Who We Are

Commuter Challenge is a non-profit organization that has been fostering public/private partnerships to find solutions to our region's transportation
issues for over 15 years.

Our Mission

Commuter Challenge works to improve regional mobility and protect and sustain the environment in the Puget Sound region.

We do this by:
Collaborating with public agencies to provide information, technical assistance, and incentives to employers and employees to help reduce the number of vehicles on the road;

Working with public and private entities to develop and implement innovative programs to encourage changes in individual behavior; and

Proposing and supporting policies that offer real solutions to transportation problems.

Our Activities

Employer Recognition. The Commuter Challenge recognition program will continue in 2005-2006. Criteria will pay close attention to those worksites that have either made progress toward or met state mandated CTR goals in Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) reduction. Management commitment to reducing employee commute trips also will be a focus. The program will continue to recognize smaller organizations not affected by the Commute Trip Reduction Law that deserve recognition for their voluntary employee transportation programs.

Policy Shaping Opportunities. King County employers will be kept informed of opportunities to speak up on proposed policies and legislation at local, state and national levels that will aid their efforts to reduce commute trips.

Workshops/Forums/Committees. Throughout the year, Commuter Challenge will invite business representatives to participate in various transportation workshops, forums, and committees to address the congestion issues in our region.

Telework and Flexible Schedules. Many employers find telework, compressed workweeks and flextime are valuable tools to help recruit and retain top-notch employees, increase productivity, extend customer service hours, boost employee morale, reduce the need for office space and parking, and improve emergency preparedness. Free consultations are available from Commuter Challenge by contacting Steve Gerritson at 206-389-8656. In June 2005, Commuter Challenge kicked off an outreach program in partnership with King County Metro that includes new and updated case studies, marketing materials, online tools and workshops.

Regional $mart Commute Program. This innovative program provided incentives to employees at worksites not affected by the State’s CTR law from October 2004 to March 2005. Participants committed to using an alternative commute mode for at least thirteen days over a three-month period to qualify for cash incentives. The more days the employee used the alternative commute mode, the more cash he or she earned, up to a maximum of $192. Registration and usage tracking were done via www.SmartCommuteNW.com. A follow-up survey reported 96% of respondents plan to continue using alternative commute modes even though they are no longer receiving an incentive! We eagerly await final pay-out of all incentives earned upon receipt of the remaining performance grant funds from Washington State Department of Transporation.

Educational Materials. Commuter Challenge publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Pacesetter, which is available both electronically and in hard copy. The organization also maintains www.commuterchallenge.org and www.TheWinners.com, both of which contain information about the Diamond Award and Pacesetter winners, telework resources, tools and case studies, Pacesetter articles, information about grants and incentives, and links to valuable transportation resources.