THE GORGE — Nine businesses and organizations in the Columbia River Gorge took part in the inaugural Get There Commute Challenge this April, helping employees save money, reduce pollution, and choose healthier ways to get to work.
From April 13–26, employees from Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, Google, Hood River County Library District, pFriem Family Brewers, Thunder Island Brewing Co., Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Gorge Happiness, Hood River County, and Wasco County logged trips made without driving alone.
Participants used options such as walking, biking, public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, scooters, skateboards, and remote work instead of driving by themselves. The challenge also included Earth Day on April 22.
Together, Gorge participants logged:
• 401 car-free commute trips
• 10,230 commute miles
• 8,485 pounds (4.24 tons) of CO2 reduced
• More than $7,700 saved
According to the AAA’s annual study, the cost of driving is now $.72 per mile. So a roundtrip between The Dalles and Hood River is $31 or just $2 by bus. A roundtrip to Portland from The Dalles is $108 compared to $40 for an annual pass. And the cost of driving is likely to be higher recently with the increase in gas prices.
The Get There Commute Challenge is a friendly statewide competition that encourages greener, more active, and more affordable transportation choices. Workplaces competed in categories based on employee size:
• Small: 3–99 employees
• Medium: 100–499 employees
• Large: 500 or more employees
Across Oregon, 781 people participated in the challenge. Together, they logged 9,563 trips, reducing more than 106,000 drive-alone miles and saving 42.4 tons of carbon dioxide and nearly $75,000.
The statewide challenge is organized by Commute Options, a nonprofit focused on sustainable transportation.
Local Gorge participation was coordinated by Gorge Transit, a regional network of public transportation providers serving the Mid-Columbia Gorge. The network connects rural communities with Portland and Vancouver and includes CAT in Hood River County, The Link in Wasco County, Mount Adams Transportation Service in Klickitat County, and Skamania County Transit.
Gorge Transit services help connect people to jobs, health care, shopping, and recreation throughout the region. Most buses include wheelchair lifts and bike racks, and riders can use the Gorge Pass for unlimited rides on fixed routes across the region.
“Challenges like Get There show how small transportation choices can add up to big benefits for our community, our environment, and our wallets,” said Hood River Library Director Rachael Fox.
For more information about the Get There Challenge, visit Get There Oregon. For more information about the Gorge participants, contact Kathy Fitzpatrick at kathy@mcedd.org 541-400-0124.
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