Americans love their automobiles and the personal freedom they bring, but driving to work alone each day can be stressful, expensive and damaging to the environment.
That’s why CommuteSmart Birmingham encourages area residents to use alternative modes of transportation to reduce traffic, improve air quality and make commuting easier and cheaper.
CommuteSmart offers commuters services and financial incentives to help them make the switch to one of these alternative modes – walking, biking, public transit, carpooling, vanpooling or teleworking from home.
Through the GetGreen and CommuterClub programs, people who live or work in Jefferson or Shelby County can earn money by using alternative transportation in their commutes.
Through GetGreen – a one-time, 90-day program – people can receive $1 per day of alternative commuting, with a $70 maximum to use toward a gift card at the Tango website where there are over 3,000 digital or physical gift card options.
After finishing Get Green, participants begin the Commuter Club and can choose between the following $25 gift card options, Tango, Cahaba Cycles, Redemptive Cycles, and the Birmingham Transit Authority transit pass. If a participant is a UAB employee/student, they can opt for a $25 Blazer Bucks’
In addition, alternative transportation brings other benefits.
Carpooling saves you money, reduces wear on your car, and gets you to work feeling refreshed and ready for the day. It also saves time. Research shows that carpoolers arrive at work on time and have fewer absences. If you need help finding a carpool, check out the CommuteSmart free online Ridematching database.
In vanpooling, 7 to 15 people ride together in a comfortable van. The cost varies from van to van, but the more riders, the less you pay. A CommuteSmart representative can provide information on existing vanpools and let you know if you’re eligible for a subsidy.
Riding the bus allows you to sit back and relax while someone else drives. You also save money on gas, parking and car maintenance. Some employers are eligible to purchase discount Metro Area Express passes. Ask your employer if subsidies are available.
CommuteSmart also provides qualifying participants with an Emergency Ride Home benefit, if needed.
To get started on an easier commute, create your profile at commutesmart.org/birminghamjc, then start logging in your alternative commutes. You can also call 1-87-RIDEMATCH.
