Nashville Connector received a Transportation Sustainability Award yesterday at the fifth annual Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Forum and Expo, a joint effort of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
"Congratulations to the Nashville Connector team, and to all the employers that signed onto the Commuter Challenge," said Mayor John Cooper. "By shifting rush-hour drive-along trips to other modes, we can have a huge impact on reducing traffic congestion and improving quality-of-life for employees. I look forward to expanding employer participation in this program so we can further reduce drive-along trips as Nashville grows."
Nashville Connector, Metro's transportation demand management program within the Metro Planning Department, was recognized for their pioneering commuter challenge which encouraged businesses and employees to avoid solo vehicle trips and utilize different transportation options that included carpooling, riding a bike or scooter, taking public transit, walking to work, or working from home.
Miranda Clements, program manager for Nashville Connector, expressed her gratitude for the award, saying "we are all thankful for the recognition from TDOT and TDEC for our team's work on this important project, but we couldn't be successful without the support and participation of so many of Nashville's business and civic leaders."
Nashville Connector has led two successful Commuter Challenges since the launch of the program in October of 2018 with over 40 employers and 1,500 individuals participating -- resulting in 8,700 trips where someone didn't drive alone. Nashville Connector is currently working with a number of employers to develop and implement formal transportation management programs, and has made bike racks available to make bicycle commuting more convenient.
"I couldn't be prouder of the work of the Nashville Connector team for making a real-world impact on our sustainability and traffic challenges," said Lucy Kempf, director of the Metro Planning Department. "In addition to providing more transit options, we must change commuter habits if we are going to be successful in tackling traffic issues. Nashville Connector is leading the way in making that change a reality."
