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Arlington County teachers all receive free Capital Bikeshare memberships. Photo: Mobility Lab
Leading the way is Arlington, Virginia, which has a transportation demand management program specifically to make it easier for teachers to give up the solo car commute habit. In the U.S., it’s the first program of its kind for an entire school district, according to Paul Mackie at Mobility Lab.
A few simple incentives can make a difference, Mackie writes:
Teachers who rideshare, or “carpool,” get to wave at the other commuters stuck in traffic as they breeze past in the HOV lanes.
And that’s not all. Once teachers get to school — in the case of this video, at Oakridge Elementary School and Arlington Community High School — they have priority carpool parking right in front.
Some call it “carpool therapy.” At Oakridge, teachers have added a “commuter lounge,” where teachers and staff who bike or walk to work can have a place to change and store their gear for the day.
If driving is not their thing, all employees of the public schools get a free membership to Capital Bikeshare. Yes, free. And pretty stress-free too.
Take a look at how it works in this MobilityLab video: