RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - The SmartCommute Challenge, the largest alternative transportation event ever held in the Triangle, has released the final results from its seven week public service campaign.

At final count, more than 12,000 Triangle-area commuters signed a pledge to try an alternative means of transportation to work. That makes total enrollment for the 2005 campaign almost six times more than the same period last year. These record-breaking participation numbers reflect all-time high interest levels in public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, biking and telecommuting.

“We’ve seen remarkable increases in a number of transportation indicators,” said Amy Armbruster, a Transportation Demand Management Coordinator for TTA.  “Carpool and vanpool matches have gone through the roof. Bus ridership is up. Biking to work is up. In addition, we’ve had 12 requests from local employers for us to come and do a presentation on transportation alternatives. This time last year, we had not received any requests.”

“During our in-person pledge drives at local employers, there was a striking difference in how we were received this year over last year,” said Julie Woosley, director of SmartCommute@RTP. “At several RTP sites, we saw participation numbers more than double from last year’s numbers at the same site. For instance, at several RTP employers we saw a 150 to 200 percent increase in participation over last year at the same site.”

Carpool, vanpool matches on the rise

The most impressive measurable changes have come from the statewide ridesharing database, www.SharetheRideNC.org.  During August and September 2004, there were less than 100 attempted carpool or vanpool matches in the Triangle.

During the Challenge period this year, Triangle residents made 1,951 attempted vanpool matches and 3,127 attempted carpool matches. From those attempts, 630 commuters found at least one vanpool match and 2,546 found at least one carpool match.

Estimated benefits

“According to some of our preliminary analysis,” Armbruster continued, “we estimate that if 20 percent of the people who’ve recently found carpool or vanpool matches share the ride on a regular basis, the Triangle will benefit from the following reductions:

• Vehicle Miles Traveled: 21,452,257 miles
• Commuting costs: $5,148,517
• Carbon Monoxide emissions: 332 tons
• Volatile organic compound emissions: 43.5 tons
• Nitrogen Oxide emissions: 53 tons

New data, new analysis

Although the primary purpose of the SmartCommute Challenge was education and outreach, it also served to collect data that has never before been available on Triangle-wide commuting patterns.

Everyone who signed the pledge provided valuable information including their home zip code, workplace zip code, typical mode of transit, and the new transit mode they plan to try.

The simple act of collecting home and work zip codes has given transportation planners information about average commuting distances and commuting patterns that was not available from any other source.

Final Celebration planned for Nov. 19

On Saturday, Nov. 19, an awards ceremony will be held in Durham at the American Tobacco Complex where prizes will be distributed. The list of prize winners will be invited to attend the celebration so they may discover which prize they have won.

By signing the pledge, everyone who participated in the Challenge was entered into a drawing for a chance to win a free vacation anywhere in the continental, contiguous U.S. More than 40 other prizes, including laptop computers, commuter bikes and iPods will also be awarded.

The final celebration will be held 11:00 am – 1:30 pm and will feature a catered lunch, children’s games and live music.

About the SmartCommute Challenge

The SmartCommute Challenge is a non-profit public service campaign that uses prizes and special promotions to encourage Triangle commuters to explore transportation alternatives. In exchange for taking the online pledge, participants are entered into a drawing for a chance to win a free vacation or one of over 30 other prizes.  Participants are also provided with a list of links to resources such as mass-transit schedules, a rideshare matching database, bicycle and pedestrian groups and more.

About the Organizers

SmartCommute @ RTP and the Triangle Transit Authority are responsible for the management and coordination of this campaign.

SmartCommute@RTP is the transportation management association (TMA) of Research Triangle Park.  Its purpose is to coordinate the transportation demand management efforts of RTP employers to address common transportation concerns, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality.  SmartCommute currently has 24 member employers, which account for over 80% of RTP employees, and several public affiliates, including the NCDOT and local transit agencies.  SmartCommute is staffed by the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina in Research Triangle Park.

TTA is a regional public transportation provider, offering a wide variety of transit and vanpool services to North Carolina's greater Triangle Region and outlying counties. Bus service is available to Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Garner, RDU International    Airport, Research Triangle Park (RTP) and Raleigh. The Triangle Transit Authority provides commuter resources and hosts GoTriangle.org, the on-line resource for public transportation information in the Triangle and ShareTheRideNC.com, the statewide rideshare matching service.

TTA plans to implement a 28-mile rail transit system with 12 stations connecting Durham, RTP, Cary and Raleigh, with shuttles linking RDU International Airport and RTP. The rail transit system is expected to be operational in 2008. For more information, visit www.rideTTA.org or call (919) 549-9999.