Free Support and Resources

If you're a business owner or Human Resources manager in Prince George's County, the RideSmart Commuter Solutions team is ready to support your efforts to build an award-winning commuter program that helps your organization and your employees win the commute!

RideSmart Solutions offers free support in many ways:

• Review your printed and digital recruitment and benefits information and make suggestions about ways to elevate commuter benefits.
• Provide customizable printed and digital content that promotes commuter options, programs, and incentives - perfect to distribute at new employee orientation, during benefits fairs, and post on your company intranet!
• Help you build your employee commuter benefits program and connect you to different agencies to start your transit, vanpool, or bike programs, and take advantage of the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit for providing qualifying benefits.
• Support your efforts by hosting on-site or virtual events that help your employees form carpools, try transit, become bike commuters, or reboot their telecommutes. 
• Provide customized plans based on data analysis and surveys.
• Celebrate your achievements and help your organization earn recognition for your efforts to improve traffic congestion in the region!

Get started today!

Maryland Commuter Tax Credit

The Maryland Commuter Tax Credit rewards employers who provide a financial subsidy towards qualifying commuter programs to help reduce the cost of their employees' commutes. 

Employers that offer commuter benefits may claim back up to $1,200 per employee per year with the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit.

Starting July 1, 2022, new qualifying programs will include biking, walking, telecommuting, carpooling, and first/last mile multimodal options, in addition to the existing qualifying options of transit, vanpool, Guaranteed Ride Home, and Parking Cash-Out.

Read more about the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit and how to claim it.

Carpool/Vanpool Programs

Ridesharing is a great way for employees to get to work reliably and to reduce the number of cars on the road (and in your business parking lot!).

The free Commuter Connections Ridematching service enables commuters to find other individuals who share similar commute routes and work hours with the possibility of starting or joining a carpool or vanpool. There are also great financial savings with the 'Pool Rewards program and co-commuters may use the free Guaranteed Ride Home program.

Employers can build a great ridesharing program in a number of ways:

• Establish preferential parking in a desirable location for employees who drive together and, if parking is not free, offer a discount for employees who carpool or vanpool. 
• Host on-site ride-matching events or tailored communications to help facilitate ride-matching within your employee base.
• Allow pre-tax payments of vanpool fares and, if possible, offer a subsidy to help defray the cost.  Employers who subsidize vanpool costs for their employees may be eligible to claim 50% of the cost back (up to $100/employee/month) with the MD Commuter Tax Credit.

Want to start a vanpool or carpool program for your employees? Check out the MD Commuter Choice Vanpool Toolkit to learn more.

Walk/Run Commuter Support

If your organization is located in an area where employees could walk or run for any part of the trip, there are many ways you can support them!

• Provide showers and lockers for active commuters to freshen up before starting the work day.
• Consider a subsidy for shoes or other gear (a post-tax benefit, but you may be able to offer additional items through your health insurance provider).
• Promote the incenTrip app so they can earn rewards for their commute and the Guaranteed Ride Home program so that they can use up to four free rides home per year if they walk or run to work and have an unexpected emergency they need to deal with. 

Telecommuting

Telecommuting makes staying home the easiest way to go to work. Options include working from home or satellite work centers, also known as telecenters, which are equipped with multiple workstations and office support. Millions of people go to work simply by picking up their phones or turning on their computers - saving themselves and their companies millions of dollars. Need guidance on establishing a telework program? Check out these guides from Commuter Choice Maryland and Commuter Connections. 

Alternative Work Schedules

The most common time-management options for employers are variable work hours (also called flextime) and compressed workweek schedules. Flextime programs, in which employees are given the option of adjusting their arrival and departure times, are proven ways to reduce congestion at peak travel times. Compressed work schedules (such as four, 10 hours-a-day work week) can eliminate one day a week of commuting for many employees.

Flextime Rewards

You may be eligible to enroll in Flextime Rewards and earn $8 for each trip that you delay or avoid peak congestion time travel in these specific corridors:

1. I-495 inner loop between VA-267 and I-270 Spur
2. I-495 outer loop between I-95 and MD-193
3. I-66 eastbound at VA-267
4. DC-295 southbound at Benning Rd.

Visit the Commuter Connections website to learn more and enroll.

The RideSmart Commuter Solutions Team is ready to help you build a benefits program that benefits everyone. Our support is always free! Contact us today.