GreenTrips, The Chattanooga Hamilton-County Regional Planning Agency’s award-winning transportation incentive program, has completed its second annual MoveRight Challenge on iGreenTrip.org. 20 local employers competed to see whose workforce could log the most “Green Trips” between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30. Green Trips help reduce the number of cars being used to transport only one person, a reduction of single-occupancy trips that is especially beneficial for both traffic flow and air pollution.
Throughout this year’s competition, over 800 individuals at competing companies avoided more than 90,000 pounds of airborne pollution by logging nearly 14,000 alternative trips. These trips represent over 154,000 miles traveled using a mode of transportation that helps alleviate traffic congestion and air pollution, such as walking, cycling, carpooling, taking public transit or avoiding trips by telecommuting or working a compressed workweek.
The winning companies will be announced at a special community celebration on Oct. 25 from 2–5 p.m. at Cambridge Square in Ooltewah. Participating employees of the winning companies will also receive special prizes in addition to the rewards earned through GreenTrips.
“As our communities continue to implement safe and more easily-accessible multimodal facilities, GreenTrips continues to promote, incentivize, and assist users in the use of existing facilities with no user fees. The greater Chattanooga area currently offers miles of nationally recognized bicycle friendly streets, the Bike Chattanooga bicycle transit system, public transit services with onboard Wi-Fi and a real-time tracking smartphone app, and plenty of beautiful places to walk. As we plan for a healthy future and consider travel demand management an integral part of a more effective transportation system, I hope everyone will be able to walk out of their home or business and easily choose a Green Trip,” said Melissa Taylor, director of RPA’s Strategic Long Range Planning department through which the program is run by Coordinators Jonathan Gibbons and Amy Morris.
Organizations that participated in the Challenge were Blue Cross Blue Shield TN, Bellhops, The Casual Pint, CHA1 Amazon Fulfillment Center, the City of Chattanooga, Coyote Logistics, Crab Tree Farms, EPB, The Gear Closet, green | spaces, Hamilton County government, Ivy Academy, PlayCore, River City Company, Rock/Creek, Society of Work, SouthTree, TVA, Unum, and Whirlpool Corporation.
Over the course of last year’s Challenge, individuals at 13 participating companies logged over 12,000 green trips. This accounted for over 152,000 fewer drive-alone miles and over 83,000 pounds of pollution avoided, Ms. Morris explained, adding, “These numbers were a great accomplishment in and of themselves, but it is especially rewarding to see the impact grow from year to year with 7 new companies joining the Challenge and a 60% increase in the number of participants.”
Last year’s winners were the CHA1 Amazon Fulfillment Center, Skuid LLC, and Crab Tree Farms in the large, medium and small employer categories. The success of the CHA1 Amazon facility—largely through carpooling thanks to GreenTrips’ built-in trip partner matching functionality—inspired the program to look at areas outside of downtown to announce the winners. “We saw such fantastic growth in the program last year, and we wanted to celebrate how our entire community has contributed to this great accomplishment,” Mr. Gibbons said.
GreenTrips is an ongoing program open to the public with no user fees. Points earned by all GreenTrips members can be redeemed for rewards from local and national providers each month. Funding is made possible by the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program and eligible trips include any travel to or from Catoosa or Hamilton Counties and the northern portions of Walker and Dade Counties. Recently, GreenTrips was honored to receive the 2015 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Environmental Education and Outreach. Those interested in joining the program should visit GreenTripsCHA.org or contact the GreenTrips staff at GreenTrips@Chattanooga.gov.