2022 TDM Excellence Awards: Municipality - Washington, DC

The TDM Excellence Award for Municipality, recognizing cities and towns that are truly leading the way with local planning, zoning, land-use, communications, and marketing to shift travel behavior within their communities went to Washington DC.

The District’s TDM3 program is designed to help achieve the mode share goal set forth in moveDC by implementing strategies and transportation amenities to shift travel demand and change traveler behavior. The TDM program is organized around a three-pronged approach to reduce single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel and encourage the use of public transit, biking, walking, teleworking, and ridesharing. moveDC has a goal of 75% non-SOV trips by 2032.

There is much to recognize the city for in their efforts to utilize TDM strategies to achieve their goals. Washington, DC has created several programs of note like, goDCgo’s Transportation Ambassadors program, which recognizes organizations for their efforts in sustainable transportation. It has grown from highlighting only employers in 2017 to including residential properties, hotels, and schools. As of 2022, goDCgo has 2,335 participating ambassador employers. Additionally, goDCgo has been recognized for its commuter facing marketing campaigns over the past year such as Commute with Care (pandemic commuting campaign); goGREEN, saveGREEN (annual bike campaign); and Pedal for Wellness (annual bike campaign). DC’s Get Paid to Pedal bike reimbursement program has reimbursed over 246 bikes to date and made international along with local and regional news publications. goDCgo was started in 2010 with the help of regional partners and serves as a comprehensive resource for information and promotion of sustainable/ active transportation options.

The program is managed by DDOT’s Sustainable Transportation Programs Branch, and its goals are to: 

• • Increase the awareness and use of biking, walking, public transit, teleworking, etc.  
  • Reduce the number of single occupant vehicle (SOV) trips 
  • Reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMTs)
  • Improve air quality

In 2008, DC became the first city in North America to launch a bikeshare system, laying the groundwork for the country’s rapid adoption of and innovation in shared, micromobility services.

On a policy front, DC has also been leading the way on many progressive TDM policies. Since 2016, DC’s Commuter Benefits Law has required employers with 20 or more employees to offer access to one or more transit benefit options.

This year, DC enacted the Transportation Benefits Equity Amendment, requiring all employers who offer free or subsidized parking benefits and have 20+ employees to offer a Clean Air Transportation Fringe Benefit in exchange for parking benefits, implement a TDM plan, or pay a compliance fee.