Library
- BRAC HR Transfer Plan
- DISA Ft. Monmouth BRAC HR Transfer Plan
- Base Operating Procedures
- DoD Joint Travel Regulations, Volume 2
- Relocation Newsletter
- Reutilization Website
- Ft. Meade Emergency Evacuation Plan
- DISA Memo: Local Travel Claims (Dec. 7, 2010)
- Oct. 2010 Town Hall Briefing
- Feb. 2010 Transfer of Function Town Hall Briefing
- DISA Memo: FY10 PCS Orders and Funding
- DISA Memo: Accrual of Annual Leave Pending the Transfer to Ft. Meade (April 5, 2010)
- DISA Memo: Change in Duty Station and PCS Entitlements (March 22, 2010)
- DISA Memo: Accrual of Annual Leave Pending the Transfer to Ft. Meade (Dec. 16, 2009)
- DISA Memo: PCS Expense Reimbursement for Civilian Employees (Apr. 24, 2009)
- DISA Memo: General Information on Transfer of Function (TOF) to Ft. Meade, Md. (Oct 29, 2008)
- DISA Memo: Relocation Allowances (July 7, 2008)
- DISA Memo: Leave Restoration for BRAC Affected Employees (Oct. 26, 2006)
- DISA Memo: PCS Entitlements Related To BRAC (July 26, 2006)
General | Parking | Mass Transit Subsidy | Subscription Buses | Vanpools
Commuting - General
If I commute from Virginia, will I be subject to Maryland State and Local Income tax?
ANSWER: No, the state of Maryland is not presently considering a commuter tax.
If I commute from Washington D.C., will I be subject to Maryland State and Local income tax?
ANSWER: No, the District of Columbia is not presently considering a commuter tax.
Will DISA offer transportation from locations in Virginia to Fort Meade?
ANSWER: DISA itself will not offer transportation from Virginia to Fort Meade. But DISA will be funding shuttles from the Greenbelt Metro Station and the Odenton MARC Station to make the commute easier on employees.
The MPS4 Transportation Team, recognizes that transportation and commuter issues affect a significant portion of employees and are continuously exploring options. With our BWI partnerships, MeadeRide will be providing and assisting employees with subscription bus and vanpool options.
Where can I find out more information about the three DISA-funded shuttles: from the Odenton MARC Station, the Greenbelt Metro Station, and the internal post shuttle?
ANSWER: See the shuttle bus page.
What do I do with my cell phone since it is not allowed in the building?
ANSWER: There will be small lockers available for mass transit commuters to store prohibited items daily. The lockers are small and are about 4 inches tall//wide by 6 inches deep. They can hold cell phones, but not laptops or electronic readers (such as a Kindle).
If you drive or vanpool to work, you should leave your cell phone and personal items locked in the car.
What is Guaranteed Ride Home? And how do I sign-up?
ANSWER: See the Guaranteed Ride Home page.
Is DISA working with other local agencies in the Fort Meade area to offer shared commuting options?
ANSWER: Yes. MeadeRide has begun a dialogue with the Defense Media Activity and colocated Defense Adjudication Activities — which will be relocating to Fort Meade shortly after DISA. MeadeRide is also hosting sessions with the National Security Agency — a current tenant of Fort Meade whose employees are also interested in commuting options.
I would like to utilize telework when we move to Fort Meade. How do I start?
ANSWER: If you are interested in telework or would like to increase the frequency of days you telework, speak with your supervisor. Be sure to consider how you will manage your responsibilities and job duties while not physically in the office.
To start telworking or to update your telework application, go to https://cmis.disa.mil/telework/.
Parking
How much does parking cost?
ANSWER: Parking at the new DISA facilities at Fort Meade is available at no cost.
How many designated parking spaces are there for vanpools/carpools?
ANSWER: The BRAC plan calls for 150 marked spaces located in areas preferential to standard parking spaces. Carpools require a ridership of 3 or more to qualify for the designated parking spaces.
Will there be parking spots for low emission vehicles?
ANSWER: Yes.The BRAC plan calls for 150 marked spaces located in areas preferential to standard parking spaces.
Do I need to register for vanpool/carpool or low emission vehicle parking space?
ANSWER: Yes. You will need to register through the Travel Office. You will be provided with a hang tag for your vehicle. Procedures for how to register a vanpool/carpool or low emission vehicle will be available later.
Will there be bike racks available and how many will there be?
ANSWER: Yes.There will be a total of 30 bike racks at the new DISA facilities on Fort Meade. Each bike rack holds 9 bikes and there will be 24 racks along the sidewalk on the south side of the parking structure and 6 along the sidewalk in the front of the lab building. In total, there are accommodations for up to 270 bicycles.
Mass Transit Subsidy
Is Fort Meade eligible for the Mass Transit Subsidy?
ANSWER: Employees reporting to Fort Meade will be eligible to receive a subsidy from the Mass Transit Benefits Program. However, benefits will no longer be processed by Washington Headquarters Service (WHS) — the organization who currently manages the distribution of benefits to our employees in the National Capital Region. If you apply for benefits through WHS, you will be denied. Instead, the DISA Travel Team will be administering the distribution of benefits for DISA employees through their online system: https://cmis.disa.mil/travel/mass.
Additional information can be found on the Mass Transit Subsidy page or contact TravelTeam@disa.mil.
How do I sign up for the Mass Transit Subsidy?
ANSWER: Depending on your mode of transportation, the process for the mass transit subsidy will vary. See the Mass Transit Subsidy page for details. However, as a first step, you must submit a Mass Transit Benefits Program application at least 30 days prior to use.
How much is the Mass Transit Subsidy?
ANSWER: Participants in the program are eligible to receive up to $230 a month.
What qualifies me to participate in the Mass Transit Subsidy program?
ANSWER: See chart (link to page; the chart with all the modes of transportation and if it qualifies for mass trans and guaranteed ride home).
Subscription Bus
What will the earliest pickup time be on the subscription buses?
ANSWER: Each route has a diffferent pickup time.
Is there a reduced price if you plan on not riding the bus every day? For example, if we telework two days per week?
ANSWER: Employees must commit to either a monthly rate, or they may buy 10 passes (to be used within the same month).
Can you partner up with someone who needs the bus on days that you do not?
ANSWER: Yes, you can be creative with the bus passes.
If I commit for a month but I don’t like it can I back out the next month?
ANSWER: Yes, you can as it is a monthly commitment.
I am interested in a route that is not currently being offered. Is there a possibility that a stop on my route will be set up in the future?
ANSWER: Yes, but it depends on employee demand. If there are a small number of employees in your area interested in ride-sharing, vanpools are recommended. But if your area reaches a level where more than 15 people are interested, a bus route can begin to be planned as subscription buses can be a small as 30 passenger buses. To indicate your interest in a route, be sure to fill out this survey.
Why do you have to indicate the days you plan to ride the bus on the registration form?
ANSWER: Simply for planning purposes and to gain an understanding of what ridership on any given day would look like.
Can you switch between routes, meaning I would take a certain bus to work and take a certain bus home?
ANSWER: Yes, but technically you are subscribed to a certain bus, so you can only take another bus if there is space available on that bus.
How long will it take to get to Fort Meade?
ANSWER: It depends on what route you are on. For example, it is estimated that it will take an hour from Springfield and about 20 - 40 minutes longer than that from VA-630 and VA-234.
How long will it take to get into the gate at Fort Meade on the buses?
ANSWER: Fort Meade is planning for special lanes to get employees commuting via bus and vanpool onto the installation quickly. It also helps that these buses are only for DoD badged employees and contractors.
How do I complete a registration form?
ANSWER: The subscription bus registration form is available online at MeadeRide. For planning purposes, you should turn in your form as soon as possible.
What do I do with my cell phone?
ANSWER: Cell phones are not allowed on premise. There will be small lockers available for subscription bus riders to store small items daily. The lockers are small and are about 4 inches tall//wide by 6 inches deep. They can hold cell phones, but not laptops or electronic readers (such as a Kindle).
Vanpools
How do I join or start a vanpool?
ANSWER: Refer to the Vanpool section for instructions on how to sign-up.
How much does the vanpool cost?
ANSWER: The cost of the vanpool depends on your route and the size of your pool. But many riders spend anywhere from $30-$40 to $60 per month in out-of-pocket expenses not covered by the federal transit subsidy.
Also refer to the basic cost estimates for vanpools.
Who pays for gas?
ANSWER: Most vanpool groups use a gas station fuel card (Shell, Texaco, etc.) to record all gas transactions and then divide the cost amongst the riders at the end of the month. You can also prepay for gas through the vanpool provider.
Is there a reduced price if you plan on not riding the vanpool every day? For example, if we telework two days per week?
ANSWER: No. You have to make a financial commitment for the entire month. As a result there’s no discount for telework.
How are the drivers covered by insurance offered through the vanpool?
ANSWER: Having three to four drivers covered is strongly encouraged. Drivers do have to go through a screening process to make sure that they have good driving records, but there is no cost to the driver. You can actually get everyone insured and qualified to drive if that is what your vanpool group chooses.
As a driver am I allowed to use the van for personal use?
ANSWER: Yes, with limits depending on the company that you decided to contract your vanpool with. Enterprise allows 200 miles of personal allowance mileage per month. Whereas VPSI requires that 80 percent of van use is for driving to and from work.
Where do I park the van? Should I park it at my house?
ANSWER: It is recommended that you find a mutually agreeable location and park the van there. In case of inclement weather or other emergencies, it’s best to have the van in a place where more than one person can access it.
If there is a preferred parking place such as a church or other community place and the location has concerns, the vanpool company is more than happy to work with the location to ensure that they understand that they have no liability in case of theft, vandalism or any other issues.
What if I want to park in my neighborhood but my homeowners association does not allow commercial vehicles?
ANSWER: This is not a problem. The company can have decals removed to ensure it meets with the homeowners association requirements.
How long will it take to get into the gate at Fort Meade in a vanpool?
ANSWER: Fort Meade is planning for special lanes to get employees commuting via bus and vanpool onto the installation quickly.
Who are vanpool providers?
ANSWER: A vanpool provider is a third-party vendor that operates a vanpool business. MeadeRide works with Enterprise and VPSI to meet our agency vanpool needs.
- Enterprise
410-412-4685
DISA@vanpool.com
www.vanpool.com - VPSI
1-800-VAN-RIDE
www.vanride.com
What do I do with my cell phone?
ANSWER: Cell phones are not allowed on premise. Car/vanpoolers should plan on leaving these types of devices at their homes or locked up in the vehicle.