Car-Free Commuting Just Got a Whole Lot Easier in D.C.

Arlington County, Virginia, is one of the most active places in the country when it comes to nudging companies toward car-free commutes. But the tools at its disposal in this effort have been stuck in the past. Let’s say a new business in the area wanted a hand showing its 200 employees how to get to work without driving alone. County staffers would go to the Washington Metro trip planner site, punch in home and office addresses, layer on their own personal knowledge about alternatives like bike-share or vanpools, then print out an itinerary—200 times over.

“So they'd have to spend hours and hours putting together these things for clients,” says Chris Hamilton, outgoing bureau chief of the Arlington County Commuter Services program, which provides transportation guidance to area employers.