Practising what they preach when it comes to environmentalism, staff from the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee have signed up for the Smart Commute Sudbury rideshare program.
Available online at SmartCommute.ca and through an app of the same name, the program provides tools and resources to help cyclists, walkers, carpoolers and transit users navigate their routes along with other people.
“When we heard about Smart Commute, it sounded like a natural fit for the stewardship committee to be involved,” Junction Creek Stewardship executive director Miranda Virtanen said, pointing to their environmental mandate.
With more staff during the summer, including placement students, Virtanen said arranging sustainable transportation was a good way to promote not only environmentalism, but also helped those summer students without vehicles get to where they need to be.
“We’re all distributed around Sudbury, so it’s nice to have that initiative,” she added. “I think it’s a great way for staff members to get into that habit and use it outside of work, even.”
Smart Commute Sudbury allows people to register on a computer or through its namesake app to link up with people up with trips throughout Greater Sudbury, including carpools.
Although Junction Creek Stewardship is a smaller organization where communication between members is easy to come by, Virtanen said employees of larger organizations might benefit even more by signing up with the Smart Commute business program.
“The app is fairly straightforward to use,” Junction Creek Stewardship environmental communications intern Jaclyn Groom said, adding that recurring trips can be set up to cut down on travel plan time, and gas costs can be calculated.
Her main piece of advice is to message with drivers beforehand so they’re not getting into a vehicle with a stranger.
Junction Creek Stewardship’s involvement is a local success story to come out of the Smart Commute Sudbury program, and was flagged in a recent media release issued by the program leads as a “stand-out participant.”
“They have begun the process of developing a workplace commute plan which will help their workforce get to work more comfortably and conveniently, while reducing their organizational emissions,” according to the media release. “Their participation demonstrates that organizations of all sizes can be a part of sustainable commuting practices.”
Smart Commute Sudbury is a partnership between reThink green and the City of Greater Sudbury. It launched during Bike Month 2023.
“It’s to promote sustainable transportation throughout the city,” co-ordinator Destiny Roy told Sudbury.com.
The program currently has 125 potential carpool partners signed up, and organizers are currently promoting participation in their business program, which Junction Creek Stewardship signed up for.
The business program allows people the option of whether they want to link up with members of the general public for carpool partners or only people from their place of work.
“Some people don’t want to put their carpool or request for a ride for the whole city to see,” Roy explained.
Those enrolled in the business program are also able to get reimbursed for a taxi ride home of up to $75 in the event their carpool leaves without them or they find themselves having to go home early or stay at work late.
“We also do a survey for their employees so we can see how they’re getting to work already so we can help create a plan to promote sustainable transportation and car pooling,” Roy said.
Funded by the city, participation in Smart Commute Sudbury is free of charge.
In conjunction with Smart Commute Month (September), Smart Commute Sudbury is also hosting a survey regarding participants’ travel patterns. Their goal, Roy said, is to gather data to help them better understand local travel patterns to advocate for transit improvements. The survey, available by clicking here, is open until Sept. 30 at 11:59 p.m.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.
