Every school day, thousands of Washington, DC, students, families, and staff navigate their own path to class, and the city’s school travel landscape presents a distinct set of challenges. With only 27 percent of students attending their in-boundary school, many students and families travel long distances across the District to reach their school of choice. At the same time, according to the 2025 School Staff Transportation Survey, 77.3 percent of school staff report driving solo from neighborhoods in and outside DC, leaving their transit benefits largely unused. Safety concerns during the commute add further complexity, creating conditions that push families toward driving even when alternatives exist.
Foursquare ITP worked with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to operate its goDCgo transportation demand management (TDM) initiative and developed the TDM for Schools Strategic Plan to understand staff and students’ travel behavior and to guide goDCgo School Services in tackling transportation challenges. The plan provides recommended strategies to shift travel away from drive-alone trips toward walking, biking, carpooling, and public transit. Foursquare ITP staff implement the plan’s recommendations and work with schools individually, delivering tailored sustainable transportation plans, commute surveys, get-around guides, Capital Bikeshare memberships, and onsite and online events.
The work gave DDOT, goDCgo, and school stakeholders a strategic foundation and customized resources to strengthen school transportation programs and support safer, more sustainable commutes for students, families, and staff. Building on the plan, the team expanded the Capital Bikeshare for High School Program to nine schools, providing free bikeshare access and education to students 16 and up, regardless of household income or credit card access. The team also supported the School Zone Parking Program by developing TDM plans for schools applying for permits and by establishing a regular cadence with DC Public Schools (DCPS) to administer school transportation surveys and track progress.
Solutions and Outcomes
- Developed strategies to guide TDM program implementation and long-term growth.
- Identified opportunities to increase sustainable transportation use among students and staff across DC.
- Delivered customized resources connecting schools with transportation options tailored to their location and community.
- Expanded the Capital Bikeshare for High School Program and supported the School Zone Parking Program.
- Established a recurring DCPS school transportation survey to measure progress over time.