Washington, D.C.— Join Transportation Planning Board members Gabe Klein, Michael May and Harriet Tregoning by pledging to go car free on September 22 at www.CarFreeMetroDC.com, and be entered for a chance to win a 32GB Apple® iPad™ provided by Base Technologies, a leader in ridematching and commuter management software located in Northern Virginia. Thousands of area residents pledged last year to walk, ride bicycles, take the bus or train, telework, carpool or vanpool to get to and from their various destinations on Car Free Day.
“There’s nothing worse than being stuck in traffic,” said Harriet Tregoning, Director of the District of Columbia Office of Planning during a recent Car Free Day interview for The COG Podcast. “Giving our region’s residents more choices about how to get around really gives them a better quality of life.”
On September 22, Tregoning will be doing her part to lessen the region’s infamous traffic congestion by bicycling into work, her typical mode of commuting. Gabe Klein, Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and Michael C. May, Prince William County Supervisor were also interviewed as part of the podcast series about Car Free Day. All three agreed that traffic congestion is a severe detriment to quality of life and that leaders throughout the region should be doing more to provide further transportation choices.
Participants in Car Free Day 2010 also receive other perks* that include a free seven-day pass to Sport & Health Fitness Clubs; free telecommuting privileges at GSA Telework Centers on Car Free Day; or a free bike rental from Bike and Roll on September 22.
By visiting CarFreeMetroDC.com, commuters can pledge to go car free or car-lite and find resources to making the commute more economical and less stressful. As alternate commute options have become more popular as a means of saving money and time, and improving quality of life as well as air quality, the percentage of drive-alone commuting has seen a steady decline in the area. According to COG’s 2010 State of the Commute survey, over the last decade (since 2001) the number of workers in the region driving alone has declined from 71 to 64 percent and the percentage of transit riders has risen from 3 to 6 percent.
“As the survey shows, the trend in the region is to turn away from drive alone behavior and into transportation alternates.” said Nicholas Ramfos, Director of Commuter Connections. “With the average American household spending 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, 94% of which goes to buying, maintaining, and operating cars, Car Free Day is a great time to try a new way to travel.” added Ramfos.
The COG Podcast is the official podcast of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Audio is available free of charge for use by media outlets. To listen to and/or download individual episodes, click here and to subscribe, click here. The COG Podcast can also be found on Apple’s iTunes.
Car Free Day is organized in 1,500 cities in 40 countries throughout the world to encourage people to use more environmentally friendly transportation modes. For more information visit www.carfreemetrodc.com.
*Some restrictions and limits may apply.