NEW EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES RELEASED

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1 Issue 4, Volume 19 Fall 2015 WHAT S INSIDE Employer Recognition Awards - Call for Nominations 3 Fairfax County Program Offers $50 in METRO Fare to Try Transit 4 Electric Car Charging Stations Sparking Change in the Region The Commuter Information Source for Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia NEW EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES RELEASED For over 40 years, employers have come to Commuter Connections for help in starting, or expanding their employee commuting programs. Employers know that offering commute benefit programs can help increase recruitment and retention. covers a range of benefits, amenities, and modes of transportation aimed at reducing the number of single occupancy vehicle trips to the workplace. Continued on page 2 Commuter Connections has found that one of the most effective tools is to share real stories of program successes with other employers. What works for one employer may apply well to others. Commuter Connections provides free assistance to employers throughout the Washington D.C. region and has a breadth of knowledge and experience with employers of all walks of life. One of the methods used to share such information is through case studies. Commuter Connections recently released several brief, easy to digest case studies highlighting successful employer commute programs. The first of these case studies focuses on the MITRE Corporation, headquartered in McLean, VA and Bedford, MA. With offices across the U.S. and the world, MITRE is a not-for-profit company that operates multiple research and development centers funded by the federal government. MITRE provides innovative, practical solutions for some of the nation s most critical challenges in defense and intelligence, aviation, civil systems, homeland security, the judiciary, healthcare, and cybersecurity. MITRE employs approximately 3,600 people in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. For the past 14 years, MITRE has offered commuting programs to increase travel options for its employees and promote environmentally friendly practices. MITRE s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program

2 New Employer Case Studies Released Continued from front The most popular aspects of MITRE s commuter programs are their interoffice and Metro shuttle, Flexible Work Arrangements, and SmartBenefits. MITRE has also been on the Best Workplaces for Commuters list for several years in a row. Below are highlights of MITRE s commuter programs: Interoffice and Metro Shuttle: Serving about 14,000 passengers per year, the shuttle links the McLean Metro station with MITRE s five buildings in McLean, VA. It offers GPS tracking, free Wi-Fi, and a wheelchair lift. Flexible Work Arrangements: In addition to flexible work hours for most employees, MITRE also offers several formal programs for flexible work arrangements. There are three types of telecommuting options available: Regularly Scheduled - work from home one or more days per week; Occasional - work from home on an as-needed basis; and Teleworking - work full-time from home. There are approximately 185 teleworkers who avoid a daily commute altogether. Other formal programs include compressed workweek and job sharing. chiropractor, and physical therapy. MITRE employees are also eligible for discounted car sharing services through Zipcar. Electric Car Charging: MITRE offers two electric car-charging stations. Although the program is showing great success, MITRE is constantly trying to improve and adapt. They are currently planning a series of improvements to their program, including: Reducing shuttle wait times and increasing the frequency of stops. Bicycle Support: MITRE offers bike racks at four of its five office buildings in McLean. The largest is inside a secured parking garage cage (accessible by badge swipe) with space for bicycles. In 2014, this bicycle cage was accessed 1,300 times. Cyclists, and those who jog/walk to work, have free access to shower and locker facilities in the MITRE fitness center. On-Site Amenities: MITRE offers a range of amenities that reduce the need for employees to drive during the day. On-site services include a cafeteria serving breakfast and lunch, a 24-hour self-serve/self-pay pantry, catering services, coffee shop, sandwich shop, credit union, fitness center, nurse/medical office, dry cleaning drop-off/pick-up, car detailing, tire replacement van, haircut, massage, Holding a Commuting Competition among departments to see which can reduce the number of single-occupant vehicle trips the most over a two-week period. Prizes will be awarded at the department and individual level. Organizing a carpool matching event to help employees form carpools. Gift card giveaways will be provided as incentives for forming and maintaining carpools. Increasing the location of preferred carpool-only parking spaces throughout the parking lots and garages. Placement of a set of bike repair tools (air pump, patch kits, chain lube, etc.) in a secure bicycle storage cage. Throughout the year, MITRE uses internal marketing channels to advertise special events such as Bike to Work Day, Earth Day, Try Transit Week, and Dump The Pump Day. Quarterly features called Commuter Corner are published on the main intranet page and highlight different elements of MITRE s TDM plan, including employee testimonials and links to helpful resources. These regular communications provide frequent reminders to employees to consider adopting alternative means of travel. Continued on page 5 2

3 2016 EMPLOYER RECOGNITION AWARDS - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Nominations will be accepted starting December 1, 2015 for the 2016 Employer Recognition Awards. This annual event recognizes employers of all sizes within the metropolitan DC region that have gone above and beyond in encouraging their employees to bike, walk, vanpool, carpool, take the train, ride the bus, or telework. Employers can be nominated in three categories: Incentives - Provides incentives that make using alternative transportation modes easier and more attractive than driving alone. Marketing - Creatively and successfully promoting alternative commuting options to employees. Telework - Initiating a successful telework program. Applicants are evaluated and winners are chosen for their ability to offer measurable commuter benefits that reduce automobile fuel consumption and emissions through fewer vehicle trips and miles traveled. In addition, winners are selected for their policies that have improved the lives of their employees and the region. The Annual Commuter Connections Employer Recognition Awards recognize and support the important role of employers in promoting commuter transportation alternatives in the region, said Nicholas Ramfos, Director of Commuter Connections. Transportation benefits programs also help attract and retain highly qualified employees, improve regional mobility, and air quality, improving the quality of life within the region. The 2016 Employer Recognition Awards nomination form is available online beginning December 1st at Applications will be accepted through February 3, Winners will be honored at an event in June 2016 and also through a press release, display advertisement in a major news publication, newsletter articles, and online case studies. FAIRFAX COUNTY PROGRAM OFFERS $50 IN METRO FARE TO TRY TRANSIT The Fairfax County Department of Transportation recently launched the SmartBenefits Plus50 program to encourage drivers of single occupant vehicles to try transit. SmartBenefits Plus50 is an incentive program that offers employees a free $50 SmarTrip card just to try transit. To become eligible, employees must be new to transit, not have a SmarTrip card, and not currently be receiving commuter benefits. For employers, the program is simple; there are no contracts required, no cost for trial participation, and companies can apply online. Following the trial, employers who enact a monthly SmartBenefits commuter program gain numerous advantages which include employee retention and recruitment, tax savings, lower parking costs, and by becoming helpful stewards in reducing congestion and improving air quality within the community. The Plus50 program will send your employee a SmarTrip card and will work with you to load the free $50 benefit onto their card. Once employees have used the Plus50 benefit and enjoyed their free commute, the hope is that they will enroll full-time in the SmartBenefits monthly commuter benefits program. For more info, visit Federal government employees, employees currently enrolled in SmartBenefits, and current vanpool and transit users are not eligible for this incentive. The SmartBenefits Plus50 program is available while funding lasts. 3

4 ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATIONS SPARKING CHANGE IN THE REGION With gasoline prices constantly changing, budgeting the cost to fill the tank is forever a moving target. Many people and employers believe that electric cars may be part of the solution. With support of both public and private entities, the notion of electric powered cars entering the mainstream is becoming more widely accepted due to an allotment of charging stations recently installed throughout the DC region. In 2013, the US Department of Energy (DOE) launched the nationwide EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge to encourage U.S. employers to install charging stations at the workplace. Additionally, DOE is using the challenge to help build the nation s EV charging infrastructure. Charging stations are located at several area employer locations including, Ford, Pepco, Raytheon, and a host of others. Recently in Maryland, as part of the state s efforts to encourage transit, support electric vehicle usage, and enhance environmental stewardship efforts, the Maryland Department of Transportation s Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) announced the availability of 17 new electric vehicle (EV) charging parking spaces at eight rail facilities across Maryland. The construction of these stations, which started in January 2015 and recently finished, was funded by a $1 million grant from the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA). The completion of the new EV charging stations coincided with National Drive Electric Week 2015 (September 12 20), a nationwide effort to heighten awareness of the benefits of electric vehicles and the facilities that support them. MTA first began installing EV charging at its facilities in 2011 and now has a total of 39 parking spaces with EV capacity at 16 different MTA facilities. with MEA allows for the growth and expansion of transit and electric cars two green modes of transportation. Additionally, tax incentives are available in DC and Maryland for both employees and employers. For more information on electric vehicles and the DOE s Workplace Charging Challenge, visit For more information and assistance on installing electric vehicle charging stations, call Commuter Connections at RIDE. These new charging stations make transit more convenient and efficient, said MTA Administrator Paul Comfort. Our partnership 4

5 New Employer Case Studies Released Continued from page 2 The results of MITRE s programs have been tremendous! They have reduced the number of cars on the road each day by 387, the total annual vehicle miles traveled by more than five million miles, and saved more than 250,000 gallons of gas. Another company recently featured in this year s case studies is Squire Patton Boggs, LLP, a leader in public policy, litigation and business law, known for bipartisanship within the political arena. The firm s core practice areas include government relations and lobbying, administrative and regulatory, commercial and transactional, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property and international law. From offices in Washington, DC and other major cities domestic and abroad, lawyers and professionals provide comprehensive and practical legal counsel to clients around the globe. Locally, Squire Patton Boggs has 560 employees at their Washington DC location. In 1999, the company began to offer a pre-tax transit benefit for those who commuted to the office by bus, rail, or vanpool. The firm increased participation in the transit benefit by holding employee recruitment drives and offering incentives for signing up for the SmartBenefits program. With changes in technology and events such as storms and 9/11, the firm explored the idea of starting a formal telework program for eligible staff. The program has grown significantly since its inception in 2002 with over 60 employees enrolled. employees to share desks. The workstation shortages during high-stress times created conflict and low morale among the staff. SMECO developed a telework program to address the workstation shortage and to deal with overcrowding during emergency response. Teleworkers are able to work from home virtually full time, eliminating commute time and travel in hazardous conditions. These employees can log in to their phone equipment and begin taking customer outage calls immediately. The management at SMECO and in the contact center also wanted to offer work arrangements that would increase job satisfaction and morale, and be seen as an incentive for good job performance. In May 2013, SMECO implemented the Flexible Workplace Program, including compressed work schedules and alternate work schedules. The employees requested having work schedule options similar to other employers in the area. They, along with SMECO management, saw that these programs were managed successfully by other organizations and felt the time was right to develop and implement its own Flexible Workplace Program. Approximately 42% of the management and other employees participate in the telework program. To see more case studies, or to find out how your company could be featured in an upcoming case study, visit commuterconnections.org. There are on-site amenities such as bike racks, a gym and showers for those who walk and bicycle to the workplace. With two Capital Bikeshare stations within one block of the office, staff have the opportunity to both commute via Bikeshare and navigate the area during the workday for various business or personal appointments. Squire Patton Boggs programs have reduced more than 67,000 vehicle miles traveled and saved more than 50,000 gallons of gas. Another new case study released is on the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO), who employs 534 and serves Charles, St. Mary s and Calvert counties, and part of Prince George s county. 5 SMECO s Contact Center employees work shifts round-the-clock, interfacing with the public on service issues. Previously, when storms caused a high volume of power outages, the Emergency Response Plan required all hands on deck at the office at the same time. During those situations it was necessary for SMECO s Contact Center Source: 2013 Commuter Connections State of the Commute Report

6 National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 777 N. Capitol St., NE, Ste. 300 Washington, D.C RIDE commuterconnections.org For subscription information or to change your mailing address, contact Commuter Connections at RIDE Commuter Connections is a publication of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. This program is funded by the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and U.S. Departments of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, under MAP-21. For information or to change your mailing address, contact Commuter Connections at RIDE, or (TDD). We invite your comments and suggestions. Please send to: Commuter Connections Editor, c/o Commuter Connections, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 777 N Capitol St, NE, Ste 300 Washington, D.C Printed on recycled paper or us at nramfos@mwcog.org. Commuter Connections FALL Employer Recognition Awards Nominate your company or organization for the 2016 Employer Recognition Awards. Apply online beginning December 1st at M ore on page 3