The City of Corvallis Transportation Program, in collaboration with the Cascades West Rideshare program at the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments, announces the 2015 winners of the inaugural Corvallis Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC) Challenge. The ETC Challenge recognizes worksites for their efforts to promote transportation options. The honorees are Oregon State University (OSU), First Alternative Co-op, Hewlett Packard, and Samaritan Health Services’ Samaritan Square site.
Staff members at all three locations helped promote transportation initiatives throughout the year, including attending quarterly ETC meetings, distributing fliers about transportation options campaigns, hosting events such as brown bag lunches to share information at their worksites, and actively promoting the statewide rideshare database,www.DriveLessConnect.com, to their colleagues. The ETC Challenge features Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels to recognize participants for their level of engagement in various promotional opportunities and goals.
OSU is a Gold level winner in recognition of robust participation from the OSU Sustainability Office, the OSU Transportation Services program, and the OSU Alternative Transportation Advisory Committee, including active promotion of Drive Less Connect to students, faculty, and staff through events and marketing. First Alternative Co-op is a Silver level winner in recognition of its commitment to participation in community events such as Car Free Day, its on-site covered bike parking, outreach to new hires among its staff, and more. Hewlett Packard and Samaritan Health Services are Bronze level winners this year, in recognition of their staff attending at least two quarterly ETC meetings, hosting at least one event at their worksite promoting transportation options, and meeting other outreach benchmarks. The 2015 honorees were recognized at an ETC meeting held yesterday, January 13, in Corvallis.
The Employee Transportation Coordinator program brings together representatives from employers large and small throughout the Corvallis area to share transportation information, and to promote carpooling, walking, transit, biking, and other transportation options to their fellow employees. The City of Corvallis Transportation Program, with support from Cascades West Rideshare, has spearheaded the group since the 1990s.
The Employee Transportation Coordinator program includes about 20 active members. Most employers are in Corvallis, but some are in outlying areas such as Adair Village. New employers are encouraged to join the group any time. All members were invited to participate in the 2015 ETC Challenge, and are invited to participate in 2016; this year’s Challenge is January 1 – December 31, 2016.
Cascades West Rideshare plans to expand ETC engagement to communities in Lincoln County and Linn County in the future. Please contact Tarah Campi attcampi@ocwcog.org or 541-924-8480 to learn more about promoting transportation options at your worksite. Transportation options help people save money and be active while reducing parking congestion and other concerns.
For more information about the ETC program in the City of Corvallis, please contact Greg Wilson at 541-754-1730 or gregory.wilson@corvallisoregon.gov.