Commuter Connections - Celebrating 40 years (1974-present)

Commuter Connections, est. 1974

Enhancing the region’s economic vitality and quality of life for 40 trusted years by helping Washington metropolitan commuters choose a smarter way to work, and assisting employers with the development of commuter benefits for their employees.

1973-10-01 00:00:00

Oil Crisis

OAPEC (OPEC, plus Egypt, Syria and Tunisia) proclaimed an oil embargo.

1974-01-01 00:00:00

Gas Prices Rise

Average gas price went above 50 cents/gallon for the first time in the United States

1974-06-28 05:05:56

Commuter Club

Commuter Club formed in response to the oil embargo

1974-08-01 00:00:00

Grand Opening

Commuter Operations Center opens

1974-09-01 00:00:00

Keypunch Cards

Keypunched cards were hand-mailed by COG staff. Litton matched ridesharers via IBM 360/370 mainframe

1977-01-01 15:50:17

Carpooling to Metro Stations

Redesigned and refined computer program made available, increased push for carpooling to Metro stations

1977-01-01 15:50:17

Vanpooling Workshops

COG hosts vanpooling workshops attended by dozens of major firms

1977-08-01 15:50:17

Streets For People Campaign

CC promotes through posters and a 3-dimensional display on P Street pedestrian mall in conjunction with “Streets for People” program

1979-01-01 15:50:17

1979 Oil Crisis

Due to decreased oil output in the wake of the Iranian Revolution; widespread panic results

1979-09-01 15:50:17

Silver Spring Share-A-Ride

Share-A-Ride formed in Silver Spring

1980-01-01 23:51:57

Gas rises over $1.00

Average gas price rises above $1 a gallon

1980-05-01 00:00:00

IBM 4300 Mainframe

Conversion to an IBM 4300 mainframe computer. Local ridesharing agencies had “dumb terminals” and dot matrix printers & printed/mailed ridematch letters themselves.

1980-06-01 00:00:00

Iran - Iraq War

Oil production in Iran nearly stops. Oil prices begin a 20 year decline.

1980-07-01 23:51:57

Commute Time : 22 Minutes

Average commute is under 22 minutes (Census Bureau)

1980-11-01 00:00:00

Regional Database Created

The City of Alexandria, Fairfax, Montgomery, and Prince William Counties and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission joined the network and shared one regional database.

1980-11-01 00:00:00

DC Rail Expansion

Rail expansion in DC

1983-06-01 00:00:00

Demand for Parking Decreases

Monitoring fringe parking lots, Commuter Connections found a 4% increase in parking spaces, with an occupancy decline of 13% due to the 1980 rail expansion

1986-02-01 03:53:11

RideFinders

Name change from Commuter Club to RideFinders

1986-10-01 03:53:11

Regional Marketing

RideFinders forms a regional marketing program

1989-09-10 03:53:11

ACT Conference

ACT conference in DC focuses on marketing ridesharing

1990-08-01 22:06:01

Network Expansion

Network includes all D.C. area local governments, a few federal agencies, several Transportation Management Associations, and Baltimore, Maryland, and N. Virginia local jurisdictions.

1993-03-01 22:06:01

IBM RS 6000

Conversion to IBM RS 6000 Unix/AIX computers using a PC-based ArcView GIS application; runs stand-alone at local ridesharing agencies.

1994-01-01 22:06:01

Radio & TV

Commuter Connections markets with radio traffic sponsorships and TV PSAs

1994-10-01 22:06:01

DC Partners

Commuter Connections starts DC Employer Outreach program

1996-01-01 22:06:01

Commuter Connections is born

Name change from RideFinders to Commuter Connections

1996-09-01 22:06:01

Telework Resource Center

Metropolitan Washington Telework Resource Center opens

1996-12-01 22:06:01

Commuter Connections expands...

Commuter Connections now includes: transit routes and schedules, bike to work, park&ride and HOV info, telecommute/telework assistance, InfoExpress kiosks, and employer services.

1997-01-01 22:06:01

Guaranteed Ride Home

Guaranteed Ride Home and Employer Outreach program first offered

1998-06-28 22:06:01

Employer Recognition Awards

First recognized area employers through the Employer Recognition Awards

1998-07-01 22:06:01

Bicycling Outreach

Employer outreach for bicycling starts

2000-01-01 15:48:06

World Car Free Day

World Car Free Day was started

2000-03-01 15:48:06

Gas Prices reach $1.50

Average gas price more than $1.50 per gallon

2000-06-01 15:48:06

Commuter Connections expands...

Commuter Connections now includes: Car Free Day, Guaranteed Ride Home in the Baltimore region, Special Event and SchoolPool ridesharing

2001-04-01 16:11:16

Emergency Commute Preparedness

Commuter Connections introduces an Emergency Commute Preparedness brochure and encourages employers to have Continuity of Operations Plans in place. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ regional emergency plan includes a “super-carpooling” option where motorists fill their cars to capacity to speed up emergency evacuations.

2001-05-01 15:48:06

Regional Bike to Work Day

First Bike to Work Day held with a few hundred participants

2001-09-11 15:48:06

American Airlines Flight #77

American Airlines 77 crashes into the Pentagon resulting in road closures and increased security in the region.

2001-09-30 15:48:06

Anthrax Attacks

Anthrax attacks begin to occur on the Washington DC region

2003-01-01 16:11:16

Alternative Commute Options

Regional Mass marketing efforts of alternative commute options begin

2005-06-01 08:02:22

James Carville & Pat Buchanan

Commuter Connections teams up with opposite aisle political pundits James Carville and Pat Buchanan, with the notion that if they can carpool together, anyone can!

2006-01-01 16:11:16

LIVE Near Your Work

Commuter Connections spearheads Live Near Your Work workshops/events

2007-04-01 01:22:11

Teleworking trends upward...

19% of the region's commuters teleworked in 2007, up from 13% in 2004

2008-01-01 01:22:11

SmartBikeDC

Bikesharing first introduced by the District under the name SmartBikeDC

2008-07-01 01:22:11

Gas reaches $4

Gas prices spike to more than $4 per gallon

2008-09-02 16:11:16

Oracle web-based map tools

Oracle web-based transportation demand management replaces the IBM RS 6000

2008-11-19 01:22:11

LinkedIn

Commuter Connections LinkedIn account created

2008-12-01 16:08:09

Commuter Connections Coffee

Commuter Connections ads are served on coffee cup sleeves and atop gas pumps

2009-01-01 18:44:24

Bicycle Commuting Reimbursement

a $20 per month bicycle commuting reimbursement was added to the list of qualified transportation fringe benefits that employers can offer to employees.

2009-04-15 01:22:11

Twitter

Twitter @BiketoWorkDay formed

2009-06-03 01:22:11

Facebook

Commuter Connections joined Facebook

2009-08-29 17:49:10

Twitter

Twitter @CarFreeMetroDC formed

Commuter Connections - Celebrating 40 years (1974-present)

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