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Smart commuting should be on the “to do” list
September 28, 2007
New years are about resolutions. And if Gretchen Crosgrove has anything to say about it, the new school year will also be about resolutions. And that being the case, she has a suggestion: Consider reducing the number of commute trips you make to PLU. (Pictured is Chris Ferguson, dean of information resources, who rides his bike to work often.)
Crosgrove, associate director of human resources, is the new transportation coordinator of PLU’s Commute Smart program. The initiative seeks to encourage the entire PLU community to think about how they get to and from work. And, in particular, if they can do it better.
“At PLU, ‘care for the earth,’ is a part of our mission,” said Crosgrove. “A program like Commute Smart is what this university is all about.”
Commute Smart rewards all kinds of alternative commuting options, from walking and bike riding, taking the bus, or participating in a carpool. (Crosgrove will assist in matching riders with others that are coming from the same area.) The program is also geared to encourage other types of work options, including compressed work-week schedules and work-from-home arrangements.
There are rewards, like LuteBucks and quarterly prize drawings for those who participate. Employees who have registered carpools can park in special parking spaces. PLU pays $49 toward a monthly bus pass for qualified individuals. And for those that pedal to work and use good ol’ fashion shoe leather the reward is, of course, good health.
According to Crosgrove, PLU has about 130 people officially participating in the program. She hopes to attract more smart commuters in the next year and increase that number to 150.
One way of increasing numbers, says Crosgrove, is simply dispelling the myths around alternative commute programs. For instance, there is no requirement to carpool every day – even once or twice a week is a good effort.
And then there is the number one reason people don’t use alternative commutes: Concern that if there is an emergency and they are without a car, they will be stuck on campus. For that reason, PLU provides the “emergency ride home program,” which ensures anyone who used an alternative commute method and is without a car on campus can get home – be it having to leave early to get a sick child from daycare, for instance, or if an employee unexpectedly has to work late.
The irony is, this doesn’t actually happen that often – Crosgrove says the service was utilized just a handful of times last year. But it is important, she notes, to make sure that the program is in place.
And that is true for the entire program – it is simply important that it is in place, whether they officially register with her or not. (Though, she’d like it!) Crosgrove hopes to use the many ways the HR department communicates with employees to ensure the program continues to grow – and maybe she can get a few new resolutions out of it.
For more information, visit the campus’ commuting Web site, or call Gretchen Crosgrove at ext. 7185.
“At PLU, ‘care for the earth,’ is a part of our mission,” said Crosgrove. “A program like Commute Smart is what this university is all about.”
Commute Smart rewards all kinds of alternative commuting options, from walking and bike riding, taking the bus, or participating in a carpool. (Crosgrove will assist in matching riders with others that are coming from the same area.) The program is also geared to encourage other types of work options, including compressed work-week schedules and work-from-home arrangements.
There are rewards, like LuteBucks and quarterly prize drawings for those who participate. Employees who have registered carpools can park in special parking spaces. PLU pays $49 toward a monthly bus pass for qualified individuals. And for those that pedal to work and use good ol’ fashion shoe leather the reward is, of course, good health.
According to Crosgrove, PLU has about 130 people officially participating in the program. She hopes to attract more smart commuters in the next year and increase that number to 150.
One way of increasing numbers, says Crosgrove, is simply dispelling the myths around alternative commute programs. For instance, there is no requirement to carpool every day – even once or twice a week is a good effort.
And then there is the number one reason people don’t use alternative commutes: Concern that if there is an emergency and they are without a car, they will be stuck on campus. For that reason, PLU provides the “emergency ride home program,” which ensures anyone who used an alternative commute method and is without a car on campus can get home – be it having to leave early to get a sick child from daycare, for instance, or if an employee unexpectedly has to work late.
The irony is, this doesn’t actually happen that often – Crosgrove says the service was utilized just a handful of times last year. But it is important, she notes, to make sure that the program is in place.
And that is true for the entire program – it is simply important that it is in place, whether they officially register with her or not. (Though, she’d like it!) Crosgrove hopes to use the many ways the HR department communicates with employees to ensure the program continues to grow – and maybe she can get a few new resolutions out of it.
For more information, visit the campus’ commuting Web site, or call Gretchen Crosgrove at ext. 7185.