Local Transportation Innovators Honored At Awards Ceremony; Tranpsportation Summit Announced

ba/awards.pr 97-146 Contact: Tom Pogue, 301-565-7317

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION INNOVATORS
HONORED AT AWARDS CEREMONY;
TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT ANNOUNCED Immediate Release: May 14, 1997

Local companies and employees were recognized today for their innovative approaches
to promoting commuting options at the 12th Annual Transportation Awards ceremony,
sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation.
Awards were presented to local employers and individuals for using transportation
alternatives such as carpooling, vanpooling, biking and walking, in addition to Ride On,
Metrobus, Metrorail, MARC and the Mass Transit Administration. The ceremony is held
each year in conjunction with National Transportation Week.
Keynote speaker was Stewart Bainum, chairman of the Board of Manor Care, Inc.,
which received a 1996 transportation award for a vanpool program developed in advance of
the company's move to Gaithersburg.
County Executive Douglas M. Duncan presented the Transit Leadership Award to
Carlton R. Sickles, the father of Metro, and Council President Marilyn J. Praisner presented
the County's "Transportation Choices Week" proclamation.
Other speakers were U.S. Representatives Connie Morella and Al Wynn, Maryland
Secretary of State John T. Willis, and Graham Norton, director of the County's Department
of Public Works and Transportation.
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In his remarks, Duncan announced that the County's Commuter Services program will
reach an even wider audience of major employers and environmentalists in an effort to get all
sectors of the population to work together on a "commuting solution." The expanded
outreach will also include an Alternative Transportation summit in the fall which will address
the connection between mobility and well-managed economic growth.
In addition to the Transit Leadership Award, presentations were made in eight other
categories:
Keep Montgomery County Moving Awards -- Harry Sanders, Action
Committee for Transit, the Robert S. McGarry Award for Achievement in Education; Ann
Proctor of All Things Delivered, Reduced Transportation Demand Achievement; John Z.
Wetmore of Perils for Pedestrians, Public Information Achievement; and Lee Barnes,
Barwood taxi and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center received Carmen S. Turner
awards for achievement in Community Service.
Newly Developed Programs -- Ruth Marquis of the U.S. Army Physical
Disability Agency, was recognized for her role in establishing a commuter alternatives
program for employees. In conjunction with Commuter Services, she coordinated a program
with the National Naval and Walter Reed Army medical centers. Now, 75 percent of their
workforces use alternative transportation; Watson Wyatt Worldwide has worked with the
North Bethesda Transportation Management District (NBTMD) to receive personalized
assistance for commuters seeking ways to carpool or use public transportation; and Wellspring
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Resources, was honored for its work with the NBTMD to help employees use various
commuting options.
Ongoing Programs -- GEICO, recognized for the second year, pioneered the
"Donor Day" program that encouraged employees to leave their cars at home one day a week.
GEICO now owns and operates nine vanpools that carry as many as 15 persons each,
primarily from Frederick County and West Virginia; Project Hope was honored for its
employer-to-employees subsidy of $30 per month as part of the Metrocheck program which
may be used for rail or bus service; and the U.S. Public Health Service was recognized for
its emphasis on carpooling. The PHS commits 44 percent of its parking spaces (more than
1,200 spaces) to carpools first.
Employee Transportation Coordinators of the Year -- recognizing those
who go beyond the normal duties in promoting alternative transportation -- Victor Collins of
Suburban Hospital and Lewis C. Hudson III of the National Naval Medical Center.
Biker of the Year -- Tom Robertson, a Transportation Planner with the
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, has been biking to work -- 10
miles round trip -- since 1976, saving the environment approximately 66,000 pounds of auto
pollution. When he can't ride, he takes the bus.
Special Awards, given for promoting and supporting alternative transportation
-- Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce; John Biemeck of Marriott International;
Alzada Hill, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission; and Sheila Wilson of
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Montgomery County Commuter Services. Special awards were also given to the
Transportation Emissions Reduction Pilot Program (TERP) Team for undertaking a project
to create a "transit Friendly zone" within the North Bethesda area. The zone would
incorporate bike and pedestrian improvements, transit information kiosks, a rush-hour shuttle
and signage, with a goal of reducing traffic by 3,000 cars. Intersections also are being
improved for pedestrian and biker safety. Recipients were: Thomas D. Pogue, David Bone,
Carolyn Conway, Rob Klein, Maureen O'Hara, Edward Sebring, Gail Tait-Nouri, Marc Atz,
David Brlansky, Jean Gries, Bruce Mangum, Peggy Schwartz, Bill Selby and Francine
Waters.
"Best of the Best" Transit Operators/Coordinator -- Dorothy Hardy and
Lloyd James, Ride On bus operators; Joanne Voss, Ride On bus coordinator; John J. Parrish,
WMATA Metrobus operator; and Jeanette Felicia Wimbush, WMATA Metrotrain operator.
Taxi Driver of the Year -- Gale May of Barwood Taxi.
For more information about the Transportation Awards or commuter services in
Montgomery County, call 301-770-POOL (7665).

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