TDM Excellence Awards - Maricopa County
Congratulations to Maricopa County, the 2025 TDM Excellence Award winner for the Municipality category.
When municipalities embrace TDM, they do more than reduce traffic, they shape healthier, more connected regions. By prioritizing sustainable commuting, they empower residents, support employers, and build infrastructure that reflects real-world needs. This award honors local governments that don’t just implement TDM, they lead with it, using data, collaboration, and innovation to solve transportation challenges and improve quality of life.
This year’s recipient, Maricopa County, exemplifies that mission in every way.
Through its Travel Reduction Program (TRP), Maricopa County has built one of the most expansive and impactful TDM initiatives in the nation. Each year, TRP collects commute data from over 3,500 employer sites, representing more than 923,000 employees and students across one of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S. This data informs everything, from customized employer plans to regional infrastructure investments, and ensures that every decision is grounded in the commuting realities of the community.
The results are extraordinary. In fiscal year 2024 alone, TRP helped over 1,100 employers reduce more than 1.5 billion miles annually, preventing 6,028 tons of pollution or roughly 46,000 pounds of emissions per day. Now, multiply that by the decades of their work, and the cumulative impact becomes staggering. These reductions are not just environmental wins—they’re the product of strategic planning, employer engagement, and a deep understanding of how to scale impact while maintaining personalized support.
TRP’s influence extends far beyond Maricopa County’s borders. The program has actively mentored neighboring counties like Pinal and Pima, not only sharing tools and systems, but also providing hands-on guidance, training resources, and access to a secure, cloud-based compliance and data management platform tailored to support travel reduction efforts. Pinal County adopted TRP’s database to launch its own program, while Pima County engaged with TRP leadership to modernize its operations, drawing on Maricopa’s proven strategies for employer engagement, reporting, and enforcement. These collaborations have elevated the quality and consistency of TDM practices across Arizona, positioning TRP as both a regional leader and a trusted resource for scalable, replicable solutions.
What truly sets Maricopa County apart is its commitment to continuous improvement and professional development. TRP’s commitment to staying ahead in the field is reflected in its active engagement with ACT and its support for staff to attend national conferences, fostering continuous learning and collaboration.
The program also participates in regional planning committees and supports local municipalities through training and advisory roles focused on micro-transit, telework, and flexible commuting.
So today, we celebrate Maricopa County not just for its measurable impact, but for the example it sets. Its leadership in TDM is helping communities across Arizona and beyond rethink what’s possible in sustainable transportation. Congratulations, Maricopa County, on this well-deserved recognition!