3 D.C. area employers honored for reducing workers' commuter pollution

Several employers in the Washington, D.C., region recently were given 2015 Commuter Connections Employer Recognition Awards because of their achievements in decreasing carbon footprints and traffic congestion by using computer programs.

The recipients include WeddingWire, Opower and the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative.

Thes recipients successfully decreased a combined total of over 3.5 million vehicle miles traveled (the equivalent of seven trips to and from the moon) in 2015. They offered transportation-benefits packages to employees who commute from all over the D.C. region.

“The Annual Employer Recognition Awards recognize and support the important role of employers in promoting commuter-transportation alternatives in the region,” Nicholas Ramfos, director of commuter connections, said. “Transportation-benefits programs also help attract and retain highly qualified employees, improve regional mobility, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, improving the quality of life for everyone in our region.”

“The employers we are honoring have implemented innovative and successful commuter benefit programs,” District of Columbia Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said. “We hope that through their example, other employers will embrace these practices, creating more workplaces where increased commuter benefits yield motivated, productive and less-stressed employees.”

“Employers that support daily commuting transportation alternatives such as ridesharing, bicycling, public transit and teleworking help create a better quality of life for their employees,” James Sebastian, a transportation planner for the District Department of Transportation, who serves as Commuter Connections Chairman, said. “The Commuter Connections Employer Services program is a comprehensive regional network dedicated to (helping) employers set up and expand commuter benefit initiatives.”