"We must turn the urban and suburban automobile into an effective "mass transit" vehicle. Somewhere between 30 and 35 million automobile are used each day mainly to go back and forth to work. This fleet represents at least 120 million daily transit seats, more than 40 times the available seats of the Nation's public transit systems."

Remarks by Secretary of Transportation Claude S. Brinegar at Annula Meeting of Highway Users Federation, Chicago, October 30, 1974.

The problem was simple to understand and not unfamiliar. Getting to an from work in a suburban environment not served adequately by public transit. Massive traffic jams develop twice everyday like clockwork. Parking demand is greater than the surface parking capacity available in this high activity area. This was a description of the corporate headquarters of the 3M Company, located on the eastern edge of St. Paul, Minnesota.

The complex is unique because both administrative and laboratory facilities are located on the same site. Currently, 3M Center consists of 17 buildings with approximately 9000 employees on some 400 acres in campus-like setting. It is expected to reach a 1980 employment figure of 16,000. There are more than 12 miles of roads in and immediately surrounding the Center, and parking facilities for 8000 vehicle.

Because of limited access to the major highways surrounding the 3M Center, congestion has existed here for several years. The congestion was amplified by rapid growth in terms of additional employees. The Company was then faced with the problem of relying more and more on public investments for transportation facilities to accommodate additional growth - both by 3M and other area businesses. Since the Center was largely auto-oriented, this usually meant additional highways. It soon became apparent to 3M Management that the Company's growth was overtaking the public' ability and willingness to provide additional highway capacity.

As a result of a Home-Work Travel Survey, a staggered working hour plan at the Center was put into effect in May, 1972. A program of T.O.P.I.C.S. (Traffic Operational Programs to Improve Capacity and Safety) type road improvements was also initiated in cooperation with the various public agencies. These included fully actuated traffic signals with special turn phases at several locations, multiple turn lanes, ramp widening, channelization, one-way roads, etc.. Major construction on surrounding and many internal roads was done in 1972. These programs were immediately successful ad met with widespread enthusiasm among employees because of the reduced peak-hour congestion. More importantly, they provided additional time for solving the 3M Center transportation problem.

The concept of car pooling is an attractive alternative to supplying conventional transit in low density suburban areas because it eliminates the high labor costs. The problem with car pooling is that there has to be a person or persons willing to use their personal auto to transport others to work. The compensation, if any, is usually ???? barely adequate to meet vehicle operating expenses. The Commute-A-Van innovation proposed that 3-M Company supply a standard 12-passenger van to persons willing to operate a van pool.

The proposal outlined a system where the operators would be permanent 3M personnel; vehicles would be purchased and supplied to these van pools by the company; the fares would amortize the vehicles and meet operating costs; and convenient parking would be made available. In December, 1972, a pilot program was approved by management. Goals of the program were to determine if van pooling of the type envisioned in the Commute-A-Van concept would work; how much it would cost to operate; and if user income would be sufficient to cover expenses. Basically, the program was an attempt to prove that the total number of autos used for the work trip could be significantly reduced, thereby alleviating congestion and reducing the demand for parking.

The pilot pools consisted of a Pool Coordinator and a minimum of eight paying passengers, at least one of which was a backup driver. The passengers paid on a monthly basis for a reserved seat. The major factor used in the model that was determined during the pilot program was the relationship between passenger pick-up time and line haul travel time to 3M Center. This factor was referred to as the utility ratio:

Utility Ratio = Pick-up Time (Min) / Line Haul Time (Min)

It was anticipated that the larger this ratio becomes, the more difficulty there would be in the formation and operation of a successful pool due to the excessive time spent picking up and discharging passengers in relation to the total work trip time. A pilot pool from the Bloomington area had a utility ration of 1.0 and much to everyone's surprise was very successful.

Currently there are 61 vans in operation at the 3M Center and everyone has at least eight passengers riding to and from work. The congestion, obviously, has been reduced. The program was just in time for the energy crisis. Many of the participants have eliminated the need for a second car. There is now a reduced demand for parking and a more efficient use of land at 3M installations.

All of the vans are purchased from local dealers in the St. Paul area. There is an even mixture of Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge and Plymouth vans in operation. All are equipped with air conditioning and automatic transmissions. The vans are supplied to the Pool Coordinator by 3M. The Coordinator's responsibilities are to: 1. drive the van to and from the 3M facility, and pick up and discharge the passengers; 2. arrange for service and maintenance of the van and clean the van as needed; 3. keep the pool at or above the minimum of eight paying passengers; 4. train sufficient backup drivers to insure daily operation of the van pool; 5. supply a place for overnight parking of the vehicle in a garage or with a place to plug in an engine heater; and 6. keep an informal record of the van pool's operations.

In terms of transportation, environmental and energy benefits, the 61 vans are: 1. saving over 340 parking spaces; 2. saving well over 1,425,000 vehicle miles of travel per year; and 3. saving over 108,300 gallons of gasoline per year.