Commute Trip
Reduction News May 2020

Forging a new Bike Month trail in 2020

May is normally National Bike Month, a month to not only take a moment to reintroduce yourself to your bicycle, but for some, a way to try out a fun and healthy transportation option. Normally, we spend April planning our Bike to Work Day and collaborate on celebrating the power of the pedal.

This year is anything but normal, but we haven't given up on celebrating. With the temps getting warmer and days getting longer, now is a great time to say "Hi" to your old two-wheeled friend, contemplate buying your first steel chariot or become that mentor to others seeking a new-normal way to get to work. 

We assembled a Reimagining Bike Month 2020 Guide packed with new dates for Bike to Work Month, Bike Everywhere Month, Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day. Between May and September, you'll have plenty of opportunities to encourage your employees to find that new path into work, or to simply get out and enjoy the neighborhood trails. Stay healthy!

The Bike Month 2020 Guide

We need your survey input How is COVID-19 affecting your travel choices? Community Transit wants to learn about your use and your employees' use of public transportation and how it may have been affected by the COVID-19 situation so we can best meet your public transportation needs and partner with you to help prevent the spread of illness. You can find the brief, anonymous survey here. The deadline for participation is Friday, May 29, 2020. Participants could win a choice of one of five $100 gift cards.

Training & Events

May 29: CommuteCon Recap, 10:30-11:30 a.m. (1 hour advanced training credit) – Did you miss CommuteCon? Not to worry. Ross will recap this conference from April and highlight relevant sessions from thought leaders discussing behavior change, data, transportation innovations, telework and more. RSVP to Ross.

Stay tuned for a training email the beginning of June with more June webinar and training opportunities.

Carpooling is a Mother-Daughter Team Effort

The CTR Team is happy to announce that Pauline Smith of Sedro-Woolley won our Smart Commuter of the Quarter for carpooling 48 days during the January-March period. Pauline works with National Credit Services as a debt collector and has been commuting with her daughter, who also works with NCS for almost one year. She said one of the best things about commuting with her daughter is being able to talk about the day before getting home. Pauline’s reward is a $250 Shell gas card. A quick reminder to ETCs is that in addition to the more traditional transportation options, Smart Commuter Rewards through Rideshare Online include telework and compressed work weeks, so please encourage employees to log their telework days. Winners are chosen randomly from a group of eligible employees who have chosen to use a mode other than driving alone to commute to work at least 48 days in each calendar quarter. For more Smart Commuter Rewards information, visit https://www.communitytransit.org/programs/commutetripreduction.

Ordering Transportation Materials is Easy

As some of you welcome employees back to your worksites, now is the time to look over your transportation display boards, as well as your supplies of brochures and maps.

There is a convenient Transportation Materials & Display Order Form on the ETC Resources page. A quick link to the form is here.

The Peer Advisory Board Gets in the Groove

Elections for the Peer Advisory Board closed last month and the Board hit the ground running with its first official meeting of the year last week. Not only was it the first meeting of the year, it was the first virtual PAB meeting in the group’s history.

Topics discussed were upcoming ETC training content and format, as well as how the CTR group can better serve the ETC community as restrictions are lifted and employees return to work.

The board also appointed Kevin Kullberg from Premera Blue Cross as Chair and Anita Marrero from the City of Monroe as Vice Chair. Other board members include Cindi Gyselinck from AT&T, Brian Bellin from Boeing, Tim Rowe from T-Mobile, Dani Sissons from UW Bothell/Cascadia College and Garrett Jensen from the City of Mukilteo.

In the Spotlight Welcome our area's newest ETC Kaycee Barber joined the Skagit Regional Health team as their newest HR Business Partner supporting department service lines across the organization. As part of that role, she will be serving as the ETC for Cascade Valley Hospital which is an opportunity she said she is really looking forward to diving in to. Kaycee grew up in Skagit County and recently moved back with her husband and 2-year-old daughter. She enjoys being outdoors, especially when spending time with friends and family.