Hank Silverberg, wtop.com

FAIRFAX, Va. – What makes a good place to work? How about helping employees with an easier commute?

Fairfax County, in partnership with the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research, recognized seven businesses and two business sites as the “Best Workplaces for Commuters” for 2012.

The businesses encourage or support ridesharing, biking, teleworking, alternative work schedules. The businesses even give their employees transit benefits.

With traffic congestion the norm across the region, Coalition for Smarter Growth Executive Director Stewart Schwartz says those types of benefits need to be offered by businesses across the region.

“These employers are locating in places like Tysons Corner, which will have four Metro stations, so you will see people using every possible mode of transportation,” says Schwartz.

The businesses and work sites on the list include the following:

• American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
• Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
• SRA International, Inc. (Corporate Office)
• SRA International, Inc.
• Oracle
• Defense Health Headquarters (DHHQ)
• Community Associations Institute (CAI)
• Towers Crescent
• Access Tysons

Fairfax County helps businesses find ways to ease the commute and improve employee morale and productivity through the Fairfax County Employer Services Program. In some cases, the county offers financial assistance to the businesses.

For more information on commuter benefit programs nationwide, visit bestworkplaces.org.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)