It's only Day 2 of Ann Arbor's Commuter Challenge; certainly not too late to ditch the single-passenger car and get to work in a more eco- and body-friendly way.
"The great thing about the Challenge is it really is for everybody, no matter if people live two blocks away or 20 miles away, there's something they can do to make their commute a little better in terms of biking, walking, busing, carpooling, telecommuting," says Nancy Shore, director of
getDowntown, organizer of the Commuter Challenge.
Shore says over 3,000 people and 260 organizations, including Google, Mobiata, and Arbor Brewing Company, have registered to participate this year. The organizations vie to see how many of their employees can do alternative commutes to work. "We've got more people than ever signed up this year, for sure."
The Challenge runs through May 31; commuters may
sign up and start logging their miles at any time during this month.
Themed venues and events, such as bike commuting stations offering morning coffee and food at various spots around the city on Friday, May 18, followed by the Bike Bash from 5:30 – 8:30 that evening, will be open throughout the month. The Bike Bash will be held at the Farmers Market and will have music, food, a free ride bike demo, and bike-bell painting.
Says Shore, "We're really just trying to show people that using alternative transportation can be fun and that there are so many benefits that once you start you're not going to want to stop."
Source: Nancy Shore, director of getDowntown
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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