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NORTH BETHESDA EMPLOYERS:


The North Bethesda Transportation Center offers employers a wide range of free services for your employees in an area of great interest to them: their commute to work. Many of our programs can be custom-designed for your specific workplace. The following are some of the programs and services.

  1. On-Site Employee Outreach Promotions: we come to you and we do it all.

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  2. Information Central: we serve as a main source of transportation information. One-stop shopping for bus schedules, carpool and vanpool information and much more. We can help you with specific information for your employees, visitors and patients.

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  3. Transportation Consultants: you tell us your concerns, we will find the solutions.

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  4. FREE Matching Service for Ridesharing: We have a database full of commuters who are interested in sharing the ride to work.

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  5. Shuttle Bus Information: we have the most current schedules and route information for shuttles serving you.

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  6. Telecommute and Telework Information: We have the latest information in this innovative field.

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WHY? When you encourage your employees to take public transportation, share a ride, or telecommute at least one day a week, it has a great impact on employee moral and retention.
 

BENEFITS

Employers can offer many incentives to employees that encourage them to commute to work on public transit or with others in a car or vanpool. We would be happy to help you with any of the ideas in the following list of transportation programs and services:

  1. ON-SITE EMPLOYEE OUTREACH PROMOTIONS

    2. The North Bethesda Transportation Center (NBTC) staff can visit your business to promote commute alternatives in creative ways. We come equipped with a host of information including bus schedules for Metro and Ride On, the metrorail and information for carpooling, vanpooling and biking to work. We also feature special prizes for everyone who visits our display. Our staff is very knowledgeable and can answer your employee's questions about their specific commute to work needs. Call us to schedule a promotion at your convenience.

    Unsure of your employees commute to work needs? We can survey your employees to determine what their interests are. Survey results provide a better idea of benefits which would be appreciated by your employees.
     

  2. FREE MATCHING SERVICE FOR RIDESHARING

    3. The NBTC has a computer database full of commuters interested in sharing the ride to work. We can assist your employees in finding a suitable carpool or vanpool or provide guidance in the formation of a new carpool or vanpool. Complete a Rideshare Form on-line or call us at 301-770-8108 for information, or let us come to your place of business to do an on-site promotion.
     
  3. FREE GUARANTEED RIDE HOME PROGRAM

    4. Also known as Emergency Ride Home-this is another FREE service available to you, courtesy of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). Many people hesitate to carpool or take public transportation to work because they are afraid of an emergency, illness or unscheduled overtime. The answer is simple: Commuters who carpool, vanpool, walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation to work at least two days per week should call us and register for this program. It provides very important peace of mind. Each participant can use the service up to four times a year. For information, call the North Bethesda Transportation Center at 301-770-8108 or e-mail us at info@nbtmd.org, or to register directly with Commuter Connections call 1-800-745-RIDE (7433).
     
  4. TELECOMMUTING

    5. Eliminating a one, two or three hour daily commute for even just one day a week adds to their personal time, and may allow you to lease less space, or to postpone expansion. Telecommuting can save commuters up to $1500 a year in gasoline.

    It can be fairly inexpensive to set up a home office for certain employees. Many times they own their own computer equipment and you just add software and a modem. In addition, or as an alternative, there are Telework Centers in Frederick, Hagerstown, Waldorf, and Manassas. The North Bethesda Transportation Center can provide you with the information necessary to develop your own unique telecommute or telework program.
     

  5. METROCHEK PROGRAM

    6. This program is a convenient way for businesses to subsidize their employees' commute to work by public transit or vanpool. The metrochek voucher can be used as a Metrorail farecard or it can be exchanged for another form of fare media such as bus tokens, super passes or coupons. Metrocheks can be exchanged by mail or at local transit stores.

    Employers can provide up to $105 per month in non-taxable commute to work benefits. Metrocheks can be purchased in denominations of: $1, $5, $10, $15, $20 and $30, thereby allowing a convenient and easy way to distribute the appropriate monthly supply to employees each month. The NBTC can assist you in developing a metrochek program that benefits everyone. Call us at 301-770-8108 or e-mail at info@nbtmd.org for a brochure listing all the systems that accept Metrocheks, how to redeem or exchange them, and for all other information.
     

  6. FARE SHARE PROGRAM

    7. The NBTC has the latest information on the Montgomery County sponsored FARE SHARE Program. This exciting and innovative program provides matching contributions to employers who provide commute to work benefits for employees. In addition, learn about tax credits employers are eligible for when providing commute to work benefits. TEA-21 is the latest legislative action to assist employers interested in providing commute benefits.

  7. PARKING MANAGEMENT

    8. Parking can be a challenge. If you are in an area with limited parking, call on us to help you find ways reduce the demand for parking by getting your employees out of their cars and into an alternative commute mode.
     
  8. STAGGERED WORK HOURS/COMPRESSED WORK WEEK

    9. Staggered work hours translates into an earlier or later start to the work day. For example, rather than begin the workday during the traditional hours of 7:30am to 8:30am; you may consider offering a workday which begins at 6:30am and ends at 3:30pm. Or, if the early hours aren't appealing, how about 9:30am to 6:30pm.

    A compressed work week has even greater possibilities. For example; if an employee works just one additional hour each day for 8 business days and on the 9th business day works a regular 8 hour day, that employee will have earned the 10th business day off. How? Do you ask? It's simple, by working just one additional hour for 8 days, that employee has worked the equivalent of one business day.
     

  9. TRANSIT ITINERARIES

    10. The Metrobus, Metrorail and Ride On system provide many choices for your employees. There are numerous bus routes that go in and out of North Bethesda, from early morning to late at night. With all the schedules at our fingertips, and lots of information that we have built up from years of experience, we can help route your employees no matter where they live. We also have information on MARC and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains. Just let us know how we can help you! Complete a Transit Request Form on-line or call us at 301-770-8108 for information.
     
  10. CUSTOM TRANSIT OVERVIEW

    11. The NBTC can provide a summary of public transportation available in your area, for example, Rock Spring Park or Montgomery Mall. This custom service would provide a clear understanding of all services available to you and your employees, including Ride On, Metro as well as shuttle services.