Community Transit Honors Multi-modal Commuter for Dedication to Using Transit

Virtual awards event recognizes Snohomish County and City of Bothell worksites and commuters

Snohomish County, Wash. – Community Transit hosted its first-ever virtual Commute Options Awards event in May and named Lyndsi Stickles its 2019 Smart Commuter of the Year. Stickles commutes from Whidbey Island to her job in Lynnwood every day, taking Island Transit, Community Transit and Washington State Ferries.

The Commute Options Awards annually recognizes worksites and commuters who made a difference by promoting transit options in exceptional ways.

The in-person annual awards luncheon was canceled to comply with public health requirements to limit large gatherings. Community Transit held the virtual event to continue the annual honoring of local commute champions and the region’s Employee Transportation Coordinators’ (ETC) efforts to make a difference in traffic congestion and air pollution. An ETC is a designated person at a Commute Trip Reduction-affected (CTR-affected) worksite who coordinates programs with their employees to meet the goals of the state mandated CTR program. This includes working with transportation agencies for reporting and learning about transportation options to share with employees at their worksite.

The online event was attended by almost 40 area Employee Transportation Coordinators who listened to a keynote address by AECOM Vice President of Transportation Demand Management Thomas Cerny on Behavioral Change and Transportation Demand Management. AECOM is an infrastructure firm working to solve complex challenges such as transportation demand management, with offices around the globe.

Community Transit honors companies in Snohomish County and the City of Bothell that work to reduce traffic congestion and encourage smart transportation choices such as riding the bus, carpooling, bicycling and walking.

The agency also receives funding to promote transportation options programs to employees at 60 large worksites. The commuters honored at the event logged at least 16 days per month using transportation options, and were selected by an advisory board that ranked their commute options stories, which included frequency, commitment, advocacy, creativity and longevity.

Smart Commuter of the Year, Lyndsi Stickles

Stickles has been using smart commute options for several decades as she’s moved  throughout the Puget Sound region. Now on Whidbey Island, Stickles commutes entirely using public transportation, including Island Transit, Community Transit and Washington State Ferries. Add in a small walk from the bus stop to her office in Lynnwood, and her entire commute promotes smart commute options. Stickles became an Employee Transportation Coordinator and swiftly implemented a Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) program at Alderwood Water and Wastewater District with the help of other avid public transportation users. 

“I’ve made so many new friends on the ferry and the bus that I feel lonely when I don’t get to commute with them,” she said.

VIDEO: Lyndsi Stickles commute story: https://vimeo.com/425697097/5a49f01e31

2019 Worksite Champions of the Year

• Engagement & Participation Champion of the Year – Natural Factors, Monroe

  During a hiring boom, Natural Factors was able to develop a robust carpool program.

• Special Events & Promotions Champion of the Year – Crane Aerospace & Electronics, Lynnwood

  When the company merged two locations, Crane turned a stressful situation into a transportation options opportunity by increasing its incentive program that reimburses employees for bus, ferry or vanpool from 60 to 100%, and doubling the number of carpools at its worksite.

• Benefits & Incentives Champion of the Year – FUJIFILM SonoSite, Bothell

  FUJIFILM offers a robust commute options incentive package and hosts a successful transportation fair for all of its employees each year.

• Commute Trip Reduction Business Champion – T-Mobile, Bothell

  T-Mobile is always looking for innovative ways to build its CTR program and invest in technological platforms like Luum, Scoop and Waze Carpool to help employees find carpools and rideshares, log miles, and more.

• ETC Champion of the Year – Evalyn Thomas, Partner Therapeutics, Lynnwood
  Thomas created a Transportation Corner and detailed program brochure, and began sharing the company’s transportation program policy with new hires.

Community Transit continues to provide essential transportation service during the pandemic.

For information about Community Transit’s service and commitment to safety during the pandemic, please visit www.communitytransit.org/coronavirus.