Employee Newsletter via voce | (L.) road noise
Jan - Feb 2016
Welcome to the first edition of via voce, Via’s
revamped employee newsletter. The newsletter name translates into “road noise” in Latin. Complementing the name Via, which in Latin means “by way of or by means of”, the via voce name was dreamed up by Trish (Gaskins) Best (CNR) and unanimously approved by the newsletter editorial committee.
New IRS Form 1095 for All Employees pg 3
Calendar 1/27 Board Meeting 1/28 Corporate Partner Breakfast 1/29 Safety Committee 2/1 Bonfils Blood Drive 2/9 APAC/RTD Franklin St. (FS) 2/16 ADA Drivers | Branding Workshop (FS) 2/18 CNR Drivers Meeting 2/19 Baby Showers 2/23 HOP Drivers Meeting 2/24 Board Meeting 2/25 VPT Drivers Meeting 2/25 Driver Retention Committee (FS) 2/26 Safety Committee via voce (Latin for road noise) is published 6 times/year. via voce brevi is published 6 times a year or as needed.
From Lenna Driver wage increases The current labor market is very challenging for recruitment of drivers in all industries and is especially acute in the Denver metro area. We are therefore raising our starting wage rates for drivers and making adjustments for current drivers based on years of experience. The cost of these adjustments to Via is more than $200,000. (Every ten cent across-the-board increase in driver wages costs Via more than $40,000.) We have no new or increased sources
of revenue to cover these costs. Our Board of Directors has approved a 2016 budget with a “bottom line” that is lower than targets previously established by the Board. Management staff and Board recognize that drivers are the face of Via in the community and that we must continue to recruit and retain drivers who will uphold Via’s mission of providing caring, customer-focused transportation options. We are making these adjustments in advance of any dedicated new revenue, and the cost reduces our bottom line operating margin to 1.3%, a very slim margin on a $17,000,000 budget. Continued pg. 3
Finance Facts Greetings for 2016. We finance folks usually do not live in the present. We are either compiling numbers from the past or forecasting the future. So I will give you a few numbers to consider from the recent past. Via’s total agency operating revenue for the year 2015 was $16.03 million. This compares to $15.4 million in 2014. We had forecasted $16.9 million. We budget fuel as revenue in the ADA, CNR and HOP divisions; yet the actual expense of fuel is passed through on these contracts. With the price of fuel low, we did not receive the anticipated revenue, and the revenue less expenses result was a net zero. Continued pg. 4
HR Corner WELCOME TO OUR CORNER! 2/1/16 Blood Drive
Let’s make a difference by donating blood! It’s one of the best ways to give back to our community and pay it forward at the same time. Did you know that just one pint of blood can save up to three lives?
ST JUDE’S RANCH FOR CHILDREN
Used Holiday Cards We’re still collecting used or unused greeting cards to be sent to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children to be used for child abuse and prevention programs. Look for deposit boxes at the Boulder break room or send them to HR through interoffice mail. 2
Milestones: Martha Fierro Martinez Nathan Miller Hiram Olmos Andy Anderson Glenn Cherrie Phu “Tang” Nguyen Wendy Brown Eutimia Rodriquez Melania Sotelo Mike Miles Barry Allison Rich Burns
MOB CNR ADA ADA ADA ADA ADA ADA ADA ADA CNR OPS
1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years 15 Years
Employee Spotlight Approximately 150 employees, friends and family members came out for the January 9 Via Holiday Party and Employee Recognition event. Drivers were recognized for years of safety by Safety Manager, Jeff Carlson who said, “I love to be able to recognize drivers. You are the best. These safe drivers of the year are focused on safety.”
Becky Leno 25 years
The peer-nominated process for drivers and employees of the year recognized the following exceptional Via employees: Shauna Benjamin, Access-a-Ride Jim “Yoshi” Yoshihara, VPT Nathan Miller, CNR Roberto Binford, HOP Craig Christopher (HR/TRN) and Jim DeLuca (HOP), employees of the year, Boulder Salvadore Subia, employee of the year, Franklin St, Denver
From Lenna
Continued from front page
Via’s compensation philosophy, adopted by the Board of Directors in 2003, states that “we strive to provide wages and salaries that are comparable to the mid-range of other Colorado and regional nonprofit organizations with similar operating budgets, subject to our ability to pay, and as determined by periodic comparisons with (market survey data).”
positions since 2006. We intend to review all job descriptions and contract with MSEC for such a survey this year; additional adjustments may be made based on the results of that survey. We will keep you posted as this process continues.
Training Spot Remember that the primary attribute necessary for a safe driver is Please don’t alertness, and paying attention is the most important driving task, take short cuts because it helps create the time you need to recognize hazards and when it comes to safety. to avoid collisions. Make conscious, persistent choices NOT to do whatever takes your attention away from driving. Connect your mind to your eyes and work at consciously analyzing what you see while you drive. We call this “Situational Awareness.” Driving could be the most dangerous thing most of us will ever do. It deserves your full attention.
A serious fire occurred the night of January 18 at the home of HR Director Tonya Runnels and her daughter, Lucyann. The fire was contained to the attic and second story bedrooms. While the house is not a total loss, Tonya and Lucyann will be displaced for at least 6 months while the home is renovated. Via made an immediate grant from the Employee Emergency Assistance Fund, which many of you contribute to. Tonya was extremely appreciative. We will know more about how to help Tonya and Lucyann in the days ahead. Contact Sharon Navitsky if you are inspired to help at x1049.
2015 achievments Drivers in the 4 divisions drove a total of 3,994,605 miles. Drivers completed the year with 0.8 preventable accidents per 100,000 miles (Goal was to not exceed 1.0 accidents). 120 drivers achieved Safe Drivers of the Year status; 10 with safe driving status for 10-14 years.
We do review salary survey data from the Colorado Nonprofit Association and Mountain States Employers Council (MSEC) every year; however, we have not had an outside salary survey completed for our various
Hard Times Together
Safety 1st
New IRS Form 1095 for All Employees The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all employers with 50 or more full-time employees to report information to the IRS regarding offers of health coverage and enrollment in health coverage for their employees. In addition, applicable employers must furnish employees with Form 1095 detailing the employee’s health coverage status. Employees are required to furnish this information when they file their individual tax returns. Form 1095 will be available to all Via employees by the end of March. In future years, Form 1095 and W2s will be furnished at the same time—by Jan. 31 following the closing of the tax year.
Safe Driver Award Criteria: Minimum of 1,000 hours behind the wheel Zero Preventable Accidents Zero Infractions Reporting Procedures Reminder Reporting accidents and incidents immediately from the scene is company policy. Anything and everything must be reported. Do not wait until you get back to base. Failure to report from the scene will result in a 3 point assessment and loss of monetary bonus. 3
Division Spotlight, Access-a-Ride (ADA) and Franklin Street
Editorial Committee Chris Baker, VPT Trish (Gaskins) Best, CNR Violet Rubi, ADA Craig Christopher, HR/TRN Esther Concha, COMM Mary Cobb, COMM
Challenges The biggest challenge at Franklin Street has been the hiring of both driving and non-driving staff. We are tested daily to get runs covered. The ADA division operates 365 days a year from 3 a.m. until midnight – almost 24/7. While most trips occur during 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., drivers, dispatchers and road supervisors are all required to be on hand during those long hours. Right now, we are almost fully staffed in the dispatch area. Turning back runs costs Via money based on our current contract with RTD. Driver Retention Committee News: New in 2015, the Driver Retention Committee developed some great ideas that have been implemented including a Mentoring Program for new drivers, improved training and practice on wheelchair and scooter securements, how to find difficult addresses, more organized pre-trip procedures, driver recognition for safety and attendance, driver barbecues, recognition of those who have served the country in the armed forces, and more. We have seen a 30% improvement in employee retention over the course of the year.
How we are different Access-a-Ride operates all over the metro Denver area. Drivers experience more traffic and drive longer distances. It is not unusual for a driver to travel 200 miles in a day. We are also much more tied to RTD than any other HR Corner Continued... Via division and are guided by RTD rules, regulations and procedures. Yet, our passengers are very much like those on VPT. While we are in a separate facility at Franklin Street, we are still part of Via. Please come visit us. You are welcome at any time. Sherma Parker, Franklin Street Projec/Facility Manager
Via’s Access-a-Ride division completed 136,989 trips in 2015, a nine percent increase over 2014. Finance Facts Continued ... Disregarding the fuel impact, all Via departments and divisions were higher in revenue in 2015 than the previous year. When we deduct all our expenses ($15.77 million), we were left with an operating income of $262,000 for 2015--a 1.6% margin. We had budgeted $333,500. Higher than expected vehicle maintenance costs (which are real costs to Via) was a big reason net revenue was lower than budgeted. Because our fleet is aging, total maintenance was nearly $400,000 over budget. New vehicles would surely help all of us. Next time, perhaps we can talk about the future…….. 4
Bill Patterson, Director of Finance
Have you seen the new workout area at our Boulder facility? Located downstairs on the 1st Floor. Just sign in, sign a waiver and take some time to exercise. Bring a fellow employee with you!
Regular exercise is a great way to reduce the risk of several diseases and health conditions and is proven to improve ones quality of life. As with any new physical activity, consult with your doctor if you are unsure about your medical condition.