On February 4th, 241 Champions were recognized at Arlington Transportation Partners’ 2nd annual awards breakfast, held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City. The attendees represented employers, commercial office properties and multi-family residential communities that implemented outstanding sustainable transportation programs in 2015.
Guest speakers Larry Filler, Arlington County Commuter Services Bureau Chief, and Victor Hoskins, Director of Arlington Economic Development, spoke highly of Champions as well as transportation amenities in the County. Hoskins emphasized that having excellent transportation options and making it easier for commuters to use those options is critical to Arlington’s competitive advantage. Optimizing the transportation system is a major element in the County’s ambitious plans to reduce the office vacancy rate and continue attracting residents and tourists to the area.
It was exciting to have so many businesses involved in Champions this past year as it doubled in participation. Champions grew even further in 2015 to include Arlington Public Schools, Arlington's largest employer. The transportation amenities offered by these Champions, such as bike parking, free SmarTrip cards or carpool parking, have an impact on the way thousands of employees commute in Arlington County. 2015 Champions have been recognized most recently in the Washington Business Journal, The Arlingtonian, and The Citizen.
Enrollment for 2016 Champions is starting in March, and we look forward to sharing the updated criteria checklist as well as new opportunities to achieve Gold or Platinum Level. Contact us to schedule a kick off meeting and see how your business currently stacks up.
Photo Credit: Sam Kittner/Kittner.com