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Microsoft
Bicycle |
Elaine has been an avid year-round bicycle commuter for most of the five years she has worked for the Company. With the construction detour over 520, Elaine altered part of her route—to a “really fun way with a very steep hill.” “That’s the best part of the ride,” she says, “I really get a cardio workout, and then I get on a nice bike trail from there.”
Commuting by bike gives her the opportunity to get her exercise in and not take time away from those important people in her life—like her husband and children.
“What I love about biking is I can see what’s going on around me, see wildlife and really take it all in,” she relates enthusiastically. “I like the social part too. I see and talk with people I would not have been able to if I were driving. I like doing what’s good for the environment and biking does not contribute to the problem.”
Elaine helps others who are interested in biking to work. “I think biking is a way to make people feel they are stronger than they think they are. You realize you could do this everyday and feel like a more accomplished person.”
Elaine’s enthusiasm for healthy commuting is why she is a 2010 Commute Champion!
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Constellation
HomeBuilder Systems
Bus and Bicycle |
Brad Brickman of Constellation Homebuilders commutes to and from
work by bus and bicycle, and has for the two years he has worked for the
company.
Brad and his bicycle take the 545 bus across the 520 bridge, get off and
then make the 2-mile bicycle ride to his office. Since the bike portion of his
trip is short, he wears his street clothes and carries rain gear when needed.
How does he manage in winter? “It’s amazing,” he says, “but when you
have the right attire, establish your routine, and start moving along on your
bike, you don’t really feel the cold.”
Brad says Fridays are the highlight of his week. This is when he rides his
bike the entire 18-20 mile trip to and from work.
Brad feels lucky to be able to commute this way and wishes more people
would take the option.
Brad’s commuting choices benefit himself and his community and make
him an ideal Commute Champion.back to top |
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City of Redmond
Bicycle |
Mike bicycles to work year round. He is an avid bike racer and uses his 15- mile one way commute for training.
“The rides to and from work is when I do my most creative thinking of the day. It also keeps the weight off and a smile on.
“I enjoy the sights and sounds of the commute, like a salmon jumping in the slough. I can commute by bike for an hour and when I get off it I am smiling. The weather doesn’t matter. It can be the ugliest storm of the year and when I get home I’m still glad I rode. I look over from the trail at the backed up traffic and I’m just cruising along. The days I do drive I can just feel my blood boil.”
Mike says his gas fuel bills are low. The money saved on gas he spends on food to fuel his body. His favorite carbs are cookies and pretzels.
For people who want to try bicycling, Mike offers some advice, ”Make an initial investment of some good clothes that are comfortable for biking. Make sure your hands and toes stay warm. Start out slow. Put your bike on a rack on your car or in your trunk. Leave your car at a Park and Ride and then bike in 15 to 20 minutes. Build up the distance as you get more comfortable with it.”
Mike is a real advocate for healthy commuting, and that’s why he is a 2010 Commute Champion!back to top |
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Honeywell
Bus |
Debbie has worked at Honeywell for 25 years. Since more than a year ago,
Debbie has been a bus rider. She takes three buses to work each morning and
two home at night.
Although her commute is over 2 hours long (about the same time it took to
drive it), she finds that riding the bus leaves her stress free. She relaxes and
sometimes even sleeps. When awake, she likes just watching the scenery fly by
and she gets ideas for landscaping her yard from the homes she sees along the
way.
Debbie began riding the bus as a matter of economics--to save money. Not
only does she save on driving, but she takes advantage of the many monetary
incentives available to her.
Debbie advises others to “go for it. Learn the routes,” she says. And she
advises to never run for a bus.
Debbie’s colleague says, “Debbie has inspired me to increase the days I take
the bus.”
Debbie is an inspiring Commute Champion!back to top |
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Astronics AES
Vanpool |
Daniela has carpooled or vanpooled for all of the two years she has worked for Astronics. Initially a carpooler, word of mouth got her and others into a vanpool.
A colleague says, “Daniela has been innovative and resourceful in going after new riders and keeping the van going -- by sheer force of will.” Daniela says of her vanpool, “They are a fun and energetic group. We laugh and have off-the-wall conversations.”
She goes on to say, “It’s not just the savings on gas. It’s the wear and tear on your car that needs to be considered. I estimate my car has 30,000 fewer miles on it than it would if I were not using a commute alternative.”
Daniela happily shares information with co-workers on how to join or start a vanpool.
Daniela’s enthusiasm for all forms of commute alternatives along with her own personal dedication to vanpooling make her a great Commute Champion!back to top |
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VMC Consulting
Bus and Walk |
Ninyana has been taking the bus or walking to her job in Procurement and Asset Management at VMC in the Quadrant Willows Corporate Center for the last two years.
Ninyana feels that the bus assures her of a consistent commute time, as opposed to the delays she would have if driving.
Working with Facilities, Ninyana helped to create an intranet web site where employees could easily find information on buses, vanpools, and carpools--as well as promotional incentives. “It doesn’t have to be a large program to be effective,” says Ninyana. “It only takes me about a half hour a month.”
Obviously, Ninyana deserves accolades for her personal efforts to promote alternative commuting at her company. “Using an alternative commute mode helps the environment. eases parking, and reduces stress because there are fewer cars on on the road,” she reminds us.
Ninyana’s personal encouragement to others makes her a Commute Champion!back to top |
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Microsoft
Vanpool |
J.D. has worked at Microsoft for 12 years and started driving his vanpool 11 years ago from the Ravenna area--16.5 miles from the Microsoft campus. J.D. says the relationships formed with vanpool members are some of the strongest he has formed in the workplace, even though vanpool members change over time.
His van is “eccentric and animated,” says J.D. We enjoy challenging each other. It’s important to find people who enjoy spending an hour or more in a confined space together.”
Although J.D. has been able to eliminate his second car because of his commute by vanpool, he says the most surprising thing has been the benefit to his job. “It’s allowed me the opportunity to have conversations with others throughout the company that I would not otherwise have had.”
J.D.’s ability to keep people motivated to vanpool with him for so many years is a reason to name him a Commute Champion for 2010.
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Microsoft
Bus |
Eli doesn’t own a car and takes the bus every day from the University District to his job about 12 miles away. Eli uses his commute time to catch up on his reading and his language study--which he says he is pretty much doing entirely during his commute.
Safety for pedestrians and bicyclists has been a concern of Eli’s. In fact, Eli organized an advocacy group; he surveyed individuals about their experiences walking between the Overlake Transit Center and the North Campus of Microsoft. With data in hand, he met with the City of Redmond to determine the problem areas and find solutions. A number of things were done to improve the situation due to Eli’s efforts.
Eli’s dedication for, passionate commitment to, and involvement in developing safe and efficient infrastructure to support alternative commuting is one of the reasons he has been named a Commute Champion!back to top |
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Alcatel-Lucent
Bicycle |
Per has ridden his bicycle to work for the last three years. Per started biking to work after he had a kidney transplant. “I know what it’s like to feel much older than your real age and don’t want to feel that way again.” Per started commuting by bike to get and stay healthy, and now he feels good.
When he first started bicycling to work every other day, it was a challenging 40-mile round trip. By moving closer to work, he has cut his commute in half and now commutes by bike every day. It takes him about 40 minutes one way.
Per says “Riding a bike is not my favorite thing to do but I like what it does to me. I like having my workout done and I feel as if I have accomplished something.”
One colleague said “He’s inspired others to ride in—one being me. Rain or shine, hot or cold, Per is riding in.”
Per is a real inspiration to others and that’s what makes him a 2010 Commute Champion.back to top |
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Microsoft
Bus and Bicycle |
Ben lives in downtown Seattle and takes the bus. He has used a commute alternative--either bicycling or bus--since coming to work at Microsoft.
“I figured out how much I would be spending on a car and decided to use that money instead for a long vacation once a year, “ says Ben. “I just got back from Washington D.C., a week in Stockholm, and two weeks in Japan with a few stopovers along the way.”
Ben has given others incentives to ride the bus. For example: one month bus passes. He even offered to give someone a Zune if they would ride the bus for three months.
“You can’t tell someone that their life will change; they have to experience it.
They can read a book three to four times faster while taking the bus; they can get work done, and they are not as stressed."
Ben co-founded the Seattle Transit Blog to provide transportation planning information. He has campaigned for, written op-eds, and raised money for the Mass Transportation Expansion Measure in 2008.
Ben’s advocacy for transportation alternatives is one of the many reasons he is a Commute Champion.back to top |
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Lake Washington School District
Bicycle |
Mark has been an avid bicycle commuter for 28 years. He makes his 8-1/2 mile commute to work even on rainy days. He just bundles up and stays prepared with the right gear.
“I don’t see any need to spend money on gasoline day after day,” says Mark. “I would hope that being environmentally conscious would be a motivator for people. A bicycle is CO2 emissions neutral.”
People ask Mark questions about his bicycle commute, and he gladly encourages them to give it a try. Even animals are curious, Mark discovered. One day, a coyote ran beside him on the bike path for about a hundred yards.
Mark adds, “The benefits to your health are incredible. It keeps you in really good health and allows you to continue to do the things you want to do. It also calms you down and relieves your stress, improving mental health.”
Mark’s example and encouragement to others make him an inspiring Commute Champion. back to top |
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Aerojet
Vanpool |
Mark, a draftsman at Aerojet, has worked there for 6 years and in the Redmond area for over 23 years.
Mark started carpooling in 1990 and then joined an already existing vanpool in 2005. He became one of the drivers and keeps the Pierce Transit van at his home. Mark says his one-hour commute each way by vanpool “has saved me a lot of money. I estimate it costs about one third of what it would to drive alone. The vans are easy to drive and it’s easy to fuel up with the gas card you are given to use.”
Currently, his vanpool are all employees of Aerojet who meet at a Park and Ride each morning.
“They are a fun group, pretty easy going, and we get along well,” says Mark.
Mark is proud of helping to take seven cars off the road, and that’s why he is one of the Commute Champions for 2010!back to top |
Know someone who could be a commute champion? Nominate them! Read more...
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