Gas prices are on the rise in Central Texas.  Not only are they increasing, but we have surpassed the price of gas compared to the same time last year.  There are a number of options to help ease the cost of getting to and from your destination and Commute Solutions is here to help.

Carpooling offers one of the simplest solutions and it may be easier than you think to find a buddy.  To get the “car” rolling, visit myCommuteSolutions to start your personalized ridematching experience.  We can even help your business create a site that is specifically geared towards your employees.  For other ways to start connecting, check with your friends or coworkers, as well as many businesses may already have their own green team or dedicated site to help employees with transportation alternatives.

As with any commute solution, there are a number of benefits to carpooling.  Not only will you save money, but you’ll enjoy less wear and tear on your vehicle and hey, it’s good for the environment too!

Check out our Carpooling page for more tips and enjoy the ride!

Love is in the Air!

The Commute Solutions’ “Who Are You Riding With” bookmark campaign received a 2012 Bronze ADDY® Award during its February 9^th show. This highly sought-after award was presented to TKO Advertising, who designed and created this amazing artwork for the CAMPO Commute Solutions program.  We are thrilled and proud to have such a great team to work with!

Read & Ride with Commute Solutions and be on the lookout for even more great things to come!  Scroll down below to check out these cool bookmark for yourself.

Have you seen our cool, new bookmarks?   You can expand your imagination while helping to keep the air clean.  Just grab a book and add an entertaining plot twist to your commute while vanpooling, carpooling or riding transit.

Don’t forget to visit our Commuter Resources page and explore the options!

Get moving this new year!

Project Connect, a partnership to address mobility issues in our region, will be hosting several open houses.  This is your opportunity to learn more, ask questions and provide valuable feedback at these informal, come-and-go events.

Tuesday, January 10 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Seton Medical Center Hays – Cafeteria
6001 Kyle Parkway      Kyle, TX

Thursday, January 12 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Allen R. Baca Center – Grand Meeting Room
301 W. Bagdad Avenue – Building 2     Round Rock, TX

Project Connect is aimed at implementing the high-capacity transit component of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) 2035 Plan.  The initial Project Connect partnership includes the City of Austin, Capital Metro, the Lone Star Rail District and CAMPO.

For more information, please visit Project Connect.

What will your commute resolution be for the new year?  Will you explore a new bike route or maybe join that vanpool you’ve talked about?  As this year comes to a close, we wanted to reflect on our continued efforts to offer the resources you need to be a successful traveler.

Over the last year, the Commute Solutions’ web site was given a fresh, updated look that provides guests with a comprehensive, one-stop shop.  Take a spin and find information on commuter options, such as transit, teleworking and walking.  You can also discover the benefits while using the commute cost calculator or by visiting one of the pages that was designed with you in mind.  There is something for everyone!

One of our most exciting accomplishments was the launch of myCommuteSolutions.  This regional ridematching and trip planning site provides you with the choice to map out a bike route, find a carpool buddy or see what transit options work best for you.  You can also log your commutes and track cost savings.  In addition, a key feature of myCommuteSolutions is the opportunity to offer employers a custom sub site of their own, as well as we look forward expanding this product into the new year.

So if you are tired of driving alone, then start exploring the options with Commute Solutions and myCommuteSolutions.  We’ll be your information hub!

Thanks for a great year and we wish all of you a Happy New Year!

With the holidays in full swing there never seems to be enough time to get it all done, much less get to Grandma’s house on time.  Never fear, even in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, you can still find your own commute solution.  Maybe it was my love of transportation that inspired me or my lack of affection for how much time I spent running back and forth, however several years back I made a conscious effort to start consolidating errands.  Not only is it easy, but soon I realized with a little bit of planning I could save time, money and gas.  Now, I never leave without mapping out my route and only run errands a few times a week.

I mention this because with all that is going on from holiday parties to shopping to visiting with family and friends it is good to know there is still something we can do no matter what form of transportation we use.  So when the holidays wind down and you have started a new year, I hope that you will remember to take this little tip with you and enjoy all the benefits!

Happy Holidays from your friends at Commute Solutions!

Pardon the split infinitive, but today’s upgrade of the Commute Solutions site is epic and charts new territory for our program. (No, we will not be issuing jet-packs, sorry.) Our new trip-planning, ride-matching feature goes live today. The “myCommuteSolutions” icon appears on the upper right side of each page. We’ve made it pink so you can’t miss it! Please click the icon and explore.

It’s easy to register; give it a go. You can use it to plan your trip (bike, bus, walk), check real-time traffic, or to find  someone with whom to share a ride. It’s  a very newfangled approach to the old-fashioned carpool!

Log your rides and you’ll be eligible for prize drawings. (We’re plotting some great ones, so don’t miss out!)

In the next few blogs we’ll be showing off the neat tricks “myCommuteSolutions” can do, so stay tuned.

Happy Trails

Hey folks, here’s your chance to do something great to encourage young cyclists to stick with it!

Lamar Middle School-Safe Routes to School is partnering with the neighborhood to conduct a Bike Care Workshop for young teens and Bike Rodeo for older elementary kids on Saturday, Oct. 1, around 9 AM – 11:00ish, at Northwest Park (Sheffield Park).

They need volunteers to sign up now to help out and perhaps help us with planning.

Please let Jane Herrin (contact info below) know if you would be interested in helping in some way.
This is the 3rd year for the Safe Routes to School program at Lamar and they’ve made great strides to improve the street & sidewalk safety for the kids. Now it is time to get more  kids out there riding their bikes in a safe manner.

This event is a kick off for International Walk (or Roll) to School Day on Wed.,Oct. 5th.

Thanks for your interest!

Jane H. Herrin
Lamar Middle School-Safe Routes to School Coordinator
SR2SLamar@aol.com
331-4600

Dear Readers,

We here at Commute Solutions would like to support your Reading & Riding habits by offering you some free literary goodies right here!

First and foremost, we would like to share with you the all- time favorite by Mark Twain: The_Adventures_of_Tom_Sawyer and for any Spanish Speaking readers:
Les_Aventures_De_Tom_Sawyer

Just click on the links to download the PDFs to read on your computer. For mobile devices, just use the QR code to direct you to the mobile versions of these stories, and so much more!

For those of you who prefer being read to, here is a link to the downloadable MP3s of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Audio Version

Please, Read, Ride, and enjoy!

Kristin the intern is back with a new post, y’all!

If you are looking for an incentive to engage in Commute Solutions, we have heard about something that may strike your fancy!  Clif Bar, the leading maker of natural and organic food, energy bars, and drinks, wants to make the world a better place through their creative 2 Mile Challenge!

Here’s the skinny: the 2 Mile Challenge seeks to incentivize us, the people, to replace 100,000 under-two-mile car trips with bike trips by rewarding three worthy non-profits with a share of $100,000 in prize money.  Every car trip under two miles you avoid by riding your bike creates points; each non-profit is a team; your accrued points go to the team of your choosing!  The three non-profits involved are the Alliance for Biking & Walking, Safe Routes to School, and 350.org.

Why is it called the 2 Mile Challenge?  You may be shocked to know that 40% of all urban travel covers 2 miles or less, 90% of which is done in a car!  Clif Bar saw the opportunity to help fight climate change, get people moving, and benefit worthy non-profits all with one initiative!  Clif Bar is committed to the environment, local communities, bike advocacy, and action against climate change!

With my bicycle commute replacing an otherwise fossil-fuelled trip, I chose to support 350.org, a non-profit committed to building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. Having just joined the 2 Mile Challenge today, I have logged 19 points through biking to work, connecting through Facebook, and taking this month’s Challenge!  I’m definitely looking forward to logging miles and seeing my cause supported!

The 2 Mile Challenge website is definitely worth a look, as it helps you create a profile, log your miles biked, participate in challenges, identify useful gear that you may need, map your commute or other rides, and so much more!  Check it out today to get started, get moving, and begin helping the non-profit of your choice get funded!