[Archived] Alexandria Transit Company Named One of the “Ten Great Transit Systems to Work For”

For Immediate Release - 10/09/2008

(Alexandria, VA) Alexandria Transit Company (ATC) has been chosen by Metro Magazine as one of the top ten transit systems to work for in the United States. DASH, along with the nine other top ten systems have been showcased in the September-October 2008 issue of Metro Magazine, in an article titled, “Ten Great Transit Systems to Work For.”

This past summer, Metro Magazine launched an effort to identify ten of the top transit agency employers in the U.S. and Canada. A scoring system was created that weighed the results of a confidential employee survey and a 750-word statement prepared by the transit agency.

To be expected, the top 10 employers possessed some or all of these common attributes which were derived from the open-ended employee survey:

• An open-door policy among managers
• Relaxed, family atmosphere 
• Work-schedule flexibility
• Strong employee recognition practices
• Approachable senior executives
• Opportunities for advancement 
• Lack of micro-management
• Encouraging, supportive environment.

According to the article, “the ability of transit systems to attract, hire, and retain top candidates to their organization hinges on their willingness and desire to become employers of choice in their communities.” In the Washington area, where there is a significant amount of competition in transportation jobs, Alexandria Transit has worked hard to be that employer of choice. “DASH prides itself on providing the highest level of customer service possible to its riders and its employees. If we treat our employees with respect and appreciation, they are more likely to treat our external customers with that same respect and appreciation,” said General Manager Sandy Modell.