The Commuter Challenge is drawing to a close! This year has broken all past years’ records – the level of participation has been amazing.   Don’t forget to log your commutes, and check here to see the winners! If you have any lingering questions, click here or contact us at 214-0100!

Let’s Share Week Events

getDowntown will have Zipcars at the Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, May 26 (8:30am-11:00am) and Saturday, May 29 (8:00am – 1:00pm).

Daily Prize Drawings. Log a carpool/ride sharing commute this week and you may win a prize! Click here for details.

Jump Into a Vanpool

Imagine being driven to work, and then being dropped off at your office’s front door. Sound too good to be true? Click here to read more.

Resources for Ride Sharing in Ann Arbor

getDowntown’s Guide to Sharing a Ride and Zipcar

getDowntown’s Rideshare Page

VPSI’s Michivan- Learn more about vanpooling

MIRideshare - want to find a carpooling buddy? Click here!

Van-pools.com – great blog about vanpooling

Zipcar

The final event of the Commuter Challenge will be our Awards Ceremony on June 9th – stay tuned for details!

Recently, A2Politico posted a blog post after I met with Ms. Lesko (the blog’s author).

Today, ArborBlahg presents a different take on the subject.

Check out the posts here and here.

Mike is the type of person you might not typically think of as a sustainable commuter. He’s the President and COO of a growing company. He’s a dad. And he has a free parking spot in the back of his building.

But don’t let those details fool you. From my interview with Mike it’s clear that commuting sustainably fits perfectly into his life and has some unexpected benefits. Mike Felkey works at Intersect Digital, a small web development firm with some big clients. Intersect has worked with such companies as Subaru and Saatchi & Saatchi. The company’s headquarters is in downtown Ann Arbor (on First Street) and they also have a location in New York (who doesn’t, really). Depending on the amount of work available, Intersect employs anywhere from 17 to 60 employees. Currently, business is on the upswing.

The first clue into Mike’s interest in sustainable commuting comes when we talk about the company’s culture. Intersect is very supportive of telecommuting for its employees. Since many of the company’s employees live in places like Southfield and Novi and since many of them are working mothers, this benefit really helps cut down on a stressful commute. As far as Mike’s concerned, as long as employees get the work done, it doesn’t matter where they do it. We then chatted a bit about Daniel Pink’s new book, Drive, which describes how the businesses of the future are finding ways to motivate their employees through giving them freedom rather than imposing tons of rules. And according to Mike, this philosophy really pays off.

So what about the employees who do commute to work? Since Intersect offers the go!pass to employees, some of them happily take the bus. Other employees walk or ride their bikes. As far as Mike goes, he likes to walk, bike or take the bus to work. His commute isn’t super short either. If he chooses to walk, it can take him about 40 minutes.

So what’s Mike’s motivation for walking, biking or busing to work? He’s got a free space out back, and could probably get to work by car in less than 40 minutes. A big benefit Mike sees in leaving his car at home is that walking, biking and busing are all great for his health. He gets to build some exercise into his day, which might otherwise be a challenge to find the time for. Now that there are Zipcars downtown (a couple just a block from him office), Mike can bike, walk or bus to work even when he needs to go to a meeting out of town.

As we start to chat a little about Mike’s kids (his son goes to Tappan and his daughter goes to Burn’s Park Elementary), I find out another great benefit of Mike’s commute. Both of his kids have grown up watching Mike walk to work and now they want to walk to school. With all of the current news about childhood obesity, the example that Mike is setting for his kids is really inspiring.

When I asked Mike what he might like to see improved about transportation in our community, he lists fixing the lights so they are more in sync, improving the parking downtown, and adding more bike lanes to make cycling safer. We also talked a little but about the possibility of light rail, which is a topic he’s really interested in. Mike even said he’d contemplate giving up his car if there were light rail, especially since there are Zipcars available.

Mike’s biking, walking and busing ways are not unique among leaders in downtown Ann Arbor. Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations, frequently bikes to work. Grace Singleton, Managing Partner at Zingerman’s Deli, is also a bike commuter. Bonnie Valentine of the Whole Brain Group often takes the bus to work. Curtis Sullivan and Liz DellaRocco, owners of Vault of Midnight walk and carpool to work.

Any downtown commuter can join this great list of leaders. All you have to do is hop on a bus, grab your bike, or strap on your walking shoes. If you work downtown and would like some help figuring out which commuting option is best for you, getDowntown can help! Simply give us a call, check out our website or send us an email for personal commuting assistance.

Get your bike road ready in 5 easy steps. Learn some walk safety tips. Check out how to use Zipcar.

Drive Less.  Save More. is an Oregon-based program to encourage people to–well–Drive less and save more!

One of the neat things they have on there website are how-to videos related to different modes of transportation.

Check it out here.

Where do you go to find information on the best places to eat downtown? What about where to grab the best cup of coffee? Chances are you have a go-to source for this kind of information, whether it is a friend, a co-worker, or some online source.

But who could you turn to for help with your downtown commute? Maybe you’re sick and tired of paying for parking. Maybe you’re new to the downtown and what to get a sense of all your options.

No matter the reason, there is a great resource you can use if you work in downtown Ann Arbor. It’s the getDowntown Program. The getDowntown Program provides FREE commuting information for employees in downtown Ann Arbor. We know the bus routes, have figured out Park & Ride lots, and ride our bikes to work. We can answer any downtown commuting questions you have, and we can do it for free.

Click here to ask getDowntown a Commuting Question

Commuting Questions Answered

Here’s a taste of the kind of questions we can answer. These are actual questions from actual downtown employees:

Downtown Employee: I commute regular hours (M-F, 9-5) from Toledo to downtown Ann Arbor. Are you aware of any shuttle or carpooling opportunities (or where to find them) for folks who travel between Toledo and downtown Ann Arbor?

getDowntown: There are a couple of options for you.

Mirideshare.org: One option is mirdeshare.org, which is a carpool site run by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG). All you have to do is go to mirideshare.org, enter in your information, and look for a match!

MichiVan: You might also be interested in vanpooling to work with other people who work in downtown Ann Arbor, including at the UM. The getDowntown Program can assist you with this, or you can do it yourself at www.michivan.com

If you do decide to carpool or vanpool to work, keep in mind that getDowntown offers preferential carpool and vanpool parking at various parking structures downtown.

Downtown Employee: I live in Ypsilanti Township, close to Huron River Drive. The AATA buses don’t go this far and there isn’t a Park & Ride Lot in the area. Can I park at a shopping center parking lot and take the bus from there?

getDowntown: This might be an option for you. The getDowntown Program can help by connecting with the manager of the shopping center to see if it is ok for you to park at that location.

Got a Commuting Question? I bet we have an answer! Click here to ask us a commuting question today!

Old way: Owning a car.
New way: Sharing 20 cars.

Old way: Driving to work, hunting for parking, paying for parking, whew. . .
New way: Relaxing on the bus, free parking, whoohoo!

Try something new: become a Zipcar Ann Arbor member today.

Special new member promotion: Free Water Bottle

Become a Zipcar Ann Arbor Member between now and March 2010 and you’ll get a free Zipcar water bottle! These are large metal water bottles that will have you sipping in style. Offer only valid if you become a member of Zipcar Ann Arbor at zipcar.com/annarbor.

To get your free water bottle, become a Zipcar member at www.zipcar.com/annarbor and email us at info@getdowntown.org to let us know why you signed up.

The beginning of a New Year is a great time to say goodbye to old ways of doing things and hello to new ideas and approaches.  For many people, owning one or even two cars just doesn’t make sense anymore, especially living in such a pedestrian-friendly place as Ann Arbor.

So why not look at the advantages of a new concept—carsharing?  Carsharing allows you to have a car when you need one without having to pay the expense when you don’t.  The most popular carsharing business in the country is Zipcar.  Currently,  Zipcar has more than 20 cars in Ann Arbor, with 6 in downtown Ann Arbor and the rest on the University of Michigan campus.  In addition, Zipcar has cars in cities all over the country.

What do people use Zipcars for?  Zipcar members use cars for going shopping, attending meetings, popping over to events in other towns and much more.  One couple even used a Zipcar to drive to their honeymoon after getting married!

To use a Zipcar, you just become a member at zipcar.com/annarbor (if you are affiliated with the UM, go to zipcar.com/umich).  When you become a member, you’ll get a special credit-card sized zipcard in the mail.  Then, all you have to do is go on the Zipcar website, reserve a car when you want to use it, go to the car and tap your zipcard on the windshield.

When the doors open, hop inside, grab the keys (they are already in the car) and go about your business.  Need gas?  Every Zipcar has a gascard inside that you can use at any gas station to fill up the tank.  Hourly rates for Zipcars are as low as $8 an hour, and that includes the gas and 180 free miles!

Here are just a few reasons to become a member of Zipcar Ann Arbor

If you’re ready to try something new, visit zipcar.com/annarbor and sign up to be a Zipcar member today!

Attention Current Zipcar Members:

Help us think up more Old Way/New Way concepts.  We’ll be tweeting Old Way/New Way ideas (and putting them on our getDowntown Facebook page) throughout the month of January.   Share your ideas by tweeting, commenting on our page and posting to our blog.

Just a quick note to let you know that the Zipcars that were recently put on Washington Street between Division and State have just been moved to the First and Washington parking lot (across from the Blind Pig).   The cars were moved to make it easier to deal with snow removal and other issues that come with putting cars on-street.

If you work or live on the Main Street side of town, this should make getting a Zipcar easier for you.  If you work on the State Street side of town, you can still use the cars located at the Fletcher St Parking Structure.

And don’t forget, if you want to keep in touch with what’s going on with Zipcar Ann Arbor and possibly win some fun prizes, become our fan on Facebook.

Stop into Sweetwaters on Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor this Friday, Oct 30 from 7-9:30am to chat with Zipcar reps about Zipcar Ann Arbor.  They will be handing out Zipcar info and also have some free coffee.  So stop by, say hi, and learn more about Zipcar Ann Arbor!

When it comes to encouraging people to bike, bus, walk or carpool, no one sets a better example than your boss.  That’s why the getDowntown Program is taking a moment to highlight some downtown business managers who demonstrate a commitment to using sustainable transportation and encourage their employees to do the same.  These interviews provide insight into why these leaders use sustainable transportation, how it benefits their employees and much more.

Our first interview is with Bonnie Valentine, Business Lead, the Whole Brain Group.  The Whole Brain Group is a small women-owned business that provides custom web-based software for a variety of clients from academic institutions to hospitals.  The Whole Brain Group is based in downtown Ann Arbor.

Now, on with the interview . . .

Leading by Example: Bonnie Valentine, Business Lead, the Whole Brain Group.

getDowntown (gDt): Do you try to walk, bike, bus, carpool etc to work?
Bonnie Valentine (BV): My primary methods of transportation are a combination of walking and  the bus.  However, once I reach my downtown office I’ll carpool with  co-workers to meetings or events outside of downtown limits.

gDt: Why is  sustainable commuting important to you?
BV: My reasons for walking and using the bus to commute are many.  Most important to me is reducing my carbon footprint and setting an example to others that an automobile isn’t necessarily the answer for
transportation.

gDt:  What do you do to encourage others at your workplace to try biking, busing, walking, etc?
BV: Continue talking about my personal experiences from meeting other’s  during my commute.  Remind them of my dollar savings from reducing the  need of a second family car, insurance, gas, less parking tickets and  monthly parking expense.  Lead by example in working from home -  telecommuting – a couple days of week.

gDt:  Have all of the different transportation options there are to get to downtown benefited your employees and/or your business?  If so, how so?  If not, why not?
BV: The bus has assisted our employees getting to and from the Ann Arbor Office  on 5th Avenue/Washington.  In the past we had an employee that  commuted from Chelsea using the Chelsea Express Bus.  Many employees
telecommute – one employee from New York – and we use conference  phone, online tools (documents, chat, presentation) not only with employees, but clients on our national roster saving cost on air transportation.

gDt: What would be the single best thing that downtown Ann Arbor could do to make it easier for people to get downtown by biking, walking, busing, etc.?
BV: It would be great if the downtown A2 would create a partnership with a  local gym facility for biking commuters requiring a shower and  clothing change.  Possibly a discount or flash your pass to gain
access to showers and lockers at YMCA, UM, or other gyms.  My co-workers and I have biked in the past.  Our main hang up for not  continuing via bike transportation is due to our offices not having  showers.  It is hard to sit across from a client after an aerobic work- out.

gDt: What do you hear from your employees about what they would like to see related to commuting to work in downtown Ann Arbor?
BV: The Zipcar fleet was a nice addition, but the main issue continues to be parking downtown.  We can walk to a meeting location faster than signing up for Zipcar and then finding and paying for parking for
shuttling between client meetings.

gDt: What is the best thing about having your business downtown?
BV: The best thing about having a downtown office is the close proximity  to clients and networking events.  In addition, our office is the central meeting point for all employees.  We have employees from Yspilanti, Ann Arbor, and Dexter.

gDt: What would you like to see happen downtown in the next 10 years?
In the next ten years, I’d like to see a mass transit plan implemented with connections from downtown to access outside the City Limits of  Ann Arbor.  Including transportation hooks to move people across the townships of Ann Arbor into the current bus routes of downtown Ann Arbor.  Increase bus access moving across town on the edges of city limits via bus services without going downtown through the bus depot i.e. North Campus Plymouth Road to Arborland.

Possibly, have the AATA and AAPS work together to provide adequate transportation services to middle and high school (not elementary school) students access to school via public transportation methods.  Finally, I’d like delivery
vehicles which idle in the downtown streets and alleys be electric or a form of non-petro fuel to further reduce pollution and carbon.

gDt: What is one thing the getDowntown Program could do to help your employees with getting to work by busing, biking, walking etc?
BV: The getDowntown May Commuter Challenge is a great motivator to get employees using different methods of transportation.  Usually habits are formed after the 30 days that create lasting effects.  Maybe add
another Commuter Challenge against another town similar in size.

gDt: Any advice or words of wisdom for new businesses moving into downtown Ann Arbor?
BV: Words of advice for new businesses moving into downtown A2 are to consider incentives for employees to commute.  New employees generally look to receive compensation for having to pay for their parking downtown.  The employer can offer an incentive to employees who commute to by providing them a stipend for curbing their car.   Employers can offer telecommuting on certain days of the week.