ss/commute.pr     98-25

CONTACT:  Tom Pogue, 301-565-7317
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  January 26, 1998

County Launches "Smart Moves 2000"
Campaign To Promote Commuting
Alternatives, Mobilize Businesses



     Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan today launched Smart Moves 2000
--- a new public-private sector cooperative campaign aimed at boosting commuter reliance on
alternative transportation.  The goal of the campaign is to ease traffic congestion,
lessen commuting stress and improve air quality by reducing the number of people who
commute in single occupant vehicles.
     Duncan made the announcement at a county-sponsored "Commuting Solutions
Summit" held at GEICO headquarters where the County Executive explained that Smart
Moves 2000 seeks to mobilize 2000 businesses by the year 2000 to provide incentives or
"employee benefits" encouraging the half million daily commuters in Montgomery County to
use alternative transportation.
     An estimated 257,000 commuters live and work in Montgomery County and another
203,000 commuters travel into the county from other areas.  At the same time, nearly 182,000
county residents commute to other jurisdictions.  Montgomery County is the most populace
jurisdiction in the state of Maryland.
     Duncan said the active involvement of public and private sector employers is
critical to moving more commuters out of single occupant cars.  Duncan cited several
statistics to make the case for greater use of alternative transportation:
                               
          The cost of traffic congestion in the DC region -- as measured in wasted time
          and gasoline while idling in gridlock -- is the highest in the nation.
          Today, the Washington area is second only to Los Angeles in traffic
          congestion.
          At the current rate of traffic growth, Montgomery County traffic is expected to
          double in the next 15 years.
          The average commute time in the DC area is 30 percent higher than the
          national average.
          Near-future projections show that DC area commuters may spend at least 100
          more hours yearly getting to and from work.
          Each day, cars and trucks produce 179 tons of volatile organic compounds
          VOCs), causing hazardous ozone pollution.
          Traffic gridlock drives up transportation costs.  Consumers will pay more or
          products if these costs continue to rise.  Even though the area's population is
          expected to increase by 43 percent in the next 25 years, growing transportation
          costs will slow economic growth in the region.
     "Cutting congestion and traffic gridlock -- by increasing the use of alternative
transportation -- is essential to preserving the kind of livable communities that we all envision
for our county and our region," Duncan said.
     "Clearly, greater use of alternative transportation is good for our business climate, our
economy, our tax base, and, what is most important is that it is good for our quality of life
and environment."
     More than 80 businesses and business associations, environmental and civic groups,
employee unions, and transportation organizations joined Duncan in hosting the "Commuting
                                 
Solutions Summit."   The more than 200 registered participants attended workshops on (1)
viable alternative transportation options, such as walking, biking and mass transit, (2)
elements of effective alternative transportation "benefits packages" for employees, and (3)
"commuting by computer" or telecommuting from home.
     Among the commuting solutions advocated by Summit speakers was a wide range of
transportation alternatives offered as part of a "benefits menu" that businesses can offer their
employees. By employee "benefit," it was suggested that businesses can give employees
incentives to use alternative transportation, such as Metrorail, Metro buses, Ride On buses, the
MARC trains, walking and biking.  Employers can help offset some of the associated costs,
for example, by providing reduced transit fares for employees willing to give up their parking
space --- a practice that has been in place within the county government for several years.
     The alternative transportation "benefits menu" includes:
          Monthly commuter benefit allowance of up to $65 a month tax-free for public
          transit and vanpool use.  Tax deductible to employer and tax-free to employee.
          Metrochek -- an exchangeable farecard voucher accepted by Metro, Ride On
          and over 80 transportation organizations regionwide
          Preferred parking for carpools / vanpools
          Transit / pedestrian amenities: sidewalk connections, shelters, benches
          Biking amenities:  racks, lockers, showers and changing rooms
          Telecommuting / telework
          Flextime
          Job sharing
          Compressed work schedules
                            
          Guaranteed Ride Home -- alternative transportation users registered with the
          County's Commuter Services Section are eligible with four free taxi or rental
          car rides yearly for personal emergencies or unscheduled overtime.
          Free carpool organizing, matching and follow-up with the Commuter Services
          Section
          Bus route customized mapping / directions
     Duncan said that he is directing the county's Commuter Services Section (CSS) to lead
the day to day operation of the Smart Moves 2000 drive.  The CSS will serve as a
professional service bureau while working directly with the employer's "benefits
administrator" to develop a customized plan encouraging greater use of alternative
transportation.
     "Government should be the catalyst, but businesses must do their part as well," Duncan
said.  "They can do so by providing incentives to their employees who choose to use transit,
carpools and other options, and by making transportation benefits' a part of their overall
employee benefits package."
     Duncan said he will seek additional state and county funding to assist businesses to
implement alternative transportation "employee benefits" programs as part of the Smart Moves
2000 campaign.
     "The good news is that we live in a community which has made a tremendous
commitment to transit," Duncan said, "and we have a great capacity to address
these problems head on."
     Duncan pointed out that there are 12 Metro stations in or very near Montgomery
County (13 when the Glenmont station opens in July) that currently serve 130,000 Metrorail
riders daily, and that more is being done to encourage greater Metro ridership.   For example,
                                
parking spaces at the Shady Grove Metro station will increase by 40 percent with the addition
of a new 1,600-space garage, jointly funded by the state and county.
     The Ride On commuter bus system, together with Metrobus, carries 110,000 riders
daily in Montgomery County.   "Both systems are well utilized, but both also have room for
continued growth in ridership," Duncan said.   "One way we will can accomplish this will be
to add new service, which emphasizes suburb-to-suburb connections, rather than the radial
service that has traditionally focused on service from the suburbs to the District."   For
example, Duncan said he supports a planned Metrobus route from Bethesda to Tysons Corner.
     Duncan also said the county will add new express service on the I-270 HOV lanes
from Germantown and Gaithersburg to Bethesda.   He added that another part of the solution
involves continuing to construct new bikeways and sidewalks.  Many have been built in recent
years throughout the county.
     "Our challenge today is to find the best ways of using our many resources and
services to build on these successes," Duncan said.   "How do we get more people to double
up in our cars, use transit, or bike, walk, or telecommute during the morning and evening rush
hours?  We all can start by making a commitment to the Smart Moves 2000 campaign that we
are announcing today."
     Among those joining Duncan to address the opening plenary session of the
"Commuting Solutions Summit" was Maryland Transportation Secretary David Winstead,
Montgomery County Council President Isiah Leggett, GEICO Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer Al Sparks, Jr., Jim Clarke of the Sierra Club, and MCI Center owner
and chairman Abe Pollin.
     Duncan presented Pollin with a county plaque of appreciation in recognition of
his constructing the new MCI Center adjacent to Metro which enables thousands of
                                    
Montgomery County residents to easily travel to events at the arena without contributing to
traffic gridlock.
     Also participating in the opening session was Steve Arabia of PEPCO and Susan
Savage of the Congressional Information Service -- who represented two area businesses that
are already actively encouraging alternative transportation among their employees.
     In addition, several individual commuters who routinely rely on alternatives to Single
Occupant Vehicles to commute to and from work spoke of their positive experiences as
commuters:   Richard Hoye who commutes by bicycle to his job with the Montgomery
County Fire & Rescue in Bethesda; Lee Siegel of Burt Associates, Inc., who carpools from
her Gaithersburg home along the HOV lanes of I-270; and Sally Sternbach of AT&T, who
telecommutes from her home part-time.
     Employers and commuters are invited to contact the county Commuter Services
Section at 301-770-POOL (7665).
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