Podcast Summary: Fixable – How Employers in Washington State Solved a Transportation Crisis (from Speed & Scale)

Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Anjali Grover & Ryan Panchatseram
Guest: Brian Lagerberg – Longtime Washington State transportation leader

Overview

This episode of "Speed & Scale" (featured on TED's Fixable) explores how Washington State tackled its transportation and commuting crisis, primarily focusing on reducing car dependence to combat climate change. By diving into a unique, decades-long experiment, the hosts unearth how employers, government, and citizens came together to engineer a significant shift away from solo car commuting, offering actionable insights for other cities and states looking to do the same.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Challenge: America's Car Culture vs. Climate Goals

• EV Adoption Not Enough

  • Despite more electric vehicles, Americans aren’t transitioning away from gas cars fast enough.
  • “To meet our climate goals, we need 95% of all the miles that we drive to be electrified by 2050. But as of 2023, we're only at about 7%.” (Anjali Grover, 02:55)

• Alternative: Simply Drive Less

  • Washington stands out for actually reducing miles driven per person—by 1,400 miles each year, versus +240 for the rest of the US (03:57).

The Catalyst: Oil Spills, Air Quality, and Congestion in the 90s

• Origins in Crisis

  • The Exxon Valdez spill (1989) and the Gulf War spiked Washington’s gasoline prices and risks, pushing the state to reduce petroleum demand.
    • “I was asked to come in and look at reducing the demand for petroleum, which reduced the need for crude.” (Brian Lagerberg, 05:44)

• Federal Clean Air Act pressured states to improve air quality or face federal interventions (05:55).

The Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Program

• Ruth Fisher’s Leadership
  • State legislator Ruth Fisher:
    • “Employers create the problem. Employers should provide the solution, because they ask their employees to get to work at 9 o’clock.” (Brian Lagerberg quoting Fisher, 06:52)
  • She pushed for city laws requiring large employers to help employees commute without driving solo and set ambitious reduction targets:
    • 15% drop by 1995
    • 25% by 1997
    • 35% by 1999 (07:16)

Employer Innovation & Incentives

• Creative Strategies

  • Early remote work (IBM went 100% telework in the '90s! 08:11)
  • Free bus and vanpool passes
  • Flexible and shifted work hours (e.g., four-day weeks)
  • Company charter buses as equivalent to an annual raise
    • “That was about the equivalent of a $12,000 raise for those employees.” (Brian Lagerberg, 08:28)
  • Carpooling as a cultural norm—including leadership modeling:
    • “He [mill director] started carpooling. He said it did two things…modeled good behavior, and he never had a shortage of carpool partners.” (09:50)

• Spotlight on Access

  • Employers even bought cars for mid-day errands for carpoolers (09:22).

Employer Pushback & Collaborative Governance

• Skepticism and Resistance

  • “Some people were upset. All of a sudden the state is coming in and telling us that we can't do things that we've been doing.” (Brian Lagerberg, 10:37)

• Formation of a Task Force & ‘Shadow Task Force’

  • Stakeholders: transit agencies, businesses, city/county reps, with equal business voice.
  • Shadow task force let employers present practical concerns and solutions (11:26).
  • “The employer was able to participate in the process.” (Brian Lagerberg, 11:48)

• Barriers: Mandates and "Unrealistic" Goals

  • Employers objected to being forced into specific strategies and unachievable targets.
  • Solution: Change law to focus on “good faith effort” instead of strict quotas (13:18–15:01).
  • “If you cut the funding, we cut our funding.” Employer-state partnership was critical (15:07).

Impressive Results

• By 1997, solo driving rates dropped from 73% to 68%—a 6.5% decrease, while the rest of the country increased (12:05–12:51).
• Today, Washington’s "non drive-alone" rate is 61%—almost double the national average (16:49).
• Largest public vanpool program in the US, plus high-density and frequent bus access.
  • “Transit agency owns the van…fill the van up—one vehicle instead of 6, 7, 8, 9 hovering people.” (Brian Lagerberg, 17:39)
  • Origin: Vanpool started at Boeing in WWII (18:33).

Systems Approach: Combining Multiple Solutions

• Silver Buckshot, Not Silver Bullet

  • Light rail is vital in Seattle but impractical statewide; buses, vanpools, dense development, parking policies, and housing all essential (19:44–20:13, 24:45).
  • “What we need is silver buckshot.” (Brian Lagerberg, 19:44)

• Looking Beyond Miles: Quality of Life and Access

  • Measures of success include social and economic impact on individuals, not just traffic stats.
    • “Who is it that didn't have an opportunity, who now has an opportunity? That's a life changing thing.” (Brian Lagerberg, 20:17)
  • Memorable story about someone seeking a job with bus benefits, highlighting non-monetary value (20:58).

Policy Lessons & Replicability

• Washington’s Edge:

  • Intentionally studied failed and successful policies elsewhere. Involved both policy veterans and CEOs in crafting solutions (23:10).
    • “It was a policy that was crafted in part by employers.” (Anjali Grover, 23:10)

• Concrete Outcomes:

  • By 2020, Washington cut vehicle miles by 18% (target met); nine counties did it pre-pandemic (24:03–24:06).
  • Ambition remains: halve miles driven by 2050 (24:17).

• How Others Can Copy:

  • Increase density, incentivize and fund public transport, discourage solo car use, pay people not to drive.
    • “At the end of the day, other cities should be clamoring to get this stuff… it boosts everyone’s quality of life.” (Anjali Grover, 24:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Employers create the problem. Employers should provide the solution.” – Ruth Fisher, paraphrased by Brian Lagerberg (06:52)
• “The biggest takeaway for me is how thoughtful the state of Washington was.” – Anjali Grover (23:10)
• “What we need is silver buckshot.” – Brian Lagerberg (19:44)
• “If you cut the funding, we cut our funding.” – Brian Lagerberg (15:07)
• “It's not just about efficiency, it's also about access…I want to work where they provide bus passes because I need to get to work.” – Brian Lagerberg (story at 20:58)
• “Good climate policy is good for everyone.” – Anjali Grover (25:33)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:34—04:51: Framing the scale of the transportation problem & Washington's early success
• 05:00—07:49: The crisis triggers and origins of Washington’s commuter policy
• 08:11—10:26: Innovative employer programs and leadership buy-in
• 10:37—13:08: Employer resistance & collaborative fixes
• 15:07—16:17: Funding dynamics and government-employer alignment
• 16:28—17:39: Measuring success & defining non-drive-alone strategies
• 19:06—19:44: Bus, vanpool, and light rail system expansion
• 20:17—22:25: Personal impact stories and broadening the definition of success
• 22:39—24:35: Concrete results, policy design, and replication advice
• 24:45—25:33: The broader public good: cleaner air, less traffic, better access

Conclusion

Washington State’s approach to reducing car dependence is a blueprint for climate change action in transportation—driven not by a single solution, but an ecosystem of policies. By integrating government mandates, employer partnerships, flexible commuting options, and community access, the state not only cut emissions but improved life for millions.

The lesson: Real progress comes from persistent, inclusive, detail-focused teamwork—“silver buckshot,” not silver bullets.