As the Commuter Challenge final results show, the masses took other means of transit to work in Ann Arbor during May. According to Nancy Shore, director of the
getDowntown alternative transportation program, 239 organizations took part, up from 190 in last year's challenge.
As of press time, 20,680 commutes had been logged by 1,944 individuals, up from the 1,817 last year who walked, carpooled, bused, or rode bikes to work. Participants logged 20,680 commutes totaling 295,152 miles, down from last year's 325,321 miles logged over 21,086 commutes. Shore attributes the lower mileage to people possibly living closer to work. While commuting numbers were down, there was record participation this year.
Some employers had exceptionally high rates of participation, Shore notes. About 30% of Zingerman's Deli's 500-plus employees participated. The Washtenaw Friend of the Court had 72% of its 55 employees take part; at MyBuys, 65% of its 45 employees were active. And at SRT Solutions, every employee did at least 14 alternative commutes on average.
The results, Shore says, show larger employers concerned about locating downtown due to less parking, that "clearly they have other options that allow them to have more employees with potentially less parking spaces that they have to purchase."
"I've heard individuals say to me, 'This is the first time I've ever biked to work,'" she adds. "And so we know that this is the type of thing that motivates people to get out there and try an alternative commute and hopefully retain it for the long term."
A new stat to chew on this year: 3,351,636 calories burned. That’s 1,724 calories, or a half-pound weight loss, per person.
Source: Nancy Shore, director of getDowntown
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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