Walk It, Bike It or Bus It – Hamilton Leads in Commuting the ‘smart’ way
HAMILTON, ON – As more and more cities are looking for sustainable transportation options, the City of Hamilton is helping to lead the way.
The City of Hamilton is the winner of the Regional Employer of the Year Award in the annual Smart Commute Awards Program. The City was selected from some 340 workplace members vying for the title.
The Award Program recognizes employers for their exceptional achievements in promoting smart travel options such as walking, cycling, taking transit, carpooling and teleworking. Smart Commute Hamilton is a partnered-program of the City of Hamilton with Metrolinx. It’s also part of a broader network of 13 Smart Commute offices that work with local employers to develop sustainable transportation solutions.
The panel of judges noted the great strides that the City, through Smart Commute Hamilton (SCH), made to bring home the message about ‘smart’ commuting. This year, the City hosted the largest ever Bike to Work Day event in Hamilton’s history. More than 650 people pedalled their way to City Hall.
In addition, more than 1,000 people took the online Bike to Work Day pledge with a notable 20% of participants riding to work for the very first time. This also was in tandem with the hundreds of people riding their bikes to McMaster University and Mohawk College on that day.
“As a Smart Commute Workplace member since 2005, the City continues to strive for excellence in the delivery of sustainable mobility programs for its employees and member employers. We know our residents, and our staff, want sustainable options for their daily commute to work. We are doing our best to deliver those options,” said Jason Thorne, General Manager, Planning and Economic Development, City of Hamilton.
The SCH also piloted a new and innovative Commuter Rewards Program and supported their overall work with a new Smart Commute Committee. They also delivered a record-breaking SoBi (Social Bikes) Hamilton Bike ShareRiding Day in 2018. The Program at the City sets a positive example for other employers throughout the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area. The City made significant investments to support the program by providing funding and human resources to operate the workplace program. Other supports include providing cycling and transit infrastructure to help support the actual physical commute to work.