TDM Awards - great ideas
SEPTEMBER 18th, 2008 Contact:
Jon Martz – President, ACT 248-597-3500
Cynthia Keillor – Executive Director, ACT 202-712-9050
The Association of Commuter Transportation (ACT)
Announces Industry Award Winners for 2008
Washington, DC — With record high gas prices and the growing pressures of climate change on commuters and employers the need for creative and effective strategies to increase the use of public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking and walking has never been more important.
The Association for Commuter Transportation is proud to announce its 2008 Award Winners for excellence and achievement in reducing traffic congestion, conserving energy, and improving air quality. While their success is singular, their benefits affect us all.
The Association for Commuter Transportation is North America’s most respected association for professionals who specialize in commute options and solutions as well as organizations, business and individuals interested in creating a more workable transportation system. Together with employers and government agencies, ACT works to create programs, services and products that help reduce traffic congestion, increase mobility, and improve air quality.
The annual international conference brings together more than 500 attendees each year to provide continued learning sessions, networking opportunities and the chance to showcase ‘best practices’ in the areas of commuter transportation. This year’s International Conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia, August 30 – September 2. The following ACT members were recognized:
ACT Leadership Award Winner
Ericka Vandenbrande, City of Redmond (Redmond, WA)
• Leader in TDM for over 8 years
• Created extraordinary programs like Go Green, Get Green and the new Commute Management System for www.GoRTrip.com
• Positively affects developers and properties owners with purposefully and useful TDM strategies
UCLA Sustainability Fair, UCLA Transportation (Los Angeles, CA) received a Creative Excellence Award Under (<$8,000)
• Over 1,000 event attendees
• Reduced drive-alone trips 14%
• Eliminated over 1.8 million vehicular trips
• Included over 30 group vendors
• Integrated a speaker session with top officials in UCLA transportation
IT Consultation Services for Telework Programs, Denver Regional Council of Governments (Denver, CO) received a Creative Excellence Award ($8,000 - $20,000)
• Identified a need for IT consulting for companies interested in telework programs
• Launched a media campaign to spread the word about the service
• Met with over 20 companies to help ‘jump start’ telework program
Team Ridefinders (Richmond, VA) received a Creative Excellence Award (> than $20,000)
• Led a marketing campaign to bolster communication about services to new and existing partners
• Registered 687 new partners in five months
• Increased website visitors by over 13%
The Culture Committee at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa (Asheville, NC) received an Employee Transportation Coordinator Champion (ETC) Award
• Joined City of Asheville’s PASSport program providing free bus rides for employees
• Became a Best Workplaces for Commuters company
• Helped Asheville increase overall transit ridership with its commitment to transit
• Allows bicycle commuting and provides showers and changing areas
• Is exploring a carpool preferential parking program and hopes to expand its TDM programs in the future
The Connector, Microsoft Corporation (Seattle, WA) received the Outstanding Service Award
• Launched the ‘Connector’ express bus for employees that lived in areas not accessible to transit
• More than 60% of its ridership came from employees that used to drive alone
• The Connector has provided over 210,000 trips to over 7,000 employees
• Saved nearly 100,000 vehicle trips, 1.4 million miles from being driven, and 1.8 million pounds of CO2 from being generated on the Redmond campus for six months
Meadowlink (Rutherford, NJ) received the Outstanding Transportation Management Association (TMA) Award
• Providing transportation solutions for over 25 years
• Serves over 7,000 daily commuters including 5,550 carpoolers, 1,000 shuttle riders and 700 vanpoolers
• Added 1,000 carpools and increase shuttle ridership over 38% this year
Vanpool +One, UCLA Vanpool received the Renovation Award
• Saw a need to fill seats, even in full capacity vans, when riders are sick, work late, have other obligations, etc
• Created +One where the rider uses a backup form of transportation if the van is full
• Creates benefit for riders as well as efficiency for the UCLA vanpool program
• Helped increased revenue over $15,000 annually
Perry Frenzel, Meadowlink (Rutherford, NJ) received the TMA Board Member Leadership Award
• Served on board for over 15 years, chairmen over 10 years
• Offered leadership that grew Meadowlink to 100 employees and revenues of more than $5 million
• Cultivated a shuttle system that 4 years, expanded to 25 vehicles, 40 drivers, and more than 1,000 daily riders
• Expanded the EZ Ride brand that weaved the TDM services provided by Meadowlink, Trans Ware and CarShare under one umbrella
Delaware Beach Free Bike Program, Transportation Management Association of Delaware (Wilmington, DE) received the TMA Service Award
• Provides safe, inexpensive and reliable transportation for international students seeking employment at resorts
• Over 150 bikes were refurbished and offered to students
• Reduced bike crashes by 1/3 with accompanying bicycle education courses
• Reduced congestion in the seaside area
‘”We’re very proud of the accomplishments of these members. These awards recognize extraordinary efforts conducted in a time of high demand for our member’s services. The last two summers of high gasoline prices have increased the demand for, and priority given, to these efforts in each of their communities. I hope you will join me in applauding their efforts.” said Jon Martz, ACT President.
For information about the Association of Commuter Transportation (ACT) visit www.actweb.org or for information regarding the above activities reported by the ACT membership, please contact ACT Executive Director, Cynthia Keillor at 202-712-9050.
