Picture-perfect commuting

General Article
October 2, 2003

Metro's Rideshare events, Oct. 13-24, offer movie-themed prizes for switching to a smarter commute

Transportation Coordinator Don Fisher is organizing the center's participation in Metro's Rideshare Weeks. Photo by Todd Mcnaught

By DON FISHER

Quiet on the set. Rideshare: An Oscar-Winning Motion Picture, Act 1, Scene 1, ACTION: A Fred Hutchinson employee leans back into the comfy seat of a vanpool, reading a mystery novel on the way to work. Would you like to see yourself in this picture, saving money and preventing the stress once associated with your commute?

That's what Rideshare: An Oscar-Winning Motion Picture is all about.

During Rideshare Weeks, Oct. 13-24, participants have the opportunity to try a smart commute like carpooling, riding the bus or vanpooling to work. Other options include working from home, compressing the workweek, bicycling or walking-anything other than commuting to work alone in a car.

Last year more than 25,000 people participated in Rideshare Week across the state. This year METRO has introduced a "double-feature" with two weeks of ridesharing to win prizes such as a trip for two to Hollywood and Universal Studios sound and an autographed baseball from Seattle Mariners all-star pitcher Jamie Moyer.

To get started, Fred Hutchinson's Transportation Department can help direct and produce your Rideshare Weeks commute. Transportation staff can answer questions about bus schedules, help you find a carpool partner or map out a bicycle route. For more information, call 206-667-5099 or stop by the Transportation office located in the Yale Building, J1-500.

Rideshare events

Rideshare Weeks participation forms will be distributed via interoffice mail on Oct. 8 and additional forms are available in the Transportation office. Simply record your daily commute on this form and return it to Transportation by Nov. 12.

Fred Hutchinson and the Alliance employees will have their own double feature with the center's annual transportation fair coinciding with Rideshare Weeks. This means that there will be lots of incentives to signup for ridesharing or commuting to work in a mode other than driving alone.

How do you participate? Share the ride to work instead of driving alone at least once each week (Oct.13 ? 24). Return your completed participation form to the Transportation office, J1-500, by Nov. 12 and you will be entered into the statewide drawing. Prizes include a trip for two to Hollywood and Universal Studios, roundtrip airfare for two on Northwest Airlines, a year's supply of Nestle's "Movie Pack" candy, an autographed baseball by Seattle Mariners all-star pitcher Jamie Moyer and numerous other prizes donated by local businesses and organizations. Prizewinners will be announced Nov. 24.

Transportation fair

At the fair, stroll around, munch on popcorn, and talk with a number of transportation producers/directors from Metro Transit, Community Transit, Sound Transit, Flexcar, and monorail. Learn how to STAR in your own commute by carpooling, vanpooling, busing, walking, bicycling or working from home.

The Met Park fair will be 11:30 a.m.?1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 17, in Metropolitan Park East ? Conference Rooms 927 A, B and C.

The Day Campus fair (center and Alliance) will be Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m. in the Weintraub Building ? Conference Rooms B1-072 and 74.

To enter the Fred Hutchinson and Alliance prize drawing you need to fill out a Rideshare application, at the Transportation Fair, or send a Rideshare application to the Transportation office, J1-500. You could win a T-shirt, Squeeze Guy, movie rental card and movie tickets for two. Prize drawing will be held on October 31.

[Don Fisher is the center's new transportation coordinator.]

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