Dulles International Partnership Launches Employee Travel Training Pilot Project

A local public-private partnership is training employees at Dulles International Airport (IAD) to use Metrorail and buses to commute to the airport. Trainees are also given a free $50 SmarTrip card to encourage them to try transit for their commute.

This initiative is made possible through a cooperative partnership between the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), the Committee for Dulles (CFD), and the Dulles Area Transportation Association (DATA). It is funded by a Commuter Assistance Program grant that DATA receives from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. The goals of the program are to encourage more companies at Dulles International to offer a money-saving commuter benefits plan for their employees, increase employee participation in existing airport employer commuter benefits plans, and ultimately to increase the number of employees who use Metro to commute to Dulles International.

Each month DATA will partner with a different Dulles International employer to conduct two training sessions, each with six employees. ABM has already taken part in two sessions while MWAA, the Dulles Airport Marriott, and United Airlines have committed to trainings in Oct., Nov., and Dec. respectively.
Sessions begin at the Washington Dulles International Airport Metro Station and travel two stops to the Herndon Metro Station which is close to where many airport employees live. Trainees then reverse course and are brought back to the Dulles Metro station. Participants are taught about: fares and fare cards, informational and directional signs in the station and on the trains, transferring to buses, and important safety features. Each training session lasts one and a half hours and can be offered in Spanish when needed. DATA is seeking additional Dulles International companies interested in this training. For companies who do not have a commuter benefits plan in place, DATA can help set up a SmartBenfits commuter benefits plan at no cost.

An ABM employee who participated in the training remarked,

“I learned things I never knew, and I will definitely
extend it to my colleagues. Thank you.”

While another ABM participant added,

“This was a great experience, especially for
people who don’t use the system.”

Aprile Pritchet, Community Engagement Specialist at MWAA said, “The Airports Authority is proud to partner with DATA and CFD to promote transit use among our employees. This initiative not only supports our Sustainability Plan, which encourages the efficient use of public transportation, but also complements IAD’s 2025 designation as a Best Workplace for Commuters. More importantly, it reaffirms our commitment to the well-being and morale of the nearly 30,000 employees who work at IAD and across the Airports Authority.”

DATA’s Director of Programs Terri Lamb shared, “Many employees at IAD and even across the Airports Authority could be interested in using transit to commute but may feel anxious or a little overwhelmed because they have little or no experience reading schedules, paying fares and navigating the Metro system”.

CFD Executive Director Scott York noted, “Our organization played a significant role advocating and supporting the extension of Metrorail service to, and past IAD and further into Loudoun County so we celebrate and support this innovative project’s goal to increase ridership. We also think it’s another example of the IAD community being a model for other airports on how sustainability can foster economic vitality and growth.”