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Valley Metro Awards Residents for
Keeping the Air Clean

PHOENIX (October 25, 2007) – Valley Metro, the regional public transportation and rideshare agency, awarded 27 organizations and individuals in the Valley for their commitment to improving air quality in metropolitan Phoenix during today’s 2007 Clean Air Campaign Awards luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa

Now in its 20th year, the annual awards acknowledge effective workplace rideshare programs, outstanding transportation coordinators, creative marketing plans to reduce single occupant commute trips, dedicated carpoolers and vanpoolers, and enthusiastic bicyclists and bike safety advocates. Included is the Maricopa Association of Governments Livable Communities award, which recognizes street, pedestrian or other projects that enhance our communities.

“This is an opportunity to recognize the outstanding individuals and organizations in the Valley who demonstrate and encourage inspiring commuter habits,” said David A. Boggs. “Their support is critical toward keeping the Valley a healthy and beautiful place to live, work and play.”

Winners List [98K PDF]

Clean Air Campaign Awards Luncheon Photo Gallery

Clean Air Campaign Awards Winners Photo Gallery

Winners included transit coordinators responsible for motivating colleagues to rideshare to work, municipal city programs, private corporations and more.

Winners of this year’s Clean Air Campaign Awards are:

Outstanding Transportation Coordinator (50-149 Employees)
Steve Cantor, NXP Semiconductors, Tempe: employee participation increased, single occupancy vehicle rate fell by 16% and annual survey response rate increased by 19%

Outstanding Transportation Coordinator (150- 499 Employees)
Becky Creekmore, Dolphin, Inc., Phoenix: successfully communicates the goals of the TRP program and promotes to all employees

Outstanding Transportation Coordinator (500+ Employees – Public)
Randy Roberts, City of Peoria: for developing air quality information for Peoria’s citizens and coordinating with Fleet Services and Parks to promote greener practices

Outstanding Transportation Coordinator (500+ Employees – Private)
Gail Ryan, Scottsdale Insurance Company, Scottsdale: created innovative ways to communicate with employees, including a commuter page on the company intranet

Outstanding Trip Reduction Program (50 – 149 Employees)          
Town of Paradise Valley: for adding 17 electric vehicles to their city fleet and achieving a 92% employee participation rate in their workplace rideshare program

Outstanding Trip Reduction Program (150-499 Employees)
Quarles & Brady LLP, Phoenix: added more incentives to their program such as 100% bus subsidy, 50% parking subsidy, monthly cash drawings and HPA day Drawings

Outstanding Trip Reduction Program (500+ Employees – Public)
State of Arizona Office of Travel Reduction Programs: has helped reduce travel by more than 25 million miles and prevented 350 tons of pollution last year

Outstanding Trip Reduction Program (500+ Employees – Private)
Boeing Co., Mesa: Workplace rideshare participation jumped 127% during the past year, while Boeing also launched the U.S. EPA’s first Earth Day celebration in Arizona

Outstanding Leadership
Honda Cars of Mesa: partnered with City of Phoenix “Keep Phoenix Beautiful Campaign” to demonstrate the benefits of hybrid and alt-fuel vehicles

Outstanding Marketing & Creativity – Electronic Media
Vangent, Mesa: used enticing e-mails to get employees involved in the rideshare program. In 2006, the company had 100 alternative mode users registered to share the ride to work.

Outstanding Marketing & Creativity – Print Media
Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Phoenix: used posters, brochures, and bookmarks to help build awareness and promote their program to employees.

Outstanding Marketing & Creativity – Event over $500
Capitol Rideshare, Phoenix: held a carpooling party with a swimming pool theme for 600-plus employees including tips, games and health-related messages about carpool benefits.

Outstanding Bike Program – Public
City of Glendale Transportation Department: provides a free bike to employees who ride to work at least twice per week. Has provided 105 bicycles to staff since the program began

Outstanding Bike Program – Private
NXP Semiconductors, Tempe: a bike-to-work program, with perks including up to $480 in annual incentives, motivates employees to stop driving alone

Outstanding Vanpool Program
Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale: nearly 190 employees vanpool to work, saving an estimated $300 in gasoline costs per person

Outstanding Alternative Mode User – Bus Rider
R.J. Johnson, Scottsdale Insurance Company:  wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to travel two hours and 30 minutes to help the environment. It has been his primary transportation for nearly 20 years.

Outstanding Alternative Mode User - Carpooler
Rock Meeker, APS/Pinnacle West Corp., Phoenix: has carpooled for 10 years, sharing his 60-mile roundtrip commute with three co-workers. Together they save 600 vehicle miles per month.

Outstanding Alternative Mode User - Vanpooler
Genaro Garcia, Thornwood Furniture Manufacturing, Phoenix: vowed to vanpool for the past 4 years, and volunteers to drive employees for either day or night shifts.

Outstanding Alternative Mode User – Bicyclist or Walker
Kamden Reedy, Boeing Co., Mesa: racked up 4,640 bicycle miles in the past year commuting to and from work, riding 20 miles roundtrip each day.

Outstanding Alternative Mode User – Multi-Modal Commuter
Scott Mason, Swift Transportation, Phoenix: has been riding the bus, bicycling and carpooling since August 2006, which has helped him lose 23 pounds and compete in the Scottsdale Triathlon.

Outstanding Site Coordinator
Aaron Gibson, CIGNA, Aztec Center, Phoenix: increased employee bus ridership from 24 trips per week to 37, and helped his company return its largest number of completed annual surveys

Media Award
KNXV-TV, ABC 15: covered air quality issues, raised awareness and understanding with a televised Town Hall on “Earth Day,” April 22.

Maricopa Association of Governments, Livable Communities         
City of Glendale Transportation Department, “Bus Buddies Program:” helps ease seniors’ fears about riding the bus by holding chaperoned field trips to show them how to safely ride

Blue Sky Award

• Maricopa County, “Bring Back Blue” campaign: for conducting a $1million multi-media outreach campaign about how citizen behavior can reduce dust and particulate pollution
• Bill Lazenby, Phoenix: Phoenix resident and founding member of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, which annually supports Valley Bike Month activities.
• Clair Sutter, Phoenix: Phoenix resident and an avid supporter of Valley Metro’s annual Great Bike Chase and member of Arizona Bicycle Club.

People’s Choice Bulletin Board
ABC Nissan, Phoenix: The color and creativity of their workplace bulletin board for employees made it a favorite by 17 percent of online voters. Their bulletin board displays a variety of information to help employees find a carpool buddy, learn about air quality, and see prize drawing winners.

The 2007 Clean Air Campaign Awards program is sponsored by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Arizona Department of Transportation, Maricopa Association of Governments, Maricopa County and Valley Metro/RPTA. Sponsorship of the luncheon was provided by SRP, Fry’s & Fry’s Marketplace, APS, R&R Partners, Bank of America, VPSI Inc., General Dynamics, IKEA, Southwest Gas Corp., Shamrock Foods Co., Sunset Ford, Northern Trust Corp., and Scottsdale Healthcare.