Maj. Mary Campbell examines one of the many transportation alternatives at the Pentagon’s first Transportation Fair, Monday. The major was excited to learn one could take a bus to BWI and Dulles airports for $3.10. Several hundred Pentagon workers filed through the exhibits.
Getting to work can be a trying experience many days in the Washington area. Traffic, long commutes, bad weather or sick kids in school can make the average Pentagon employee’s ride to and from work quite a challenge.
Washington Headquarters Service held a Transportation Fair Monday at the Pentagon Conference Center to help Pentagon employees with their commute. Workers learned how they could even receive a credit for more than a hundren a month for riding the Metro.
Alexis Olmsted of WHS explained the Mass Transportation Benefit Program to people.
‘‘This is an incentive program to take mass transit,” she said. ‘‘It’s sponsored by the Pentagon Parking and Transportation Group. Workers can receive metro checks up to $115 a month. They enroll in the program and once approved they pick up the fare media (Metro checks).”
The program is open to all federal employees and active duty military. Interested individuals should check out their informative Web site www.whs.mil⁄DFD⁄Info⁄NCRTransitSubsidy.cfm.
David Parker of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority explained some low cost transportation options.
‘‘We’re telling people about the B30 bus to BWI and the 5A bus from L’Enfant Plaza to Rosslyn to Dulles for $3.10,” he said.
Parker also handed out cards listing the new rate increases for the system. There is the new 9S bus route between Potomac Yards and Crystal City, he said.
Lisa Passagaluppi, WHS’s shuttle bus coordinator, urged fair visitors to remember to use the various shuttle bus options.
‘‘We operate shuttle buses from the Pentagon to 14 locations,” she said. ‘‘We have 14 routes to Capitol Hill, the Navy Yard, Fort Myer, Rosslyn, Crystal City, the Navy Annex and elsewhere.”
Many Pentagon workers carpool, slug or use other alternative means of transportation. This can be a problem at times.
Jonathon Rogers of Commuter Connections has a guaranteed free ride for these folks.
‘‘If you have to stay late or are feeling ill, or have a sick child, we’ll get you home safe using some combination of taxi, rental car or Metro,” he said. ‘‘Register through our Web site. Hold on to the I.D. and when they need a ride, call.”
The Commuter ConnectionsWeb site is www.commuterconnections.org.
Some workers with long commutes may decide to not even try driving because of weather or some other reason. The U.S. General Services Administration has provided an option for such workers.
Beverly Bolger explained how federal employees can use one of 14 telework centers.
‘‘We provide services for federal employees so they can work at a center,” she said. ‘‘We want to get them off the roads. We provide secure IT workstations, scanners, faxes and other equipment so they can work closer to home.”
The centers would also be used in Continued Operation Planning, Bolger explained. In the event of an emergency at a particular agency, workers would be able to go to a center and continue working.
Maj. Mary Campbell wandered around the displays on her lunch break.
‘‘I’m learning some new options about traveling to work,” she said. ‘‘I actually wanted information on Bike Arlington and the trails in the area and also on how to get to BWI and Dulles by bus. It’s been very helpful.”
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