Region’s Creative Commuting Programs Recognized
ST. PAUL – (Nov. 9) – Seven Twin Cities organizations and four individuals today received Commuter Choice awards at a ceremony in St. Paul for innovation in helping people get to work without adding to traffic congestion.
Metro Transit and the region’s Transportation Management Organizations (TMOs)
– Minneapolis Commuter Connection, 494 Commuter Services, St. Paul Smart Trips and Anoka County Commute Solutions – sponsored the 21st annual Commuter Choice Awards to recognize organizations, employers and individuals for their work to support or promote commuting options, including taking transit, bicycling, carpooling, vanpooling, walking and telecommuting.
The following awards were presented to these employers and organizations:
Northern Brewer of Roseville was named Organization and Community Champion. The employer was praised for its support of employees who commute to work by bicycle. The company sponsors Bike to Work events and events in local neighborhoods as well. This year, Northern Brewer employees volunteered at a bike safety rodeo, offering free bike safety and maintenance checks at the Hancock Recreation Center in St. Paul.
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Minneapolis, was recognized with the Sustained Commitment to Transportation Options award. To increase parking availability on its campus, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage started a new carpool program for employees, with incentives such as guaranteed parking and gift cards for participants. In a related effort, Wells Fargo started a shuttle service for employees who parked at an offsite location, which had an added bonus of reducing traffic. In addition, the company continued its support of bicycle commuting programs offered to its employees.
The Outstanding Relocation award was presented to U.S. Bank – Richfield. The organization prepared its employees for an office relocation from St. Paul to Richfield this year by hosting two transportation fairs that provided more than 400 employees with resources for their new commute. To encourage more employees to share the ride to work, U.S. Bank established preferred underground parking for employees who share the ride and promoted vanpooling and carpooling at commuter fairs.
The Sustained Commitment to Transportation Options award went to Cushman & Wakefield/NorthMarq Real Estate Services – Campbell Mithun Tower. The property management company partnered with Minneapolis Department of Health and Minneapolis Commuter Connection to provide amenities that encouraged tenants to try bicycle commuting. Efforts included doubling the number of bike racks available to commuters, providing information to cyclists on bike theft prevention, and adding showers and lockers.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College was recognized as Outstanding Educational Organization. The college subsidizes transit pass programs both for students (College Pass) and for employees (Metropass). In addition, it partnered with a student transportation advocacy club, resulting in the installation of a bicycle repair station on campus and increased bicycle use and awareness at the college.
The Sustained Commitment to Community Outreach award went to outdoor retailer REI. Among its accomplishments, REI provided free bicycle commuting classes at three local stores and sponsored an outreach program on bicycle commuting and safety. In addition, REI hosted Bike Walk to Work Day celebration events, which offered free bicycle safety checks and prizes for those who participated in the event. REI also worked with partner organizations on a Cyclefest event, with information and classes on bicycle commuting.
Nice Ride Minnesota won the Outstanding Transportation Demand Management Organization award for its efforts to bring a bicycle-sharing program to the Twin Cities. In 2011, the organization expanded to additional neighborhoods across the Twin Cities, including north and northeast Minneapolis and University of Minnesota (St. Paul campus), University of St. Thomas, Macalester College, Concordia College and Hamline University.
The following awards were presented to individuals:
The Workplace Champion award went to Kristen Ries, of Columns Resource Group. Ries was credited for getting the Metropass program at her employer and its subsidiaries running within two months. To support that effort, she helped arrange commuter fairs so employees would be more aware of their transportation options.
Kelly Burroughs, of Blaine, was named Creative Commuting Ambassador. He shows his commitment to commuting options every day with his commute to work: pedaling 5 miles to a park-and-ride lot, then an 18-mile bus ride to downtown St. Paul. He also promoted commuting options at his worksite, helped arrange a commuter fair and served as an ambassador to other employees interested in combining bicycle plus bus trips.
Jodie Zurn, who works for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Minneapolis, received the Change Agent award. She led an effort to get USDA employees converted from a cumbersome transit voucher system to the unlimited-ride Metropass program. She worked at various levels of her organization to make the change, resulting in considerable cost savings to her agency and making transit a more convenient choice for employees. Her efforts will be included in a White House report.
The Commuter Solutions Leader award was presented to Susan Humphrey, of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. She spearheaded an effort to promote alternate commute options to federal agency employees at the Whipple federal building at Ft. Snelling before they moved to a temporary location in Bloomington. Among her accomplishments, she helped plan several commuter fairs for federal employees, established a vanpool from western Wisconsin and championed ridesharing options at her worksite.
Metro Transit, a service of the Metropolitan Council, is the transportation resource for the Twin Cities, offering an integrated network of buses and trains as well as resources for those who carpool, vanpool, walk, bike or telework.
