Setting the Carpool Standard: World Bank’s Ridesharing Success
The World Bank Group headquarters are located on H Street NW in the District’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood. Located in a hub for government, nonprofit, and for-profit businesses alike, the areas surrounding the World Bank face high parking demand. To mitigate parking competition among its employees and reduce the World Bank’s carbon footprint, the Commuter Services team works hard to promote a variety of travel options in partnership with goDCgo.
Long-Standing Partnership
The World Bank has worked with goDCgo since 2019, consistently prioritizing the promotion of sustainable transportation. In 2021, the World Bank was designated as a Platinum Transportation All-Star, the highest designation a District employer can receive from goDCgo for their commitment to sustainable transportation.
Over the years, goDCgo has hosted and supported numerous employee transportation events at the World Bank, including Transportation Fairs, Bike to Work Day events, and, most recently, World Bicycle Day. The World Bank participated in both the goDCgo Commuter Challenge and the goDMV Commuter Competition, two local initiatives where employers and employees log their sustainable commute trips for the chance to win prizes.
Developing Sustainable Programs
What sets the World Bank apart is its carpool program for employees. The program has a Commuter Dashboard, an online platform where World Bank employees can create their own carpools.
How it Works
- “Primary Parkers,” or commuters who already have access to a monthly permit for the parking garage, create a carpool in the World Bank’s employee Commuter Dashboard.
- In the Commuter Dashboard, the Primary Parker selects coworker(s) to join the group.
- The World Bank Commuter Services Team conducts a background check to confirm the carpool’s information and runs a zip code analysis to verify that carpoolers live within a five-mile radius of each other and are on the way to the office.
- The carpool group shares the parking permit, and all of their cars are each registered under the group.
- The World Bank takes several steps to ensure that employees who register for the program are actually carpooling. There are 80 dedicated carpool parking spaces for employees, and the parking team regularly checks to ensure that these spaces are being used by verified carpoolers. Additionally, when a carpool member drives separately, they are charged the daily parking fee to prevent misuse of garage access.
Program Benefits
The carpool program not only benefits employees, but also serves the World Bank as an employer. Offering carpool options manages the organization’s high parking demand by reducing the number of vehicles coming into the office each day. Furthermore, the carpool program reduces the World Bank’s carbon footprint and lessens traffic congestion surrounding the office by encouraging multiple occupancy vehicle use among staff. It’s a win-win for employers, employees, and the environment!
Measuring Impact
Currently, the program helps to reduce approximately 400 daily commute trips every month!
The World Bank continues to work towards expanding the carpool program, continuously promoting it to employees and planning to add more dedicated carpool spots to the garage.
These efforts do not go unnoticed. This year, the World Bank won the first ever “Most Robust Carpool Program” award at goDCgo’s Transportation All-Star Awards Ceremony. Their unique, hands-on approach to ridesharing sets them apart, and goDCgo was thrilled to honor them with this recognition.
Beyond Carpooling
Beyond their carpool program, the World Bank has a robust commuter benefits program that promotes biking, walking, and public transportation.
To encourage active transportation (walking, biking, running, etc.), the World Bank offers discounted Capital Bikeshare membership to employees. Furthermore, employees who walk, run, or bike to work can gain access to free commuter lockers and amenities to make these commute modes easier for them.
Public transit users are not forgotten; the World Bank offers employees a monthly Metrorail/Metrobus subsidy. Currently, 7,000 of the World Bank’s 10,000 employees are participating in the program, making it one of World Bank’s most highly utilized transportation benefits.
Follow World Bank’s Lead
Offering a carpool program at the workplace is a great way to tackle high parking demand and help employees who cannot reasonably use public transit to get to work. Whether they live far away from the office, don’t live near public transit infrastructure, or work outside of public transit service hours, numerous commuters can benefit from having a carpool option to get to and from their workplace.
goDCgo is available to help you create a ridesharing program at your workplace. Download our Ridesharing Toolkit or reach out to us at [email protected] to get started.
