Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 14, 2007
LOCAL COMPANIES, INDIVIDUALS RECOGNIZED
FOR COMMUTER PROGRAM INNOVATION
MINNEAPOLIS – (Nov. 14) –Thirteen awards were presented to Twin Cities area organizations and individuals today for innovation in helping people get to work without adding to traffic congestion. They received Commuter Choice Awards, presented by Metro Transit in cooperation with regional transportation management organizations (TMOs), during a ceremony in Minneapolis.
Commuter Choice Awards recognize organizations and individuals for creativity in promoting alternatives to driving alone to work, such as transit, bicycle commuting, carpooling, vanpooling and telecommuting.
Organization awards were presented in eight categories:
Starkey Laboratories of Eden Prairie won the Large Organization Award for distinguishing itself among Twin Cities employers that offer comprehensive commuting programs. Starkey’s program includes incentives for carpoolers and vanpoolers, transit riders and bicycle riders.
In the Medium Organization category, Quality Bike Products of Bloomington won for its employee bicycle commuting program and for providing a free outdoor bike rack to any Twin Cites company that works with a TMO to promote alternate commuting options.
Small Organization winner Reliable Sites, a St. Paul-based web services and development firm, was recognized for its employee transportation program, including pre-tax transit benefits, bicycle amenities, free transit passes and incentives for carpoolers.
Zeller Realty Group of Bloomington received the Property Management Award for providing commuter fairs and free bike tune-ups for those working and living near the firm’s facilities.
Minneapolis Community and Technical College won the University or School Award for promoting options such as the Go-To College Pass for students, offering more bike racks and adding parking for motorcycles.
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus won the award for Outstanding Promotion (large organization) for its successful implementation of a transit and transportation response plan after the I-35W bridge collapse.
Trotter’s Café of St. Paul received the award for Outstanding Promotion (small organization) for organizing a campaign in the Merriam Park neighborhood to encourage residents to bike, walk or take transit instead of driving alone.
Rookie of the Year went to the Minneapolis engineering firm Dunham, which provides unlimited-ride Metropasses to employees at no cost. The company has been promoting commuting options for about a year.
Individual awards were presented in five categories:
Rookie of the Year went to Katherine DuGarm, who was recognized for biking 14 miles round trip at least three days a week to her job with Ramsey County.
Thomas Ruffaner of Augsburg College won the Individual Achievement Award for advocating for public transportation and alternative commuting options at the college. He encouraged college leaders at Augsburg to implement discounts on transit passes and to offer the Go-To College Pass program for students.
Pat Sorensen, president of Penn Cycle & Fitness, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting commuting options at his company and in the wider community. Sorensen, a transportation commissioner for the City of Richfield, is also involved with the nonprofit group Two Wheels to Town, which works with local communities on planning for bike paths.
Friend of Commuter Alternatives Award was presented to Steve Rusk, chair of the Bike Edina Task Force. Thanks to his leadership, the City of Edina incorporated bicycle and pedestrian plans into its comprehensive plan.
Scott Conwell of Best Buy won the Commuter of the Year Award for his bicycle commuting efforts and for touting the health and environmental benefits of bike commuting to his co-workers.
Metro Transit, a service of the Metropolitan Council, is the transportation resource for the Twin Cities, offering an integrated network of buses and trains as well as resources for those who carpool, vanpool, walk or bike.
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(Editors: For information call Bob Gibbons, director of customer services, 612-349-7509 or via e-mail at robert.gibbons@metc.state.mn.us)
See list of winners from 1990-2007.
