UT has won the Smart Trips 2012 Commuter Challenge in the category of businesses with 2,000 or more employees.
The challenge had winners in four different categories based on number of employees. Other winners were the Metropolitan Planning Commission in Category 1 (1 to 99 employees), 21st Mortgage in Category 2 (100 to 499 employees), and Scripps Networks Interactive in Category 3 (500 to 1,999 employees).
“The Commuter Challenge helps increase Smart Trips’ program participation while improving air quality,” explains program manager, Kelley Segars. “This year’s event ran from June 1 to July 31. We’re so pleased with how everyone really got behind us.”
During the challenge, employers encourage their employees to join the program. Everyone was asked to drive less by bicycling, carpooling, taking transit, or walking to work or working from home and to log their commutes online. Businesses earned points for their performance in each category.
Points were averaged into a final score and Scripps Networks Interactive was named the overall winner.
Two UT employees—Daniel Feller, a history professor, and Peter Krawczel, an assistant professor in animal science—won individual prizes in the competition.
More information about the challenge and the Smart Trips program is available at knoxsmarttrips.org.