FMLM may sound like a confusing medical term, but in the world of public transportation, it stands for “First Mile/Last Mile.” Getting to/from the primary mode of travel is a prevalent challenge that nearly all cities face while trying to plan for, and increase, the use of public transit. It can be a huge hurdle and is often what prevents people from using public transportation to begin with. First Mile, Last Mile refers to the commute distance from a person’s home (or starting point) to the transportation site and following the commute from said location to their final destination. For example, someone commuting into the District from Reston who wants to ride the Metro needs to get to the station from their house, ideally without driving alone in a car, and there’s oftentimes no perfect solution....

Mark your calendars! Friday and Saturday, September 21 and 22 are Car Free Days. Celebrated around the world, this is a free event in which people are encouraged to get around town without driving alone in cars. The entire community is invited to take different modes of transportation such as train, metro, bus, carpool, or bike. Or, maybe cut the commute completely and telework. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion, create a greener environment, reduce the demand for gasoline, and help people save money and reduce stress! Over 1,500 cities in 40 countries will participate in Car Free Day 2018....

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Beginning July 21, WMATA will be performing scheduled maintenance work along the Red Line, resulting in the closure of both the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and Rhode Island Ave Metro Station until September 3. There will be no Red Line service between Fort Totten and NOMA Metro stations during this time. To assist you with these commute disruptions, goDCgo has compiled 3 great alternative routes to help you navigate your commute. Try out one of the options below and tag us with #CommuteSmarterNotHarder during the shutdown for a chance to win a free month of Capital Bikeshare! Bike the Metropolitan Branch Trail to Save Time and Money 20-minute commute from Fort Totten to NOMA, $2 per ride with Capital Bikeshare. Take the Metropolitan Branch Trail for an off-street trail (completely separated from car traffic for most of the way) stretching from Fort Totten to Union Station (see picture, right) where you can easily transfer to the Red Line. There is a Capital Bikeshare station at all four affected Metro stops, download the CaBi App to quickly purchase a $2 trip and be on your way in no time! A Capital Bikeshare corral with unlimited parking will be available at 3rd St. NE and M St. NE from 8am-1pm, on Monday - Friday from 7/23 – 8/31, so you can easily drop off your bike. Dockless bikeshare or a scooter are other great alternatives for commuting. Express Buses and Shuttles Commute times will vary depending on traffic but the shuttles are free. Free Shuttles will replace service between Fort Totten, Brookland, Rhode Island Ave, and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations. There will be additional express shuttles from Brookland and Rhode Island Ave to Metro Center, Gallery Place, and Union Station neighborhoods. The MetroExtra G9 usually operates only during rush hour, but during the shutdown will run at all times Metrorail is open. This route connects to Shaw-Howard & McPherson Square Metro stations. It will operate in a temporary dedicated bus lane on Rhode Island Avenue NE to allow buses to avoid congestion. P6 originates at the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station, with connections to numerous downtown Metrorail stations. 80 stops at numerous Metrorail stations, including Brookland. Check out the map below for additional bus route options and this map for the free express shuttles. Alternative Rail Options MARC train, 30-minute commute and $5 one-way. Green and Yellow lines will be operating additional trains to accommodate riders that transfer between Fort Totten and Gallery Place to avoid the closed stations. The MARC Brunswick Line has a stop in Rockville Silver Spring before reaching Union Station where a connection can be made to Red Line. The MARC Brunswick Line operates on weekdays only. If you have additional questions, please tweet us @godcgo or email info@godcgo.com. WMATA has additional info here....

Beginning January 8, 2018, WMATA’s Metro's fare system will no longer allow customers to carry a negative balance on a SmarTrip card for Metrobus and Metrorail....

Mark your calendars! Friday, September 22 is Car Free Day. Celebrated around the world, this is a free event in which people are encouraged to get around town without driving alone in cars. The entire community is invited to take different modes of transportation such as train, metro, bus, carpool, or bike. Or, maybe cut the commute completely and telework. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion, create a greener environment, reduce the demand for gasoline, and help people save money and reduce stress! Over 1,500 cities in 40 countries will participate in Car Free Day 2017....

SafeTrack Surge 10 is returning to the District with a full closure of Metrorail’s Red Line between Fort Totten and NoMa-Galladuet stations from Saturday, October 29 to Tuesday, November 22. For 25 days, Metrorail service will be dramatically reduced and two stations – Brookland and Rhode Island – will be closed. Click here to listento the previously recorded SafeTrack Surge10 Employer Webinar....

The commute can be the most stressful part of an employee’s day – but it doesn’t have to be. Supported by new findings from the 2016 State of the Commute survey, here are some data-driven insights to keep your employees happy:...

There’s a new way for commuters to save on Metrorail and Metrobus fares. Riders can now enroll in the new SelectPass pilot program to receive unlimited rides if their Metro fares typically cost between $2.25 and $3.75 one-way. These commuters may save up to 20% while gaining unlimited access to the Metrorail system for workday travel and personal use. A discounted Metrobus add-on is also available....

For many organizations including the 100+ participants in the Department of Energy and Environment’s Smarter DC Challenge, sustainability is a key tenet of vision, mission and values. Earlier this month, goDCgo partnered with the Challenge to present a workshop on incorporating transportation into sustainability goals. Transportation accounted for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 and those emissions are increasing faster than any cause, according to the EPA. So what can organizations do to facilitate change?...