Welcome to Go Howard! Formerly Howard Commuter Solutions, we’re your resource for information on ridesharing, transit, biking, and other alternatives to driving by yourself in Howard County.
Go Howard is the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program of Howard County, Maryland, funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation / Maryland Transit Administration and the Howard County Office of Transportation.
What’s Happening in Howard CountY?
Car Free Day is September 22nd — and RTA is Celebrating All Weekend Long!
Friday, September 22nd is Car Free Day and in recognition of this worldwide event, we’re encouraging you to choose greener methods of travel, i.e., finding other ways to get around other than driving alone by car. Greener methods of travel include biking, walking and public transit, as well as carpooling, vanpooling and teleworking. To celebrate, all Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) service will be free Friday, September 22nd through Sunday, September 24th!
By choosing to use more sustainable ways to get around, residents can reduce their carbon footprint and help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion. If you think about it, the more people who travel using bicycles, buses, trains, carpools and vanpools, the fewer pollutants we are releasing into the atmosphere.
If you plan on participating in Car Free Day, let us know how you plan to Skip a Trip by completing this quick online survey.
BikeAround Downtown is Back, But With a New DAte!
It’s September which means it’s almost time for our Fall BikeAround Downtown and the impending weather is going to push it a week! The course will be open September 
30th and October 1st, and our Block Party is Sunday, October 1st from 11AM-1PM at Azlon Plaza. Join the family ride led by @hiitslittlep and her League of American Bicyclists instructor human at 11AM and learn more about how to make cycling a bigger part of your transportation, fitness, and recreation routines. More info here: http://dtcpartnership.com/things-to-do/bikearound/
RTA Service Enhancements Launched July 9th
More info: https://www.transitrta.com/routes-405_505_planning/
MDOT Expands its Commuter Tax Credit for employers
Commuter Choice Maryland can help you create benefits for your employees at half the cost and reduce your costs through the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit. Businesses, including 501c3 and 501c4 organizations, may be eligible to claim a tax credit of 50% of the cost of providing qualifying commuter benefits (up to $100 per employee per month) when you offer employees qualified commuting benefits programs like Guaranteed Ride Home, Vanpool, Transit, Cash in Lieu of Parking, Telework, Carpool, Active Transportation, and Multimodal Commuter Last Mile Connection. In addition to the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit, Federal tax code allows employers to provide tax-free benefits (up to $300 per employee per month in 2023) qualifying parking, vanpool, and transit benefits through a tax-free, employer-paid subsidy or pre-tax, employee-paid deduction (or a combination of the two). More info here.
We’re thinking about any trips we could manage without a car. We’ve talked about grabbing lunch or coffee when we’re working, taking our kids to a Tot Lot, grabbing take out for dinner and a bigger one: our commute. We’re pledging to pick one trip this week to do without a car and want to know if you will too. Tell us, how are you going to Skip a Trip.
You’ve got options to reduce your fuel costs!
Carpooling and vanpooling can cut your fuels costs and our ridematching service is free. Plus, with Guaranteed Ride Home you can get a free ride home six times per year so you won’t get stuck. Why not check it out today?
Not commuting regularly or want to ditch your car altogether? Carpool Now is an app that will match you in real time where you are or at popular pick up points in the D.C area.
There are also multiple transit providers in Howard County with varying hours of service and destinations: Maryland Transit Administration (Commuter bus, train, light rail, and local bus service), Regional Transit Agency of Central Maryland (local bus service connecting Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George’s Counties and the City of Laurel), and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (bus and Metro rail service).
How about getting rewarded for sharing your ride, too? Check out IncenTrip to learn about how you can earn money for carpooling, vanpooling and taking transit!
Who doesn’t like having options?! Curious what you could save? Try MDOT’s Commute Calculator.
Mobile ticketing is now available for RTA riders
Earn cash by choosing a smart commute!
incenTrip is a multimodal trip planning app that rewards points for each commute trip you plan and take during the a.m. and p.m. peak commuting times and log into the app. Washington area commuters can earn up to $10 after completing 10 trips – or save your points to earn $50. Rinse and repeat. It’s that simple! Up to $600 can be earned per calendar year. You must have a Commuter Connections account to earn cash – but don’t worry, registration is free and easy.
Sign-up now for Commuter Connections and link your account to the incenTrip app, available at the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Looking for options outside Howard County? Try MDOT’s Commuter Choice Maryland.