Redefining the daily commute

Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

Scott Conwell left Best Buy headquarters in Richfield to start his 30-mile trip home to Coon Rapids. He pedals the whole way on some days, and other days he hops on a bus for part of the trip. The Anoka County Transportation Management Organization is encouraging more people to find such alternative ways to work

The Commuter Challenge is drawing in thousands of people who pledge to use alternative transit instead of driving.

By MITCH ANDERSON, Star Tribune

Last update: April 29, 2008 - 6:51 PM

Most people don't consider Spandex normal business attire.

But every weekday, Scott Conwell suits up in a pair of cycling shorts, along with his clip-in shoes, polyester bicycle shirt and safety reflectors, in preparation for the 30-mile trek to his job at Best Buy corporate headquarters in Richfield.

"He's definitely known as the biker guy around the office," Conwell's co-worker, Samantha Meehl, said.

Some days, Conwell combines busing and biking to get to work and other days he pedals the entire distance -- which requires him to wake up at 3 a.m.

While the 36-year-old Coon Rapids resident is more dedicated than most, Conwell is among the growing ranks of commuters changing their transit habits.

For the past seven years, the Anoka County Transportation Management Organization (TMO), in conjunction with Metro Transit, has sponsored a "Commuter Challenge" in the spring. The promotion gets businesses and employees to pledge to use alternative transportation by enticing them with prizes such as laptops, gift certificates and bicycles.

"Basically, it's a promotion to try an alternative mode of transportation during the months of April, May or June -- anything other than driving alone in a single-occupancy vehicle," said Renee Sande, a coordinator for the Anoka County TMO.

Sande said she's seen a pronounced growth in participation since the program started. Last year, it drew approximately 12,700 participants from around the metro area. This year, that figure is expected to reach 15,000.

Getting out of their cars

With gas prices at record highs and the peak summer prices yet to come, business commuters don't need a whole lot of extra motivation to find cheaper ways of traveling.

"Just getting people to try it, that's been the biggest challenge for us," Sande said. "Hopefully these prizes, combined with the health, environmental and economical factors, give them that initial nudge they need to do this."

Many participants said they were surprised at how easy the change was, Sande said.

"I compare it to having an aversion to broccoli your whole life and then all of a sudden you try it and say, 'That wasn't as bad as I made it out to be.'"

In fact, about 50 percent of the Commuter Challenge participants said in a follow-up survey that they continued to use alternative transportation methods even after the challenge had ended.

Government agencies aren't the only ones promoting commuter programs, either. Aveda, the Blaine-based beauty product company, takes part in the Commuter Challenge but also encourages its employees to participate year-round in the company's green commuter program. Aveda reserves front-row parking spots for employees who carpool or drive hybrids, and it gives discounts on company products to other environmentally minded commuters.

Fringe benefit for waistline

As for Conwell, he said he first started biking to recover from a back surgery three years ago.

"Everyone has an excuse. It really comes down to what kind of difference you really want to make," he said. "If anybody has an excuse to not bike or try alternate forms of transportation, it'd be somebody who had back surgery."

Since he started biking and busing to work every day a year ago, Conwell said he's lost 45 pounds and estimated that he has saved $1,000 on gasoline and car maintenance. And it looks like Conwell's ways are winning his co-workers over.

Meehl said she started biking to work last week, due in large part to Conwell's determination, and plans to continue doing it at least three times a week. As for the Spandex, Meehl said she's not entirely sold on that yet.

"Some of it is functional, I suppose, but I'd have to wear clothes over it," she said.

Mitch Anderson is a University of Minnesota student reporter on assignment for the Star Tribune.

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