Buses Aren’t the Only Way to Commute Wisely
Port Orchard man saves $14,000 each year by vanpooling to Everett
Snohomish County, Wash. – If your schedule or location prevents commuting by bus in Snohomish County, you may think that you have no other option but to drive alone in your car. David Wilcox and Jim Sutton would disagree.
Each quarter, the Curb the Congestion and Smart Commuter Rewards programs recognize outstanding participants whose wise transportation choices reduce traffic-related congestion and pollution. Wilcox and Sutton are the Curb the Congestion Champion and Smart Commuter award winners for the third quarter of 2017.
As participants in Community Transit’s Curb the Congestion and Smart Commuter Rewards programs, Wilcox and Sutton demonstrate the effectiveness of vanpools and carpools. These programs work with Snohomish County employers and residents to find ways to reduce traffic congestion and the pollutants it produces, as well as promote smart transportation alternatives.
So far in 2017, these programs have removed 338,047 drive-alone trips from our roads and prevented 5.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air we breathe.
Curb the Congestion Champion: Third Quarter 2017
Wilcox commutes from Port Orchard to Naval Station Everett five days a week via vanpool. That daily, 178-mile commute saves 1,750 gallons of gasoline per year & keeping 36,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of our air and more than $14,000 in his bank account every year instead of being spent on fuel, maintenance and other expenses.
Even at home, Wilcox is a conscientious commuter, using his bicycle to run errands around town.
Smart Commuter: Third Quarter 2017
Sutton, a Marysville resident, commutes to his job at Aviation Technical Services in south Everett by carpooling with his wife, who works nearby. Combining their commute saves them 8,586 drive-alone miles and more than $1,500 per year. Sutton is an advocate for smart transportation choices and encourages his family,friends and coworkers to give carpooling a try.
The Smart Commuter Rewards and Curb the Congestion [link archived] programs are two innovative ways in which Community Transit helps to reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and encourage healthy travel options. To learn more about how Community Transit’s transportation demand management programs work with individuals and businesses, and to sign up to start receiving rewards for your smart transportation choices, please visit www.communitytransit.org/programs/choice-connections.
Community Transit is responsible for providing bus and paratransit service, vanpool and alternative commute options in Snohomish County. The agency is building a network of Swift bus rapid transit lines with Swift Blue Line along Highway 99 and the Swift Green Line between Canyon Park/Bothell and Boeing/Paine Field coming in 2019.
