February 2020 CTR Newsletter

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

Commute Trip Reduction Newsletter

February 2020


McCrorie_Q4Winner

Smart Commuter Awardee Sheds Stress with Vanpool

    Rob McCrorie knows a thing or two about commuting, and not just commuting, commuting through one of our region's toughest highway corridors: I-5 between Lynnwood and Marysville five days each week.

    With more than 10 years of Vanpooling experience under his belt, Rob McCrorie was chosen as the Smart Commuter for the last quarter in 2019.

    "For over 10 years I've been choosing to carpool and vanpool to work," McCrorie, an IT Applications manager, said. "I see this as a health benefit, sharing driving and having a good group to ride with reduces my stress."

    He added that he aims to be part of the solution for traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions solution. Commuting 56 miles round trip, five days each week 

    "Choosing to smart commute is one way that I'm able to make a positive difference in my community," he said. "As part of a vanpool, we take at least five cars off the road each day, savings not only harmful greenhouse gas emissions, but also helping to reduce congestion in our community."

    McCrorie said he enjoys reducing the maintenance on his personal vehicle, and the overall savings thanks to vanpooling a total of 280 miles each week.Congrats, Rob!


Our CTR Team is Prepped and Ready for 2020 

    For those ETCs who have been with us the past several years, you’ve seen our CTR team make changes to better serve you. Wanting to provide you with more resources and support for your programs, our team and excitement continues to grow.

    Last month, we introduced our newest team member, Sherry, and now that she’s hit the lanes running, our program alignment has become more defined. Ross and Sherry have split worksites with the intention of providing focused support to our ETCs. In the coming weeks, you will be updated as to who your Community Transit representative is.

    This year is going to be exciting for us,” Chris Paxton, Marketing Logistics Supervisor, said. “It’s going to be a big year to dive deep into new ways to engage with our CTR community, and into ways to better connect and communicate. We also want to provide solutions to any barriers you may have with your individual programs.”

    As the gears roll us into March, we are working on ways to engage with you more. We are always open to hearing ideas about ways to support you better so don’t hesitate to reach out to us.


Of Interest to You and Your Employees

Blue Line Survey

We Need Feedback on the Swift Blue Line Extension
to Shoreline

    Community Transit is looking at options to upgrade its Swift Blue Line bus rapid transit service and extend the route to connect with Sound Transit’s Link light rail in Shoreline. The agency is asking for public input on three routing options for the extension into Shoreline, as well as other improvements to Snohomish County’s most popular bus route.

    In 2024, the new Lynnwood Link extension will include a station in Shoreline at 185th St. and I-5, less than two miles from the Swift Blue Line’s current southern terminal at Aurora Village Transit Center. 

    Community Transit is considering three options to extend Swift Blue Line to connect to the 185th St. light rail station in 2024:

Community Transit is considering three options to extend Swift Blue Line to connect to the 185th St. light rail station in 2024:

  1. Via Highway 99 southbound, then eastbound on 185th St.
  2. Via 200th St. eastbound, Meridian Ave. southbound, then 185th St. eastbound.
  3. Via Highway 99 southbound, 175th St. eastbound, then 5th Ave. NE northbound.

    By connecting Swift Blue Line directly to light rail, Community Transit hopes to minimize the number of transfers that riders need to efficiently move around the region.

Swift Blue Line Expansion 2024 Survey

Members of the public are invited to provide feedback on the potential Swift Blue Line route extension through Feb. 27 by visiting www.communitytransit.org/swiftblue2024. Responses will help Community Transit determine the direction of the Swift Blue Line Expansion project to ensure it meets the needs of the communities it serves.


Numbers of Telecommuters Growing Steadily in
Central Puget Sound

Credit: Puget Sound Regional Council

     In 2018 there were nearly 150,000 workers telecommuting in the central Puget Sound region, an increase of over 50 percent from 2010. Looking at all modes between 2010 and 2018, the percentage of commuters driving alone continues to decrease while the share of commuters taking transit continues to grow. Walking, biking, and other modes increased slightly during this time while shared rides remained steady.

    Although the number of teleworkers in King County outweigh the numbers in Snohomish County, Snohomish and Pierce counties saw the largest increase in the numbers of teleworkers overall in the same time period. Nice job, SnoCo employers!

central puget telecommute data

Upcoming Trainings & Events

There are plenty of opportunities to gain added CTR knowledge and advanced training credits over the next month. You can also watch a recorded training when it's convenient for you. The webinars are posted to our ETC Resources page under CTR Recorded Trainings. To receive advanced training credits for watching recordings, please complete an ETC Webinar Survey once you have reviewed the webinar.

ETC Networking Meeting 
Community Transit Kasch Park Offices, 2300 Kasch Park Rd., Bldg. A
Feb. 20, 2:30-4 p.m.

Come hear Premera Blue Cross talk about their transportation program, get a physical copy of the new ETC Program Guide and discuss the upcoming CTR Survey. More info and RSVP with this link. (Advanced Training Hours: 2)

"New" ETC Program Guide Training Webinar, Feb. 18, 1-2 p.m.
Our CTR team completed the refresh of our ETC Program Guide at the end of last year and is eager to share it with you. We will be delivering physical copies of the manual to you over the next few weeks if you're unable to make it to our ETC Networking meeting, so in preparation Alex Mehn will lead a webinar to help you navigate the manual sections.(Advanced Training Hours: 1)

2020 CTR Survey Webinar, Feb. 25, 10-11 a.m.
In preparation for the bi-annual CTR Survey mandated by Washington State, Ross Peizer will walk you through the CTR Survey Guide to take some of the mystery out of the process. RSVP to CTR@commtrans.org. (Advanced Training Hours: 1)

An Additional Training Opportunity:

Strategies for Making Everyday Bike to Work Day
Hosted by Bikes Make Life Better
Feb. 27, 9-9:30 a.m.

It’s barely 2020 and our minds have already turned to May. The reason? Bike to Work Day of course! We know that day will sneak up on us, so we’re starting to plan now! Join this Bikes Make Life Better hosted webinar. RSVP here. (Advanced Training Hours: 1)

Let us know if you attend and get Advanced Training credit by filling out the Webinar Survey.


Services Offered to You

grh card

Guaranteed Ride Home

It's not everyday you or your employees need a ride home through the Guaranteed Ride Home program, but when you do there's nothing like the immediacy of the moment to create confusion and unwanted stress. 

The Guaranteed Ride Home is a great incentive to overcoming barriers for employees who feel they lose personal freedom by using transportation options to get to work. Reducing your barriers to helping them is our job.

The program is specific to commuters who carpool, vanpool, ride transit, walk or bicycle to work and need a ride home due to shortage of work or illness, or for those whose rideshare schedule changes unexpectedly due to conditions outside their control. Community Transit has partnered with two cab companies that provide one-way trips in these cases.

You can find the Guaranteed Ride Home Voucher, which includes program guidelines, as well as the numbers for the contracted cab companies on our ETC Resources page under CTR Worksite Program materials. 


Commute Trip Reduction Contact Info

CTR@commtrans.org