The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) Commuter Connections program celebrated five local employers and organizations for their outstanding commuter benefits and telework programs at its 28th Annual Employer Awards ceremony held at the National Press Club on June 25th. City of Alexandria Councilmember Canek Aguirre and Montgomery County Councilmember Marilyn Balcombe of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board presented the awards trophies to the winners.

Commuter Connections recognized the City of Alexandria, Virginia, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) of Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington Headquarters Services (WHS) of Arlington County, Virginia, with awards for their outstanding commuter benefits and resources that facilitate teleworking and promote various commuting methods, other than driving alone.

COG’s regional commuter program also honored Fairfax County Commuter Services with the 2025 Employer Outreach Team Award and Federal Realty – Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland, with the 2025 Employer Services Organization Award.

“By making alternative transportation easier, these organizations are improving how our region moves,” said James Walkinshaw, Chair of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board at COG, and Fairfax County Supervisor. “Empowering employees to choose different transit options paves the way for cleaner air, less road congestion, and better mobility.”

Commuter Connections received nominations from employers throughout the region, focusing on improving work culture and community through innovative commuter benefits and/or telework programs. A selection committee evaluated these nominations and chose winners based on their efforts and accomplishments to reduce gasoline consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through fewer vehicle trips and miles traveled—while also creating measurable and sustainable commuter benefits for their employees.

“We’re pleased to honor the winners of our 2025 Employer Awards for their leadership in advancing sustainable commuting options,” said Daniel Sheehan, Commuter Connections Director. “These organizations demonstrate how alternative commuting options can benefit both the workforce and the environment, and we hope their efforts inspire others in the region.”

Employer Awards

Awardees for 2025 include the following three organizations:

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), an individual membership professional organization, earned a 2025 Employer Award for its numerous transit benefits and amenities. APTA subsidizes public transit and gives new employees a free $50 SmarTrip card through SmartBenefits. Awarded a Silver Bicycle Friendly Business designation from The League of American Bicyclists, APTA provides bike racks, lockers, showers, and a bike repair station for employees. The organization also encourages carpooling by designating preferred parking spaces. Furthermore, nearly all employees work from home at least two days per week. In 2024, these benefits helped employees reduce 787,500 Single-Occupant Vehicle (SOV) SOV miles traveled and save 35,795 gallons of gas.

The City of Alexandria, Virginia, is committed to providing a range of flexible commuting options for its employees. The City’s Transportation Demand Management Program, GO Alex, focuses on reducing single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel. Through SmartBenefits, the City subsidizes employees who use public transit and qualified vanpool services. For those on bike or foot, shower facilities, lockers, and covered bike racks are available at most worksites. Employees can obtain annual Capital Bikeshare memberships for free. To shorten commutes, eligible employees living outside the city are offered an interest-free, deferred payment loan of up to $15,000 to help purchase a home within the City. Additionally, nearly a third of employees can telework up to two days per week. In 2024, the City of Alexandria helped reduce 4,974,000 SOV employee miles traveled and saved 226,091 gallons of gas.

Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), a Department of Defense (DoD) Field Activity supporting various DoD components—including the Pentagon and Mark Center—touts impressive coordination and outreach for its commuter program. Since the Pentagon Transit Center is the largest transit hub in the region, WHS established a Transportation Management Program Office to manage the DoD shuttle system, encourage non-SOV travel, and mitigate traffic impacts from large-scale construction projects. A member of Commuter Connections, WHS offers transit subsidies, alternative work schedules, compressed work weeks, and bike amenities. And finally, WHS’ extensive outreach includes fairs and events, advisories, traffic alerts, rideshare distribution lists, social media, and a monthly newsletter. In 2024, these efforts helped WHS reduce 131,480,000 SOV employee miles and save 5,976,364 gallons of gas.

These three employers combined saved 137,241,500 SOV miles travelled and 6,238,250 gallons of gas throughout 2024.

Employer Services Organization Award

Federal Realty received the 2025 Employer Services Organization Award for enhancing commuting options at Pike & Rose, a property in Montgomery County that boasts offices, restaurants, apartments, retail shops, and more. Through the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s FareShare program, Federal Realty offers a monthly transit subsidy for Pike & Rose retail employees, as well as bike racks, lockers, and showers. Federal Realty worked with the State Highway Administration and Montgomery County to help redesign Towne Road for safe bicycle/pedestrian access. Federal Realty also actively promotes SOV alternatives by hosting “Commuter Information Days” and strives to make transportation information accessible.

 

Employer Outreach Team Award

Fairfax County Commuter Services was honored with the 2025 Employer Outreach Team Award for its success in partnering with employers to develop and expand commuter benefit offerings. During 2024, the team held 418 meetings, resulting in an impressive 404 new employer programs within the jurisdiction. County staff also organized numerous transportation events at employer worksites to increase employee participation.

Employers across the Washington, DC region are expanding their calls for workers to Return to Office (RTO), especially federal workers.

Commuter Connections offers FREE assistance, resources, and even cash incentives to commuters in the Washington, DC region who may find themselves commuting more frequently in the coming weeks or months. Whether you are considering your commute options for a return to office, thinking of using public transit or carpooling to get to work for the first time since the pandemic, or looking to lower the cost of your commute in the months ahead, we have resources and programs that can help. These include:

 

Ridematching Program

Pairs individuals who have similar commutes for potential carpool and vanpool opportunities. There are currently 14,000 active participants.

 

 

Guaranteed Ride Home Program

Provides commuters who carpool, vanpool, take transit, bike, or walk to work with a free ride home (six per year) in the event of an unexpected emergency, personal illness, or unscheduled overtime.

 

 

‘Pool Rewards Program 

Incentivizes new carpools who register with the program up to $320 per rider.

Vanpools registered in the program receive a monthly $200 subsidy.

 

 

Park and Ride Lot Resources

Commuters use Park and Ride lots as a meeting area for carpools and vanpools. Most lots are free, and some have direct access to transit, such as commuter rail (MARC/VRE), Metrorail, or buses. Casual carpooling (“slugging”) activity occurs at select lots, especially in Northern Virginia. The page provides background information on park and ride lots and a map to help you find a Park and Ride lot that works best for your ride to work.

 

CommuterCash App

Earn up to $600 a year for commuting to work with our new CommuterCash app! Use the app to explore commute options and earn points for logging your trips that you can redeem for rewards including cash via PayPal, Visa gift cards, SmarTrip and Virginia E-ZPass credits, and Capital Bikeshare memberships.

And, if your commute brings you to the Washington, DC Metro region, the trips you log in CommuterCash March 3 – May 31, 2025, may also qualify you to win fabulous prizes during the goDMV Commuter Competition! This friendly competition is brought you by Commuter Connections along with the help of DDOT’s goDCgo program, MDOT, VDOT, and local jurisdictions. Start logging trips in CommuterCash today to participate!

 

On Thursday, May 15, 2025, take a greener and healthier way to get to work and earn a free T-shirt! Save the date for Bike to Work Day, the DMV’s biggest bike to work celebration, a free event happening at over 100 “pit stop” stations across the District of Columbia, Suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Organized by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Commuter Connections program and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Bike to Work Day is a chance to feel the freedom and invigoration of pedaling to the office. Registration is now open for the popular spring tradition, an event that encourages commuters to try bicycling to work.

Participants can join the fun by stopping at one of the 100 pit stops on the way to work, offering an enjoyable start to the workday. Some pit stops are open during the commute home. The first 18,000 who register and attend a pit stop will receive a free commemorative red Bike to Work Day T-shirt and a chance to win a new bike! Many pit stops will also provide free giveaways, snacks, and beverages, while supplies last.

Beginners and experienced bike commuters are welcome to participate as Bike to Work Day is a great opportunity to try bicycling to work for the first time or to celebrate doing it again. Bike solo or with a partner for a fun and rewarding experience.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 15 and register now to secure your spot! To register or for more information, please visit Bike to Work Day webpage.

Bike to Work Day 2025 is made possible, in part, through the generous support of regional sponsors, including GO Alex, ICF, Prince George’s Department of Public Works & Transportation, Vision Zero  Prince George’s, BicycleSPACE, BikeArlington, and National Landing.

Free registration for Bike to Work Day is available at Bike to Work Day or by calling (800) 745-7433. Follow Commuter Connections on X @BikeToWorkDay and Facebook @BikeToWorkDayMetroDC and use #BTWD2025.

Commuter Connections is a program of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

The goDMV Commuter Competition is a friendly competition among District, Maryland, and Virginia employers to promote sustainable commuting amongst employees. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Commuter Connections program, along with the help of DDOT’s goDCgo program, MDOT, VDOT, and local jurisdictions are hosting this first-ever regional competition.

During the competition, commuters track their sustainable commute and non-commute trips to win prizes and other incentives as they climb the leaderboard. Best of all, it is free to participate, and even those unaffiliated with a participating employer can join and win prizes!

The competition starts on March 3 and continues through to May 31, 2025. Employers should indicate interest by February 1, 2025, to allow time for employer onboarding, program promotion, and employee registration. Register at goDMV.org to get started.

Why do this? goDMV organizers are looking to reduce the number of Single Occupant Vehicles (SOV) traveling on the roads and highways of the Washington metropolitan region. A competition such as this can make travel fun and rewarding and provides an opportunity for employers to pride themselves in doing something good for the community where they are located.

goDMV organizers will help employers get set up on the trip-logging platform and assist with encouraging employee participation. The employer with the highest employee participation will receive a glass trophy, a catered winner’s lunch, and bragging rights!

If an employer is not ready to participate in such a competition, there are opportunities to promote the competition to its customers, stakeholders, and employees to sign up and participate independently. In addition, goDMV organizers can provide graphics, text for newsletters and social media, and flyers to help spread the word.

Please do not forget to register yourself in the CommuterCash app, which is facilitating the competition. For more information, go to goDMV.org