Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 7, 2009
COMMUTER CHALLENGE –
AND FRIENDLY COMPETITION –
BEGIN TODAY AT DONTLOSETHECHALLENGE.COM
MINNEAPOLIS – (April 7) – Sometimes it takes a little friendly rivalry to prompt people into action.
That’s why this year’s Commuter Challenge contains an element of competition. Each year, the Commuter Challenge encourages people around the region to try an alternative to driving alone to work. This year, commuters can up the ante by sampling a new way of getting to work – and competing against friends or co-workers.
Now through June 30, commuters can sign up at dontlosethechallenge.com, where they can create a profile and track any trip they’d normally take by car and instead, replace it with a bus or train ride, bicycling, car- or vanpooling, walking or telecommuting. Each trip is an opportunity to score points, which are tabulated on the site.
Using tools found in many social networking sites, participating commuters can challenge friends, family members and co-workers. The site also makes it possible to create teams, promoting competition between work groups or among rival companies.
“Commuters can challenge themselves to break out of their normal routines or earn bragging rights by out-scoring their buddy in Payroll,” said Metro Transit Marketing Director Bruce Howard. “Either way, it’s an easy way to encourage people to get out of their cars more often, which ultimately cuts down on traffic congestion and helps the environment.”
Commuters can use dontlosethechallenge.com to invite friends to join the Challenge or to find friends who have accounts. They can also check in on their friends’ progress. Participants can post photos of how their commuting habits are changing throughout the Challenge, and exchange messages with friends and competitors.
During the 2008 Commuter Challenge, nearly 15,000 people pledged to take transit, carpool, vanpool, bicycle, telecommute or walk to work.
The Commuter Challenge is sponsored by Metro Transit and the region’s Transportation Management Organizations (TMOs): 494 Commuter Services, Anoka County TMO, downtown Minneapolis Commuter Connection and St. Paul Smart Trips.
Metro Transit is a service of the Metropolitan Council. Customers boarded its buses and trains nearly 82 million times in 2008, the highest annual ridership in 27 years.
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(Editors: For information call Bob Gibbons, director of customer services, 612-349-7509 or via e-mail at robert.gibbons@metc.state.mn.us)
