get you started. To request a commute plan, click here.