North Folk Correctional Facility Introduces Vanpooling Program to Benefit Employees, Environment
SAYRE, Okla. – Employees at the North Fork Correctional Facility, many of whom travel great distances to and from work every day, will soon have the opportunity to participate in a new vanpooling program being rolled out at Corrections Corporation of America facilities.
North Fork is one of four CCA facilities to pilot the CCA Employee Vanpooling Program, and the company plans to implement the service throughout much of its system of 65 correctional centers over the course of the next year.
Not only is vanpooling environmentally conscientious since it saves gasoline and keeps vehicles off the highways, it is an effective employee retention and recruitment tool, says Mike Latko, CCA’s senior director of human resources.
“Many of our facilities – such as North Fork Correctional Facility -- are located in remote areas, and employees can spend hundreds of dollars on gas each month traveling to and from work,” Latko said. “By participating in the CCA Employee Vanpooling Program, employees can save significant money on gas, reduce wear and tear and insurance costs on their own vehicles, eliminate the stress of driving, and participate in good will for the environment. In a competitive job market, vanpooling is an avenue for CCA to set itself apart as an employer of choice.”
While North Fork’s vanpooling program is set to begin in the upcoming months, vanpooling programs are already underway at three other CCA facilities: Huerfano County Correctional Center (Walsenburg, Colo.), Central Arizona Detention Center and Florence Correctional Center (both in Florence, Ariz.). All programs are coordinated on a month-to-month basis by national vanpooling provider VPSI Inc.
In most instances, up to 15 employees share a ride to work in a customized van, which picks up and drops off the employees at a central location near their homes. VPSI provides the van, analyzes employee addresses to determine ideal pick-up locations, and provides full liability insurance. CCA provides participating employees with a stipend to cover the majority of the vanpooling cost, meaning most employees pay only around $20 to $30 per month to participate, resulting in a cost savings of hundreds of dollars for many employees.
Vicki Hinkle, human resources manager for North Fork Correctional Facility, said the vanpooling program will not only be a welcome addition for current employees, but an incentive for new employees to join the company at a time when the facility is in the midst of a major recruiting effort.
“We actively are recruiting to fill more than 170 positions in conjunction with a current expansion of our correctional center, and we’re drawing people from 50 to 100 miles away from Sayre,” said Hinkle. “Rather than spend hundreds of dollars on gas each month just getting to and from work, our employees can pay around $30 a month to participate in vanpooling. It’s like earning a significant pay raise.”
About CCA
CCA is the nation’s largest owner and operator of privatized correctional and detention facilities and one of the largest prison operators in the United States, behind only the federal government and three states. The company provides turn-key design, build, finance and operational management services, along with providing a wide range of rehabilitative programming for offenders, including education, vocation, substance abuse treatment, faith initiatives and life skills training. CCA operates 65 facilities, including 41 company-owned facilities, with a total design capacity of approximately 75,000 beds in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Visit www.correctionscorp.com for more information.