2009 SmartCommute Challenge Invites Triangle Commuters to Go Green
Posted: 04-14-2009 : RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.

Research Triangle Park, N.C. – On April 15, GoTriangle, SmartCommute@rtp and Triangle Air Awareness will kick off the 2009 SmartCommute Challenge and Air Quality Forecast Season. The Challenge is an annual non-profit public service campaign aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality in the Triangle. The SmartCommute Challenge encourages commuters and college students who work or attend classes in Durham, Wake or Orange Counties to try a smarter, greener commute. Commuters can take the Challenge to try the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, teleworking, biking or walking at least once at www.SmartCommuteChallenge.org.

The six-week Challenge runs through May 30 and officially kicks off at a celebration at The Research Triangle Park Headquarters, located at 12 Davis Drive, on April 15 at 9 a.m. This year’s festivities will feature the kick off of the Triangle Air Quality Forecast Season, alternative fuel vehicles, and testimonials from Triangle commuters who use various forms of commuting alternatives.

Nadine Smith of Clayton started saving over $35 each day in parking fees and fuel after taking the SmartCommute Challenge to vanpool. “I can catch some extra sleep in the morning and do a crossword puzzle, Sudoku or even play solitaire on my laptop on the way home,” she said. Smith’s vanpool cost is 15 percent of her previous monthly gas expense and she receives a company subsidy and reduction in her auto insurance costs by not driving to work each day.

“The Triangle is one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country,” said David King, general manager of Triangle Transit, a GoTriangle partner and presenting sponsor of the SmartCommute Challenge. “Everyone must do their part to ensure that we are on a path of sustainability for future generations, which means finding and using alternative ways to commute to and from work and school.” Last year, the more than 12,000 Triangle drivers who took the Challenge saved over 1.7 million pounds of carbon emissions in just six weeks.

Participants in this year’s SmartCommute Challenge will be eligible for many prizes, including $2,500 in cash, two commuter bikes and a customizable laptop computer.

For more information about the SmartCommute Challenge or to pledge to participate in the Challenge, visit www.SmartCommuteChallenge.org.

About SmartCommute@rtp
SmartCommute@rtp is the transportation management association (TMA) of The Research Triangle Park. Its purpose is to coordinate the transportation demand management (TDM) efforts of RTP employers to address common transportation concerns, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. SmartCommute@rtp currently has 27 member employers, which account for over 80% of RTP employees. SmartCommute@rtp is staffed by the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, developer and manager of The Research Triangle Park. For more information, visit www.SmartCommute.org.

About Triangle Transit
Triangle Transit is a regional public transportation provider, offering a wide variety of transit, paratransit, and vanpool services to North Carolina's greater Triangle Region and outlying counties. Bus service is available to Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Garner, Hillsborough, RDU International Airport, Research Triangle Park (RTP) and Raleigh. For more information, visit www.triangletransit.org or call (919) 485-RIDE.

About Triangle Air Awareness
Triangle Air Awareness is a non-profit organization that provides leadership that educates and mobilizes individuals both inside and outside of their organizations to be aware of the air quality forecast, to improve air quality by their actions, and to protect their health on bad air quality days. The Triangle Air Awareness Program website enables students, teachers, and individuals to quickly access information about Air Quality in our region. Our goal is to help everyone in the area learn how to take action, be informed, and help reduce air pollution to keep our air clean and healthy for everyone. For more information, visit www.triangleairawareness.org.

Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor: News & Observer

Gold Sponsors: BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Cisco, Durham Bulls, RTI International

Silver Sponsors: BASF, Bayer CropScience, Capital Area Transit, GSK, NetApp, Progress Energy, Raleigh Downtowner, RBC Bank

Bronze Sponsors: Eisai, Inc., The Bicycle Chain

Green Sponsors: 2Plus, Burt’s Bees, Downtown Raleigh Alliance, Great Outdoor Provision Company, Larry’s Beans, NC GreenPower, REI, Southern Environmental Law Center, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Tri-Properties

For more information, please contact Ayana Hernandez at (919) 334-3781 or ayana.hernandez@fleishman.com.