Manitoba, it’s time to start gearing up for Commuter Challenge 2024!
What is the Commuter Challenge?
Commuter Challenge is a week-long event that encourages participants to partake in sustainable transportation for their health, for the environment and for workplace morale. Sustainable commutes include:
- Walking
- Cycling (including roller blading, scootering, and skateboarding)
- Taking the bus
- Carpooling
- Telecommuting (working from home)
Register online by yourself, with a friendly team, or with your workplace and log your trips for a chance to win some great local prizes. This event is open to all Manitobans (and is a national event), so there is some friendly competition between provinces!
What counts towards sustainable transportation?
During the Commuter Challenge, you can log your trips getting to and from your:
- Workplace
- College/university/summer-school
- Children’s school
- Faith-based gathering place
- Grocery store / pharmacy / essential errand location
Leisure activities and commuting in a single family vehicle are NOT included. There will be multiple raffle participation prizes in addition to prizes for most kilometres logged.
How do I prepare?
However you plan to commute sustainably, there are things you can do to get ready in advance.
Walking: Use a maps program to plan your route, download some audiobooks and podcasts, and make sure you have some comfortable shoes.
Cycling: Ensuring your bike has been safely tuned, and confirming in advance that you have safe bike parking at your destination, plan your route with appropriate and safe outerwear. If you’re new to cycling, connect with a cycling mentor using GoManitoba.
Busing: If in Winnipeg, Brandon, or another location with public transit, identify the nearest bus stops to your home and your workplace. While in Winnipeg, utilise your preferred maps system or Winnipeg Transit’s Navigo to plan your route. Opting in for a PEGGO card can save you money, time and disposables at the front of the bus. If you’re new to busing, connect with a busing mentor using GoManitoba.
Carpooling: Connect with coworkers or local community members about sharing a ride to work. If not, GoManitoba can help you connect with carpool partners near you!
Telecommuting: Check in with your workplace to determine what roles and responsibilities can be fulfilled in a home office. Create or enhance your home workspace to remotely connect to your work computer with a stable internet connection and healthy equipment.
Rollerblading, Skateboarding or Scootering: Make sure you have somewhere to store your equipment at work and that you have all the right safety equipment such as a helmet and elbow/knee pads.
How can I get my workplace involved?
For the Commuter Challenge, it is encouraged that you form a team with members of your workplace, as workplace participation plays a role in the workplace prize. If you want to be an advocate for Sustainable Transportation in your workplace, you can attend our Commuter Challenge – Workplace Coordinators Webinar to learn more about best practices of creating and maintaining workplace policies that benefit people & planet. More info coming soon!
How do I sign up?
Visit https://commuterchallenge.ca/ and register yourself as an Individual or Workplace team. After registering your workplace team, encourage all of your employees to sign up under the ‘Employee’ registration and choose your workplace.
If you have any other questions, please e-mail the project coordinator Lily at lily@greenactioncentre.ca or challenge@greenactioncentre.ca.
Thank you to Winnipeg Transit, Tire Stewardship Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro for their continued support of the Commuter Challenge. Happy commuting!
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