MTA COMMUTER BUS IMPROVEMENTS For subscription information or to change your mailing address, Issue 4, Volume 18 Fall 2014 WHAT’S INSIDE 2 Metro’s Silver Line Shines contact Commuter Connections at 800.745.RIDE 3 2015 Employer Recognition Commuter Connections is a publication of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. This program is Awards Call for Nominations funded by the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and U.S. Departments of Transportation and the Federal 3 Metroway Offers Rapid Transit Highway Administration, under MAP-21. 4 Carpoolers Huddle with The Maryland Transit Administration National Capital Region Transportation For information or to change your mailing address, contact Commuter Connections at 800.745.RIDE, or Washington Redskin Kirk Cousins Planning Board 202.962.3213 (TDD). We invite your comments and suggestions. Please send to: (MTA) introduced several commuter 5 MTA Commuter Bus bus service enhancements as part of Metropolitan Washington Council Commuter Connections Editor, Improvements of Governments c/o Commuter Connections, their comprehensive plan to build a The Commuter Information Source for Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia 6 How Do You Stack Up? 777 N. Capitol St., NE, Ste. 300 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments better system that will conveniently 777 N Capitol St, NE, Ste 300 Washington, D.C. 20002-4290 Washington, D.C. 20002-4290 Printed on recycled paper carry workers to business campuses or e-mail us at [email protected]. Commuter Connections © FALL 2014 and connecting transit. The changes 800.745.RIDE commuterconnections.org aim to improve the Maryland commuter bus network’s reliability, efficiency HOW DO YOU STACK UP? and accessibility. % EMPLOYERS OFFERING COMMUTE INFORMATION TO EMPLOYEES NEW EMPLOYER CASE STUDIES MTA provides express commuter bus 59 transit service from suburbs that Every day, employers like you rely on Commuter Connections include Western and Southern Maryland 41 into Washington area business centers. for free guidance and support to start, or enhance commute programs at the workplace. They count on the unmatched Some of the MTA commuter buses are 12 27 serviced through private contractors. reputation of Commuter Connections because our free services enrich the quality of life for employees, increasing “The goal of the Bus Network Improvement Project is to deliver recruitment and retention, and ultimately improving your meaningful and substantive improvements to our buses– the company’s bottom line. heart and soul of our transit system,” said MTA Administrator Robert Smith. “These proposed changes will improve service and # Employees 1-100 101-250 251-999 1000+ Over the years, our experience has found that one of the most reliability to our customers, while connecting residents to jobs.” Source: 2013 Commuter Connections State of the Commute Report effective tools we have is to share success stories of other Washington metropolitan region employer commute benefit Improvements to the MTA commuter bus network effective programs. Because what works for another employer might November 1, 2014 are: be beneficial for your company as well. Route 991 was renamed with new route patterns including: • Route 505- Hagerstown/Myersville to Shady Grove Working with Commuter Connections is advantageous to your Metro/Rock Spring Business Park organization as we talk to a lot of employers to gather and • Route 515- Frederick/Urbana to Shady Grove Metro/Rock share tips on what works, and what doesn’t, to make your Spring Business Park • Route 725- California/Charlotte Hall to Washington D.C. employees’ commuting lives better. • Route 735- Charlotte Hall/Waldorf to Washington D.C. Routes 903, 905, and 909 were renamed with new route patterns including: Reducing traffic congestion and improving employee For more information on how these MTA improvements can commutes, is good for everybody! • Route 705- Charlotte Hall/Waldorf to Washington D.C. assist your employees’ daily commutes, visit mta.maryland.gov. • Route 715- Charlotte Hall/ Waldorf to Washington D.C. One of the ways Commuter Connections shares such information is through employer case studies focusing on a wide variety of individual programs. We put together short briefs that highlight what your fellow employers are doing. A newly issued Commuter Connections case study profiles That’s a lot of people trying to get in and out of one place at of respondents who work for 20002-4290 D.C. Washington, 55% Lockheed Martin Federal Systems, a government contractor the same time. The Manassas campus has few transit options employers with 101-250 employees 300 Suite N.E., St., Capitol N. 777 with many employment sites throughout the DC region, and limited parking for their ever growing workforce. That Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Governments of Council Washington Metropolitan said that their employer offers any D.C. Washington providing technical, aerospace, and security support to amounts to traffic congestion and stressed commuters. ansportation Planning Board Planning ansportation Tr Region Capital National commute services. 9770 No. Permit federal agencies. More than 1,500 employees work at U.S. POSTAGE PAID POSTAGE U.S. Lockheed’s campus within the Prince William technology Continued on page 2 FIRST CLASS FIRST corridor in Manassas, Virginia. Source: 2013 Commuter Connections State of the Commute Report PRESORTED 5 New Employer Case Studies Continued from front METROWAY OFFERS RAPID TRANSIT CARPOOLERS HUDDLE WITH WASHINGTON REDSKIN KIRK COUSINS Lockheed Martin put together an internal group to determine others just released include the United Nations Foundation in There’s a new way to commute along route 1 between Arlington and Encourage your employees to use this premium and fast service with How does a pro quarterback get to work? Commuter what could be done for current and prospective employees Washington, DC, and Wells Fargo in Frederick, MD. Alexandria. It’s called Metroway, the first bus rapid transit system in great features that include, brand new buses with vaulted ceilings, Connections and Comcast Sports Network held a “Carpool with and their commutes. By looking at other work sites in the the Washington metropolitan region. The modern blue colored buses large windows with panoramic views, and bike racks. Football Star Kirk Cousins” contest to promote carpooling in the region, they were able to customize benefits for their To read the full case study, and those of other area employers, hum through dedicated bus-only lanes between Crystal City and Washington DC area. Manassas location. visit commuterconnections.org, click on Employers, then on Braddock Rd Metrorail stations, via Potomac Yard. For more information on Metroway, visit metrowayva.com. Commuting Solutions. If you got a good story to tell, we’d love Open to all carpoolers in the Washington region, even to Lockheed Martin expanded their pre-tax transit/vanpool benefit to hear all about it at 800 745-7433, or share it with us on our The service runs seven days a week from 5:30am to 10:00pm, Dallas Cowboy fans, contest entrants had to like Commuter to the full IRS allowable limit of $130 per month. Lockheed LinkedIn page, search for Commuter Connections. Monday through Thursday, 5:30am to midnight on Friday, 6:30am to Connections’ Facebook page before entering. The lucky also expanded telework eligibility, and implemented a flextime midnight on Saturday, and 7:30am to 10:00pm on Sunday. winner was Curtis Midkiff from Landover, MD. He and three schedule. Lastly, preferential parking was offered for carpools additional carpoolers commuted via limo ride to work with and vanpools. The buses run every six minutes during rush hour, every 12 minutes the Redskins quarterback! during daytime off-peak hours, and every 15 minutes in the The result is that Lockheed has been successful in getting evenings. Metroway bus service costs $1.75 for each ride and can be “We had an amazing time!” said Mr. Midkiff, “Thanks a million to fewer employees to drive alone to work, and more taking paid with a SmarTrip card or cash. Transfer discounts are given for you and your team for making this process seamless and making advantage of other available transportation options. For SmarTrip payments. today super memorable!” example, telework participation has risen to 24% of the total employee population. Additionally, several new vanpools have In 2015, Metroway will expand to include stops at Pentagon City, Breakfast was provided by Dunkin’ Donuts and all carpoolers been started. Through these commute program modifications, 33rd & Crystal Drive in Arlington, and Fayette Street in Alexandria. received autographed Redskins footballs tossed to them from Lockheed’s workforce has reduced more than 750,000 vehicle The stations will also feature real-time bus arrival screens and Kirk Cousins. miles traveled and more than 22,000 gallons of gas per year. off-board fare collection. Overall, the promotion was a great success. Mr. Midkiff said that The Lockheed Martin story is just one of the many case studies “even my wife (a Dallas fan which she was told NOT to mention in that Commuter Connections has prepared, and we’re happy to the car) had to admit she enjoyed spending time with Kirk and share them all. In addition to the Lockheed Martin case study, said she might even cheer for the Redskins a little this year!” 2015 EMPLOYER RECOGNITION AWARDS CALL FOR NOMINATIONS METRO’S SILVER LINE SHINES See how Commuter Connections can help your professional Nominations are now being accepted for the 2015 Employer team of employees score big by saving time and money Recognition Awards. carpooling. We’ll help form your company’s game plan, just Metro’s new Silver Line, the largest expansion of visit us at commuterconnections.org or call 800.745.RIDE. Metrorail since 1991, has exceeded ridership This annual event recognizes Washington metropolitan region expectations. Metro estimates that the Silver Line employers with outstanding employee commute benefit programs. is currently adding approximately 6,000 new riders Employers can be nominated in three categories: to the Metrorail system each weekday.