WRAP's 2016 Holiday SoberRide Campaign

WRAP’s SoberRide program is one of the nation’s most successful free cab rides programs for would-be impaired drivers. However, prevention is essential for keeping our highways safe during high-risk holidays. If your organization needs an alcohol awareness presentation, WRAP’s Safe And Vital Employees (SAVE) program is available free of cost to you. This 45-minute, customized presentation will inform employees and/or military personnel about the physical, economic and legal consequences of impaired driving. For a copy of our Corporate Guide, go to: http://wrap.org/pdfs/2016CorporateGuide.pdf.

AMPBID will be distributing cards and posters to businesses in the neighborhood early next week.

DDOT Announces Call for Nominations for Inaugural goDCgo Ambassador Awards

(Washington, DC) – The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) today announced that nominations are open for the 2017 goDCgo Ambassador Awards. This new program is designed to recognize District of Columbia organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to implementing commuter benefits and sustainable transportation programs for their employees.

“The goDCgo Ambassador Awards program is an opportunity to salute businesses in the District who are going above and beyond to assist employees’ in their commute, said Leif Dormsjo, DDOT Director. "Reducing single-occupancy vehicle use is key to helping us achieve the vision to make the District, in one generation, the healthiest, greenest and most livable city in the United States.”

There are five nomination categories: DC Commuter Benefits Law All Star, Bike-Friendly Workplace, Carpool/Vanpool Award, Telework/Flex/Alternative Schedule Award and Most Innovative Commuter Benefits Program.

All nominations must be received by Friday, February 3, 2017. Winners will be selected by a committee of transportation industry thought leaders and announced in March 2017.

To nominate a business or for more information on the goDCgo Ambassador Awards, please visit info.goDCgo.com/AmbassadorAwards.

Deadline to register for Inaugural Week is Jan. 9, 2017

The Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) is informing licensees that eligible restaurants, taverns, nightclubs, hotels and multipurpose facilities can register with ABRA to participate in extended hours during Inaugural Week.

Under the law, eligible on-premises establishments can apply to ABRA to sell and serve alcoholic beverages until 4 a.m. and operate 24 hours a day during Inaugural Week (§ 25-723), which is from Jan. 14-22, 2017 and includes two weekends.

In order to participate in Inaugural Week, a licensee must submit a registration form to ABRA along with a public safety plan by Monday, Jan. 9, 2017. The daily fee to register is as follows and is based on license class:

• $250 for a nightclub with a class C license (CN);
• $100 for a restaurant with a class C license (CR);
• $100 for a tavern with a class C license (CT); and
• $50 for all other on-premises license classes.

It is important to note that on-premises retailer licensees are only eligible to participate in the Inaugural Week extension of hours if the licensee does not have a settlement agreement that restricts closing hours.

In addition, a licensee would only be eligible to operate 24 hours a day as well as sell and serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, occurring on Jan. 16, 2017, if the licensee is also registered to extend hours on Jan. 16, 2017 as part of Inaugural Week. The holiday is not included in the Extended Holiday Hours program.

Once a licensee is registered for Inaugural Week, ABRA will provide the licensee with an inaugural license, which must be posted in a visible location at the establishment for the nine-day period.

Under the law, an establishment's permitted hours of entertainment cannot be extended under an inaugural license. As a result, an establishment would need to obtain approval for a separate one-day substantial change application in order to extend entertainment hours. In addition, the law does not alter the two-hour kitchen requirement for restaurants. As such, restaurants serving alcoholic beverages until 4 a.m. will be required to serve food until 2 a.m.

Any licensee that does not want to participate in the extension of hours during Inaugural Week is not required to do so. Licensees that have questions regarding the registration process can contact ABRA’s Licensing Division by emailing or calling (202) 442-4423.

Complete Inaugural Week details are available on ABRA's website .

Get There on Time: Transportation Options During the Holidays

The holidays are a time of increased hustle and bustle as families visit the DC metro area to reunite with loved ones. Make it easy for them to spend time together by sharing the following holiday service schedules:

Capital Bikeshare: Open every day throughout the holiday season 24/7.

DC Circulator: Operates on a winter hours schedule, with buses every 10 minutes. Service is unavailable on Christmas Day.

Metrobus: Operates on Sunday Service Schedules on Christmas Day.

Metrorail: Operates on Sunday Service Schedules on Christmas Day.

If you or your guests need help navigating the city, challenge us with your or their commute. Send us the specifics of your trip and we'll tell you the best way(s) to get from A to B.

Coming Soon - New Online Appointment Scheduling System from DCRA

On Friday, December 9th, DCRA is launching an online appointment scheduling system. They are continuously striving to service our customers in the most efficient and expeditious manner possible; making processes simpler and keeping the District safer. The online appointment scheduling option will provide you with the ability to make and monitor a reservation from your computer, tablet, or smart phone before visiting DCRA – reducing unnecessary wait times.

As a friendly reminder, many agency services are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week on the DCRA website . Those include the DC Business Portal , the Property Information Verification System , and ProjectDox .

#SafeandSimpleDC