Carpool, anyone? : Wal-Mart is offering prime parking spaces to employees who car-pool to the Home Office and other facilities.
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2008
BENTONVILLE - Anyone who works at the Wal-Mart Home Office knows the early bird really does get the worm - or at least the best parking spaces.
With thousands of employees funneling into the Home Office parking lots along Southwest Eighth Street and South Walton Boulevard daily, associates know a few minutes means the difference between walking a short distance and a couple of blocks to the front door.
Over the past couple of weeks, however, associates who car-pool to the Home Office and some of the company's other Bentonville offices have also been landing prime parking spots, no matter what time they arrive. Wal-Mart recently designated the first row of parking lots along the south side of Southwest Eighth Street as carpool spots. Carpool spots have been or are being made available at some of the company's other Bentonville facilities.
The first few carpooling spots were designated last year, but Wal-Mart decided to significantly expand its offering after hearing from associates.
"The Home Office associates are very excited about the carpool parking spots, which are the result of associate feedback," Wal-Mart spokesman Kory Lundberg said. "Since we began offering these spaces, we have actually added additional spots at our Bentonville facilities as a result of associates asking for more."
The feature has been successful in cutting down both the number of cars in the lots and the emissions being pumped into the atmosphere. The company is putting into practice the eco-friendly messages it has been preaching at its store and supplier levels.
Those who take advantage of car-pooling are also saving a little in their own pocketbooks.
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