PSCL: What It Is, Benefits, and the Obligation for a Home-to-Work Commute Plan

PSCLs (Home-to-Work Commute Plans) aim to permanently reduce urban traffic congestion and air pollution levels, providing environmental, economic, and social benefits.

What Is a PSCL?

Simply put, PSCLs are designed to ensure “sustainable mobility”, seeking a balance between the inevitable need to satisfy people’s demand for mobility and the indispensable imperative to reduce the number of individual private transport vehicles on the road.

To achieve this goal, a positive incentive for the end-user (the employee) is often necessary. This can take the form of offering a more efficient and secure service (i.e., a better service), ensuring tangible savings, or providing incentives. Employees are the real drivers of the success of initiatives undertaken with a PSCL. Informing them about the achievable benefits is crucial for success. These benefits include reduced risk of accidents, enhanced social interaction, lower stress levels due to traffic, reduced transportation costs, economic incentives, discounts, and other benefits outlined in the PSCL.

Benefits of a PSCL (for Individuals, the Environment, and the Community)

The adoption of sustainable measures designed through PSCLs can also be advantageous for the organization drafting the plan. Public perception and reputation improvements can benefit the entity, especially if effective communication and publicity are employed through public relations, social media, and other channels. This aligns with the growing societal sensitivity to environmental and social issues.

Potential benefits for organizations include:

• Promoting a corporate philosophy centered on sustainability.
• Strengthening the public image of the entity.
• Demonstrating care for employees, leading to increased productivity.
• Repurposing company areas following the reorganization of parking spaces.

At a broader level, the primary objective of the regulation is to benefit society and the environment as a whole. Community benefits include:

• Reduced air and noise pollution, improving public health.
• Decreased energy consumption.
• A significant reduction in private vehicle usage.
• Safer commutes and fewer work-related travel accidents.
• Urban planning focused on people rather than cars.

Who Can Draft a PSCL? Requirements and Professional Profiles

A Home-to-Work Commute Plan (PSCL) is a crucial tool developed by a corporate Mobility Manager to promote sustainable mobility among employees.

The Mobility Manager coordinates and manages sustainable mobility initiatives within an organization. Their responsibilities include:

• Collecting and analyzing employee commute data.
• Developing solutions to promote sustainable transport options.
• Engaging with employees to encourage participation.
• Monitoring and evaluating the plan’s impacts.

Additionally, the Mobility Manager interacts with local authorities to provide commute data.

Structure of a PSCL

A PSCL typically includes the following components:

1. Introduction: Summarizes the plan, its objectives, and rationale.
2. Context Analysis: Provides details on the current transport landscape, issues, and potential areas for improvement.
3. Project Plan and Implementation Schedule: Outlines strategies and actions to promote sustainable mobility, along with a detailed timeline.
4. Monitoring Program: Specifies methods for tracking and evaluating progress, including data collection criteria and review frequency.

Regulations and Guidelines for PSCLs

Decree-Law No. 34 of May 19, 2020, known as the “Relaunch Decree” (converted into Law No. 77 of July 17, 2020), includes measures to incentivize sustainable mobility. Under Article 229, paragraph 4:

“To reduce urban traffic congestion through decreased use of private vehicles, businesses and public administrations with local units of more than 100 employees located in a regional capital, metropolitan city, provincial capital, or municipality with over 50,000 residents are required to adopt, by December 31 each year, a Home-to-Work Commute Plan for their staff aimed at reducing private vehicle use. For this purpose, they must appoint a Mobility Manager to provide professional support for decision-making, planning, programming, management, and promotion of optimal sustainable mobility solutions.”

The regulation applies to both public and private entities that meet the following criteria:

1. Workforce size: More than 100 employees.
2. Operational context: Located in specific urban areas as defined above.

Entities not obligated by the regulation may still choose to draft a PSCL voluntarily.

The regulation’s goal is to reduce urban traffic congestion and air pollution permanently, promoting sustainable urban and metropolitan mobility through targeted initiatives. PSCLs are developed based on studies, identification, design, and implementation of interventions to foster sustainable mobility. These measures address specific mobility demands and aim to:

• Shift from private vehicle use to collective or shared transport.
• Lower energy consumption and reduce air and noise pollution.

FAQs About the Home-to-Work Commute Plan

When should a company introduce a Mobility Manager?
A Mobility Manager becomes essential when an organization seeks to optimize employee mobility, reduce the environmental impact of commutes, promote alternatives to private vehicles, and adopt an ecologically responsible approach to transportation.

When is a Mobility Manager necessary in public administration?
Public administrations should consider appointing a Mobility Manager to organize and coordinate staff commutes, encourage sustainable transport options, reduce harmful emissions, and improve employee well-being, aligning with sustainability goals.

For assistance in drafting a PSCL for your organization or consulting on Home-to-Work Commute Plans, contact info@frareg.com.
Experience the benefits of sustainable mobility in your organization.