The Navy research and development facility located in New London, Connecticut was targeted for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in 1991. Employees could choose to keep their jobs, but they would have to go to work in Newport, Rhode Island. The actual relocations started in September of 1994. Most of the New London employees are gone now, with official closure slated for early spring. When the bulk of reassignments came on line in 1995, many employees had to face some very difficult decisions.
Some people didn t have their own cars, but didn t want to lose their jobs.
Others couldn t face the long commute, but didn t want to move their families. Cyr was on a committee to address the issues the move was causing for employees. Transportation was on the top of the list, so I called the state to ask them about carpools and vanpools. Cyr and her committee arranged for the use of an auditorium and invited Rideshare Company account manager Adrienne Hall to talk to whoever was interested in finding a different way to make the long commute. The first presentation was in October of 1995.