GVF Named Gold Level Champion and Employer by the Best Workplaces for Commuters

GVF is proud to be named a Gold Level Champion and Employer by the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC)!

The awards recognize organizations like GVF who have taken exemplary steps to offer transportation options such as vanpool and transit benefits or telework and compressed workweek for their employees.

In 2011, we were recognized as a Gold Level company only. This year, we are proud to be awarded as a champion - an organization that works to encourage others to re-think their commuting habits, and employer - because GVF provides commuting options and benefits to our staff of eight.

GVF's partner TransNet was recognized at the silver level. Congratulations on YOUR award and working to be a BWC!

BWC is a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation and managed by the University of South Florida’s National Center for Transit Research. This year, they singled out 15 companies, institutions and individuals nationwide on Thursday, January 26 during the annual “Race to Excellence” Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Other companies that were recipients of the Gold Level include:

§ Bishop Ranch Transportation Association (San Ramon, CA)

§ Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN)

§ State of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ)

§ Tindale-Oliver & Associates (Tampa, FL)

If your organization is interested in becoming a Best Places for Commuters, contact GVF. We can work with your organization to create a commuting program which saves money, reduces stress and improves the environment.

For more information about the Best Workplaces for Commuters program, visit http://www.bestworkplaces.org/.

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Partner in the Spotlight: BNY Mellon

Established in 2007 from the merger of Mellon Financial Corporation and The Bank of New York Company, Inc., BNY Mellon is a leading investment management and investment services company. A member of GVF since 2003, BNY Mellon is uniquely focused to help clients manage and move their financial assets and succeed in the rapidly changing global marketplace. Headquartered in New York, BNY Mellon has $25 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $1.2 trillion under management.

One of BNY Mellon’s seven Environmental Sustainability Commitments is to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout all of their sites.

Recently, GVF has been working with BNY Mellon to assist with a transition of 200 employees from BNY Mellon’s subsidiary, Pershing, previously based in Malvern, Chester County, to the King of Prussia location on Moore Road. Additional employees meant additional parking was required. Although BNY Mellon restriped its parking lot and created 50 additional spaces, GVF is working with its transportation committee to encourage carpooling and biking as well, because of its close proximity to the Schuylkill Valley Trail. SEPTA’s Route 125 bus, which provides service between King of Prussia and Center City Philadelphia, stops directly in front of the building’s main entrance as well.

“Through our collaborative effort with GVF, we have been able to provide information to employees about alternative commuting options in the area that lesson the impact on both parking in the King of Prussia facility and our environment,” said Ken Knapp, Vice President, General Services & Corporate Real Estate, BNY Mellon. “We believe that small changes can make a big difference.”

For more information about BNY Mellon and its environmental commitment, visit http://www.bnymellon.com/about/environment.html.

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GVF’s New “Partners in Sustainability” Video Series

This week GVF launched a new video series entitled “Partners in Sustainability.” Each installment will feature one of GVF’s Partners in their efforts to help lessen their environmental impact. Many of these partners have already been recognized as GVF Sustainability Awards recipients. These videos will offer a chance to delve deeper into our local companies green efforts and give our audience the chance to see that many things are being done right here in our own backyards to increase both sustainability and quality of life.

Our first video features McCormick Taylor, who among many other green initiatives, introduced a bike share program earlier this year. Employees are able to utilize the bikes as a way of commuting in between meetings as well as for recreation. The offices of McCormick Taylor are conveniently located close to the Schuylkill River Trail, which benefits many of the riders. You can view the video below:

Follow GVF’s twitter feed and this blog in the coming months as we focus on everything from LEED certified buildings to electric car charging stations.

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Climate Change Task Force tours Valley Forge National Historical Park

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force, which advocates for its partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region, took things outside "the office" and held a walking tour of the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Sustainability is a priority for the VFNHP, which was showcased during GVF's Fall Partner Breakfast where the VFNHP received Platinum level for GVF's Sustainable Awards for the second year in a row.

Valley Forge National Historical Park began the rehabilitation on Washington’s Headquarters about four years ago. Below are some highlights from our most recent walking tour:

• One goal was to have less impervious surface by removing 2.5 acres of pavement, as well as improving their storm water issues with water infiltration system.


• No flooding has occurred, especially with the most recent hurricane.


• All concrete and asphalt that was removed was and continues to be recycled, opposed to going to a landfill.


• VFNHP also only plants native plants.


• Their 1911 train station was recently stored last year with the intention of trying to keep everything from its original existence. With the VFNHP focus on sustainability, they installed energy efficient light bulbs, as well as time sensors; energy efficient heating/cooling system.

Be sure to visit our Flickr page for pictures of the Climate Change Task Force tour.

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GVF's 2011 Sustainable Awards

GVF, a transportation management association dedicated to achieving a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies, hosted its fall partner breakfast yesterday at the Scanticon Hotel in King of Prussia.

GVF presented its second-annual Sustainable Awards to the companies and organizations listed below. GVF’s Sustainable Awards recognize companies on four levels for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality.

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Congratulations to the Sustainable Award Winners!

At GVF's Fall Partner Breakfast yesterday morning, we were proud to award
* one college
* one municipality
* one developer
* one state agency
* one national park
* two retailers
* four engineering firms
* six corporate businesses
with the second annual GVF Sustainable Awards!

In its second year, the Sustainable Awards recognize different organizations for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality throughout the region.

That means that 17 area companies and organizations are making a real difference in reducing single occupancy vehicles on our roadways, and improving the quality of life for employees and residents alike! Take a look on what some of these companies are doing:
• Actively participates in GVF’s Climate Change Task Force
• Display or include commuter information and/or provide transit schedules in that worksite or on the intranet.
• Disseminate traffic alerts to employees
• Host commuter events at your worksite
• Host on-site vanpool or carpool formation meetings
• Implementation of a company sustainability plan
• Install bike racks or other storage bicycles
• Member of GVF
• Participate in the Emergency Ride Home Program, which can be offered through GVF
• Place alternative commute information in new hire packets
• Recycling Program
• Regularly promote commute options at the worksite via memo postings, email, Intranet or other employee communication
• Ridesharing or carpool matching, either in-house or through an outside organization
• Use Alternative Fuel Vehicles
• Company participates in the Air Quality Partnership (AQP) by raising the AQP on action alert day
Offer a flextime policy, such as telecommuting and/or compressed workweek
• Offer onsite amenities such as food service, dry cleaner, ATM/bank
• One or more than one representatives are signed up for EnviroFlash, which sends an electronic receive alert on air quality action days
• Participate in GVF’s Bike to Work Challenge, which occurs April – September (see www.gvfbiketowork.com for details)
• Provide a commuting subsidy to employees
• Provide a site specific innovative service or program to improve employee commutation and reduce traffic congestion
• Provide preferential parking for vanpoolers or carpoolers
• Provide preferential parking if employee drives an alternative fuel vehicle
• Provide pretax payroll deductions for commuting cost for employees
• Provide showers and/or lockers for bicycles
• Sell transit passes on site
• Assessed and tracked company
• Offer a telecommuting or compressed workweek program that reduces commute trips by at least 6 %.
• Offers a subsidized shuttle operations or provide an employer sponsored shuttle
• Offers to pay at least $30 per month towards a transit pass (or full cost of a pass if it is less than $30) to each employee who commutes using transit
• Offers to pay at least $30 per month towards vanpool pass (or full cost of a pass if it is less than $30) to each employee who commutes in a vanpool
• Office is accessible to public transit (should it be required that they have to know that employees are taking it)
• Provide at least $30 per month to each employee who chooses to receive cash in lieu of a parking space

Check out pictures from yesterday's event here!

Bryan Havir, Assitant Cheltenham Township Manager said it best -- “Being green is good for everyone. An organization that cares enough to be green cares about its employees."

Congratulations again to our winners and if you're interested in learning more about the Sustainable Awards and how you can implement some of these changes, contact GVF today!

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Partner In The Spotlight: West Conshohocken Borough

Incorporated in 1874 and located along the Schuylkill River in central Montgomery County, West Conshohocken Borough has taken significant steps to revitalize its riverfront with dense mixed-used development over the past decade, becoming a model for redevelopment of an urban core. Like many older communities in the Schuylkill Valley, West Conshohocken once stood as an industrial power, though today it has reinvented itself as a livable community with a successful mix of residential and commercial development along its riverfront, as well as ample recreational opportunities. Major employers such as ASTM International and Cheswold Lane Asset Management call West Conshohocken home, while Renaissance Business Park in Upper Merion Township is located just a short distance west on PA Route 23. Borough residents have plenty of opportunity for leisure at MacKenzie Park, St. Gert’s Park, and Elizabeth Street Park.

“West Conshohocken Borough is located in a high traffic area and the Borough relies on GVFTMA for advice and guidance on transportation matters that will affect our residents.“

-Mike English West Conshohocken Borough Manager

West Conshohocken redevelopment has occurred, in no small part, because of the ample access that the borough has to various forms of transportation. The heavily traversed I-76/I-476 Interchange, one of the largest highway interchanges in Greater Philadelphia, is located within the borough. SEPTA’s Norristown-Manayunk Rail Line stops directly across the Schuylkill River, near the Fayette Street Bridge, in West Conshohocken’s sister borough of Conshohocken. West Conshohocken and Montgomery County recently partnered to fund the widening of westbound Matsonford Road approaching the I-76/I-476 Interchange, leading to a reduction in travel time of roughly 30 minutes for motorists. PennDOT is currently realigning the intersection of Balligomingo Road and PA Route 23 (Front Street), a project which will improve safety and traffic flow by creating a signalized intersection with dedicated turning movements to both roadways. Residents also can walk across the Fayette Street Bridge and access the Schuylkill River Trail, connecting Philadelphia to Valley Forge. With such an abundance of transportation options, it is no wonder that West Conshohocken is a model for national standards of livability.

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The Revolutionary Shuttle provides free service through VFNHP [Video]

Free visitor shuttle service has returned to Valley Forge National Historical Park for the summer season. In its third year, The Revolutionary Shuttle provides a comfortable way to get around the park, relieves traffic congestion and reduces pollution.

The two shuttles operate 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Monday, September 5, 2011. The seven-mile loop covers most of the park, and riders can hop on or off at any of nine stops, including:

Visitor Center Lower Parking Lot
Visitor Center Lower Entrance
Muhlenberg’s Brigade
National Memorial Arch
Wayne’s Woods
Artillery Park
Washington’s Headquarters
von Steuben Statue
Washington Memorial Chapel

So far, the shuttle has carried more than 2,300 riders since its Memorial Day start. (The shuttle did not run the first few weeks of June!)

Check out the shuttle video below to learn more about this free convenience to all park visitors!

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GVF TMA Foundation Hosts First Golf Outing [Video]

King of Prussia, PA- The newly formed GVF TMA Foundation, a 501 c 3 subsidiary of the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF), held its first golf outing at The Club at Shannondell last Friday, June 24.

The event, which included more than 40 golfers, raised more than $1,000 for the Foundation. GVF established this Foundation to secure funding for educational seminars, training, outreach and environmental awareness for the general public in support of livability activities. The Peter P. Quinn Scholarship, created when GVF founder Peter P. Quinn retired in 2008, is incorporated into the GVF TMA Foundation and creates a scholarship fund for college students to expose them to the public and private transportation sectors.

Check out pictures from the event here.

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GVF's 2011 Annual Meeting [Video]

Last week, GVF held their annual meeting at the BEST WESTERN PLUS the Inn at King of Prussia. The night included cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres, our award ceremony, and a keynote speech by Steven Wray (@STWray) of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia on the World Class Greater Philadelphia Initiative.

This initiative is an effort for the Greater Philadelphia Region to achieve World Class Status by 2026- the 250^th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Steve gave a presentation on four possible futures for the region and how we can thrive in all of them.

GVF also presented awards that evening to the following organizations and individuals:

• Engineering and Design Award - Boles Smyth Associates Inc. Awarded for their design of the Henderson Road ramps currently being constructed off of I-76
• Environmental Leadership Award- Montgomery County Community College Awarded for their investment in the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
• Legislative Leadership Award - Senator Daylin Leach Awarded for his ongoing support and involvement in the Norristown High Speed Line Project
• Peter P. Quinn Leadership Award- Jeff Guzy, URS Awarded for his dedication to GVF and its Board of Directors
• Planning Leadership Award - Limerick Township and Simone Collins Awarded for completing the Sanatoga Master Plan
• Private Sector Leadership Award - The CEO Council For Growth Awarded for their leadership along the Route 422 Corridor

“I would like to once again congratulate all of our award winners from this year’s annual meeting. I would also like to thank our sponsors again who continue to support GVF and its mission. As we continue our work to make our region’s transportation system world-class, we feel it’s important to recognize all of those who are improving our mission and making our region a better place to work and live,” said GVF Executive Director Rob Henry.

Did you miss the event? That’s ok; we also have some video footage of the evening’s highlights:

Did you attend our annual meeting? Please, let us know in the comments how we did. Thanks to everyone who attended and I hope to see you all again next year.

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GVF is excited to announce the addition of six new partners since March 1, 2011

GVF is excited to announce the addition of six new partners since March 1, 2011. These are companies and organizations that are dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our region, and are forward-thinking in finding ways to make transportation smarter and greener and engage employees in re-thinking their commuting habits.

These companies include:

Arcadia University: a comprehensive, independent institution that offers men and women a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs on its suburban Philadelphia campus and through its College of Global Studies.

Carter Van Dyke Associates Inc: a planning and landscape architectural firm based in Doylestown.

HNTB: an infrastructure firm serving federal, state, municipal, military and private clients.

KMJ Consulting: an Ardmore-based transportation consulting firm.

KSK Architects Planners Historians, Inc: a Philadelphia-based architecture, planning and historic preservation firm.

Shire: a specialty biopharmaceutical company that works to enable people with life-altering conditions to lead better lives.

Welcome to GVF! If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of GVF partnership, contact Carissa Bobenchik.

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GVF Celebrates Earth Day

On Wednesday afternoon GVF employees attended several Earth Day events throughout the Greater Valley Forge area. GVF had a presence at local corporations and colleges to spread information about green ways to commute. From taking public transportation, carpooling, utilizing a shuttle service, or participating in GVF’s upcoming Bike to Work Challenge there are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint!

Here are some other green tips for Earth Day:

• Reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water.
• Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice between plastic and paper, choose paper.
• Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payment, too.
• Turn your car off if you’re going to be idle for more than one minute.
• Recycle your technology. Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and IBM, among others, offer recycling programs.

Remember, small changes can add up to make a BIG difference! How do you celebrate Earth Day?

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Montgomery County Community College featured in APTA magazine

The Montgomery County Community College was featured in the March 11 edition of the American Public Transportation Association's magazine, Passenger Transport. Passenger Transport is sent to companies, organizations and individuals throughout the United States. The article focused on the partnership between GVF and the College, and the details of the shuttle.

The shuttle is just one of the ways the College is fulfilling its promise and goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, since College President Dr. Karen Stout signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Change Commitment in 2007.

As Dr. Stout quotes in the article, "This effort supports sustainability and student success by helping students gain access to courses required for completion of a degree that may be available at one campus and not the other."

To read the full article, click here.

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GVF's 2011 Sustainable Awards - Submit Application Now!

GVF is pleased to announce its 2011 Sustainable Awards nomination period! GVF seeks nominations to recognize its partners for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality. When we launched this program in 2010, we were excited to see 11 partners participate, which employee over 16,000 employees. This year we hope to exceed these numbers!




Take a moment to view the application by clicking here or visit http://www.gvftma.com/, to see how you qualify for either the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition level. Upon review of the application, partners will be recognized at GVF’s Fall Partner Breakfast, which will be held in September 2011.


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your applications!

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2011 Sustainable Awards

For the second year, GVF is seeking nominations to recognize its partners for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality. The program was launched in 2010, we were excited to see 11 partners participate, which, combined, employee over 16,000 employees. This year we hope to exceed these numbers!

To view the application, click here or visit http://www.gvftma.com/, to see if your company qualifies for either the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition level. Once the application has been completed, please e-mail the application, along with at least one picture of your workplace’s sustainability initiative, to Carissa Bobenchik by August 12th. Upon review of the application, partners will be recognized at GVF’s Fall Partner Breakfast, which will be held in September 2011.

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GSK moving Philadelphia operations to Navy Yard

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of GVF's partners, is relocating its Center City operations to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It will move about 1,300 downtown employees to the South Philadelphia site.


Liberty Property Trust, another one of GVF's partners, will construct a 205,000-square-foot “state-of-the art workplace of the future” for the pharmaceutical company, said John Gattuso, senior vice president and regional director at Liberty, a Malvern, Pa., real estate investment Trust. Robert A.M. Stern Architects will design the $81 million, four-story building, which will be built to meet a LEED platinum designation.

“The reason it is at the Navy Yard is the company wanted a very specific environment that had a main street and that’s not a configuration that could be adapted in a current building or built in Center City,” Gattuso said. “That is the driver of the selection of the Navy Yard.”

GSK said the building will have an open plan design, which is consistent with other GSK facilities designed to bring employees together to foster better communication and idea sharing. The building will have a fitness center, restaurant, retail services, and free parking for employees and visitors. To read the entire article from the Philadelphia Business Journal, click here.

GVF is pleased to see two of its partners working together on this sustainability initiative and look forward to seeing the outcome. Among many notable awards, Liberty Property Trust was recognized in 2010 with GVF's Sustainable Awards. Through GVF's Climate Change Task Force, GVF has offered a tour of Liberty Property's Tasykake Bakery, which was built with several features in order to target LEED-Silver certification.

Would you be interested in visiting the LEED platinum GSK building once it is open? Let us know by emailing info@gvftma.com or calling 610-354-8899, so we can see if a possible tour would be feasible.

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New Bar Being Set for Higher Ed Sustainability

GVF currently partners with Montgomery County Community College, St. Joseph's University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and provides our professional expertise by participating on MCCC's transportation committee, which was implemented when Dr. Stout signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Committment, and SJU's transportation committee, which was implemented after President Lannon created the Committee on Sustainability. It is exciting to be a part of these committees and assist MCCC and SJU to become more sustainable and setting benchmarks for future initiatives.

Below is an article from the Keystone Edge regarding Chatham University, located in Pittsburgh, which has taken on a decidedly green approach to education.

That has become evident in recent years with the establishment of its School of Sustainability and the Environment, the hiring of its first sustainability coordinator and the addition of an Environmental Biology track to its Master of Science in Biology program.

Chatham recently announced its latest and most ambitious sustainability initiative yet: the nation's first university campus to integrate sustainable development, living and learning.

Chatham's Master Plan to develop the Eden Hall Campus in nearby Richland Township calls for the School of Sustainability and the Environment - the second of its kind in the U.S. - to be housed there on a 388 acre site north of the school's Shadyside Campus.

The new campus will be able to handle 100 students, which is expected to increase to 1,500 in the next decade, and will include four districts:



Mueller Center Campus-Restoration and preservation of existing facilities, construction of academic and residentail facilities and landscape restoration, with long range plans for an EcoCenter, commons building, greenhouse, agricultural fields, amphitheater, sports complex, constructed wetlands and art studio.

Elsalma Center-Interaction with the public on northwest corner of campus through a conference center, teaching kitchen, classrooms/workshops, orchard, farm market, aquaponics and wellness center.

Stanford Hill- Includess academic and residential buildings set in forest, streams and meadows.

Elizabeth Meadows- Includes parking facilities, townhomes for faculty, students and staff and additional constructed wetlands.

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