Get more out of your commute! Take the getDowntown Commuter Challenge
What is the Commuter Challenge?
The Commuter Challenge is a month-long competition in May between Ann Arbor Area organizations that encourages individuals to use sustainable transportation to get to work. Organizations compete against one another and log sustainable commutes online. More
The 2009 Commuter Challenge is supported by a generous grant from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority
The Commuter Challenge is also sponsored by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, University of Michigan Parking and Transportation Services, Thomson Reuters, Quinn Evans Architects, Zingerman's Delicatessen, Miller Canfield , vgkids and the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce.
The 2009 Commuter Challenge is over! If you would like stats for your organization, please contact us for assistance.
Click on the links for more information on the Commuter Challenge
- Commuter Challenge Central on the getDowntown Blog
- Instructions for Signing Up for the Challenge
- Promote the Challenge
- Become an Ambassador
- About the Challenge
- Events
- Prizes
- Awards
- Sponsors
What is the Commuter Challenge?
The Commuter Challenge is a month-long competition in May between Ann Arbor Area organizations that encourages individuals to use sustainable transportation to get to work. Organizations compete against one another and log sustainable commutes online on the getDowntown website. Common sustainable commutes include walking, biking, busing, and carpooling/vanpooling to work. During the Commuter Challenge, employees may view the calories burned, carbon emissions reduced, miles logged for themselves and their organization.
getDowntown awards prizes to those organizations that show the strongest commitment to using sustainable transportation by logging the most miles, reducing the most carbon dioxide emissions, and accomplishing other goals for the month of May. The Commuter Challenge has occurred every May since 2005.
Commuter Challenge 2008 Results: Last year, 114 Organizations competed in the Commuter Challenge and 1,482 participants logged at least one sustainable commute in May. There were a total of 16,609 sustainable commutes logged by participants. Collectively, participants logged 247,695 sustainable miles, which is equivalent to 393 barrels of oil. The Commuter Challenge Works: According to a follow-up survey of Commuter Challenge participants, 53% of the respondents said the Commuter Challenge changed their commuting behavior. 24% of the survey respondents had rarely or never used sustainable transportation before the Commuter Challenge. The Commuter Challenge is an excellent low cost way to encourage employees to use alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle to get to work.
The Commuter Challenge is Sponsored by:
Sustainability Superstars
Transportation Trendsetters
Fresh Air Friends
