Commuter Challenge 2012 Celebrates Best Year

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DETROIT — SMART is reporting record participation in the 8th Annual Commuter Challenge, a cooperative event in June hosted by members of the Transportation Choices Consortium to encourage more commuters to take alternate transportation to work or school. Some 697 Metro Detroiters participated in the month-long 2012 Commuter Challenge—more than triple the overall participation in years’ prior. 

SMART attributes much of the growth to the new Business-to-Business Competition, a friendly battle among local employers for the coveted “Most Green” title. When all the points were tallied,Compuware Corporation bested close running competitors Blue Cross Blue Shield and Quicken Loans. 

The average round-trip commute of Commuter Challenge 2012 participants is 50 miles. Together participants saved nearly 72,000 miles of personal drive time for every one week of SMART or other alternate transportation.

“The Business-to-Business Challenge proved an effective tactic to increase overall awareness and build interest in the Commuter Challenge,” said John Hertel, general manager of SMART. “We also enhanced our marketing efforts, employing social media and PR to get the word out.”

2012 Commuter Challenge participants were also eligible to win prizes for taking the bus or other alternate transportation during the month, including Tigers tickets, hotel accommodations, gift cards to popular eateries, DIA passes and more. Learn more at facebook.com/detroitcommuterchallenge.

Commuter Challenge 2012 is sponsored by the Transportation Choices consortium, which includes Compuware Corporation, Detroit Bikes!/Detroit Synergy, Detroit Department of Transportation, Detroit Transportation Corporation, League of Michigan Bicyclists, Michigan Department of Transportation, MichiVan, Commuter Vanpools/VPSI Inc., Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, Transportation Riders United and SMART.