Date:  Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Contact: Brian Lagerberg, Assistant Director, Public Transportation Division, 360-705-7878
Michele Villnave, Communications Manager, Public Transportation Division, 360-705-7875

Olympia - Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announces 14 new projects for the 2007-2009 Trip Reduction Performance (TRPP) Program. With an additional $1 million provided by the Washington State Legislature in 2007, WSDOT was able to award a second round of projects to improve the transportation system by helping employees get to work using fewer vehicles.

Contractors will provide incentives that get people out of their cars and onto buses, trains, vanpools, and other commute alternatives. Together, these projects propose to remove 2,668 daily commute vehicle trips.

“We are pleased with the variety of innovative projects submitted,” said Brian Lagerberg, WSDOT Assistant Public Transportation Director and Commute Trip Reduction Board Chair. “Through these projects entrepreneurs will be successful in removing vehicle trips and improving the transportation system.”

Among the projects funded is a pioneering project from Intrago Corporation. “Stranded by a Lack of Alt? Get LoCal Mobility!” is a partnership with the University of Washington, Scootabella Incorporated and Intrago Corporation to develop a fully automated, shared network of small personal electric vehicles at the University Washington campus. Similar to the successful shared-bike rental system launched in Paris last July, this project enables a “drive-it-yourself ‘taxi’ system” that provides commuters the convenience of having a local vehicle available. This project is the first of its kind in the United States and will reduce the number of vehicles arriving on campus each day by 534.

Another project is the “REI-Commuting Reduction Challenge” that will reduce commute trips by increasing opportunities for teleworking, creating new incentives and support for commute options, and providing Flexcar benefits for non-drive-alone commuters. The project proposes to reduce 260 vehicle commute trips.

TRPP Round II Projects:

Project	County	Amount
City of Seattle - Commuter Cash	King	$57,380
HollisterStier Laboratories - CTR Makes Cents	Spokane	$9,982
Intercity Transit - Drive Less. Live More	Thurston	$95,000
Intrago Corp - Stranded by a Lack of Alt? Get LoCal Mobility!	King	$200,250
Kent Firefighters Local 1747 - Firefighters Commute Halved	King	$19,500
KPS Health Plans - Reduce the Stress by Driving Less	Kitsap	$7,400
King County Metro - Green Bike Pilot Project	King	$225,420
King County Metro - Employee Transportation Program Climate Action Support Project	King	$40,500
REI - Commuting Reduction Challenge	King	$97,500
Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber - Destination Downtown Door to Door	Pierce	$106,800
Trip Convergence LTD - Flexible Carpooling to SeaTac	King	$86,000
Whatcom COG - Smart Trips Bicycle Rack Shelters	Whatcom	$20,010
Dept. of Fish and Wildlife - Commuting with Nature	Thurston	$31,000
NW Region at Corson - There's Nothing to Lose	King	$3,200

The Trip Reduction Performance Program was established in 2003 by the Washington State Legislature to encourage entrepreneurs, private companies, transit systems, cities, non-profit organizations, developers, and property managers to increase services to employees that result in fewer vehicle trips arriving at worksites.

Learn more about the Trip Reduction Performance Program and the selected projects from Round I and Round II.

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