SunRideshareNews-2016-06

June 2016
Take Action to reduce emissions during
Ozone Season
TRPTraining is New,
Improved, and Fun
The most recentTRP training was a success!
More than 25 transportation coordinators at-
tended training in April with our new facilitators
to learn and review the program requirements,
and to learn more about the resources PAG
has to offer, including Guaranteed Ride Home
and the Sun Rideshare matching system. With
brand new facilitators, this session provided a
new level of engagement and fun for allTCs.
There was a follow-up session on June 9,
hosted by SunTran and facilitated by our new
trainers. This was an abbreviated session where
participants left with an action plan for the next
12 months and a network ofTCs from area busi-
nesses that they could call on for new ideas and
guidance. TRP staff plans on offering similar
training sessions in the fall.
Reducing ozone levels this summer could be
key in keeping Pima County in attainment of
the new EPA standard.
From now through September, ground-level
ozone values start to increase in the air we
breathe. In Pima County, motor vehicles are
the largest single source of the emissions
that form ozone. Recent health studies indi-
cate that ground-level ozone is more harm-
ful than previously thought, causing the EPA
to change the National Ambient Air Quality
Standard (NAAQS) for ozone to make it more
protective of public health from 75 parts per
billion (ppb) to 70 ppb in October 2015. As a
result, ozone levels in Pima County are now
very close to violating the new standard.
People most at risk from breathing air
containing unhealthy levels of ozone include
asthmatics, children, older adults, and
people who are active outdoors, especially
outdoor workers.The health effects from
unhealthy levels of ozone can lead to increased
school and work absences, medication use,
visits to doctors and emergency rooms, and
hospital admissions.
There are many ways to reduce the pollutants
that form ozone:
• Drive less and share rides, take
transit, bike, and walk when
possible
• Combine errands into one trip
• Properly inflate tires
• Stop at the click when refueling to
avoid spills
• Refuel after 5 p.m.
• Limit engine idling
• Conserve electricity
Learn more at www.pima.gov/deq.
The winning jeopardy team atTC training.

Many employees would be interested in taking the bus or streetcar, if they
knew what route to take, how to pay and where to get on and off. Sun
Rideshare and SunTran are now offering“Learn to Ride”Workshops to
eliminate the fear and confusion of using the regional transit system.
Two“Learn to RideTransit”workshops were offered this spring for
downtown commuters. Nearly 40 downtown employees learned the basics
of transit: how to plan a transit route, where to buy a transit pass, how
to use the bus and streetcar, and more. After a brief session with lunch,
participants actually took a ride on either the streetcar or a bus and put
what they had learned into action. Everyone received a free day pass to
use after the workshop. In the weeks following the workshops, half of the
attendees responded to a follow up survey stating the workshops were
useful and that they left with more knowledge than they had originally.
Of the 20 respondents, nearly 75% had taken transit (either bus or streetcar)
since the workshop, and 50% planned to take transit within the next week.
Thirty percent planned to use transit for work.
These workshops are especially helpful for employers who are on a bus line and/or are located near otherTRP employers. If you are interested in learning
more about these workshops or would like to host one at your work site, please contact Ruth Reiman,TDM Manager, at rreiman@pagregion.com.
Host a“Learn to Ride”Workshop
Worker disengagement is a serious
problem, Anita Bhappu, Associate
Professor of Family and Consumer
Sciences at the University of Arizona,
suggested at the lastTRPTask Force
Meeting. Of the Americans who hold
full-time jobs, only 30% are engaged and
inspired at work, according to a recent
Gallup Q12 survey. Active disengagement
costs an estimated $450-$550 billion in
lost productivity annually, so employee
engagement is crucial for employers.
One way to encourage engagement
is through peer-to-peer networking.
Individuals can swap and share resources,
rather than simply consuming from a
business. Ridesharing is a form of peer-
to-peer (P2P) sharing.
Companies can use ridesharing and P2P
networks as a strategic way to engage
workers. Individually, rideshare promotes
sustainable consumption, and it builds
connections and relationships among
workers. For the organization, ridesharing
engages millennial workers (who highly
value P2P networks), and it extends
corporate social responsibility to the
employees.
Benefits of Ridesharing on employee engagement
Dr. Bhappu will be conducting two
studies to further research this idea
here in Pima County:
1. Why and how ridesharing is
promoted to employees.
2. Whether rideshare promotion
and/or use enhances employee
engagement.
If you or your company is
interestedinparticipatinginthis
study, please contact Dr. Anita
Bhappu, Associate Professor of
Family & Consumer Sciences
at the University of Arizona, at
(520) 621-5948.
Workshop attendees ride the streetcar.

As theTransit Services and transportation coordinator for the City,
Nicholas Schrerer works closely with SunTran, SunVan, and Sun Link
staff on policy and planning issues.Through this work, he recognized
the need to push information more to City employees, so they are
aware of what transportation options are available.
Coming off an existing employee wellness program at the City
in March and April, Scherer decided to stay in line with the idea
of wellness and physical activity. He created a competition that
rewarded logging walking and biking trips, both active forms of
transportation.
Transportation Coordinator: Nicholas Scherer, City ofTucson
Through Metropia, employees could link to their Sun Rideshare account
and automatically log their carpool trips they recorded in the app, in
addition to manually logging trips at Sunrideshare.org. Participating
employees were given a gift for using a unique promo code to show they
were participating in the May competition.
At the end of the competition, two new and two current Sun Rideshare
registered employees were randomly selected for $25 Amazon gift
cards, in addition to the existing Sun Rideshare Rewards program prizes.
“Providing [additional] incentives for participation in this program has
been a great way to reach new employees and renew interest in those
already enrolled in Sun Rideshare,”he said.
“Finding the best way to reach employees in other departments was the
most challenging part of this program,”Scherer said. Through research
and networking, he was able to share the message in ways he didn’t know
previously existed at the City.
Ultimately, the program was a success, and it helped Scherer in his role
as transportation coordinator, too.“I am glad I did this program before
myTRP survey month because I now know how to more effectively reach
employees. When it comes time to distribute the surveys, employees
will be familiar with theTRP and aware of the alternative modes of
transportation available.”
Nicholas Scherer is not only the
transportation coordinator for the City of
Tucson, but he also lives out his work. He
rides his bike to work every day, with a
round trip commute of four miles.
“The most benefit I get from not driving
is the cost saving; I do not have to pay for
parking downtown, costly repairs, or fuel,”
he said.“I also enjoy the daily exercise of
riding my bike, sometimes I will even ride
home for lunch.”
Challenges for Scherer include accurately
adapting for extreme weather conditions,
and avoiding unfriendly biking terrain, such
as rough roads, train tracks, or broken glass.
But he enjoys these challenges and likes
to find the right gear to overcome them.“I
Commuter Spotlight: Nicholas Scherer, City ofTucson
like the phrase‘There’s no such
thing as bad weather (or roads/
paths), just bad gear’,”he said.
Safety can be a big challenge,
too. Scherer is sure to make
himself very visible using
blinking lights and reflective
materials, and he always rides
on dedicated bike paths or
protected bike lanes.
Ultimately, Scherer
enjoys having a range of
transportation options to
choose from for his trips, and
biking allows him to make his
transportation more affordable
and environmentally friendly.
Nicholas Scherer

TRAVEL REDUCTION PROGRAM (TRP) NEWS:
SunRideshare,aprogramofPimaAssocia-
tionofGovernments,assistsPimaCounty
residentsinfindingaffordable,reliableand
convenienttransportationoptionsfortheir
dailycommutesandpersonaltravelneeds.
1 E. Broadway Blvd., Suite 401
Tucson, AZ 85701 (520) 792-1093 [tel]
SunRideshare.org • PAGregion.com
TRP companies
achieve recognition
awards in March and
April
Sun Rideshare recognizes allTravel
Reduction Program companies for
meeting the 2016TRP goals. Bronze
Awards are given to companies who
meet one goal, Silver Awards for
meeting two goals and Gold Awards
for meeting all three goals.
Costco Kino
Transportation Coordinator –
Bill Coghan
CoWorx
Luz Jacobs
Walmart Houghton 5799
Gail Litton
CAID Industries
LaurieVance
HolmesTuttle Ford
Bonnie Massino
Jim Click Automotive – Auto
Mall
Bonnie Massino
Jim Click Automotive – 22nd
Street
Bonnie Massino
KVOA Communications
GabriellaTrejo
Loew’sVentana Canyon
Resort
Mary Ann Phillips
Lowe’s Home Improvement -
Speedway
Julie Lyon
M3 Engineering
Trish Mallon
Marana Unified School District
Support Sites
Donna DeRuyter
Precision Shooting
Equipment, Inc.
Stacie Boyd
Silver Bell Mining
Debbie McMorrow
SunTran
Dolores Brumit
SunVan
Danny Bennett
Tucson Medical Center
Beth Gilbert
TUSD Morrow Education Center
Vanessa Hernandez
TUSD Pueblo Magnet High
School
Susanna Ugalde-Vazquez
TUSD Rincon/University High
Schools
Juana Ambrose
TUSD Sahuaro High School
Sarah Genung
TUSDTransportation
Martha Zamora
TUSDTucson High Magnet
School
Carlos Armendariz
Walmart Broadway 3884
Stan Simmons
Walmart Marana 5031
Robert Dominquez
WalmartWetmore 1325
JoyceVarner
Cyclovia and Earth
Day draw huge
crowds despite
the weather
Despite the rain, Cyclovia and
Earth Day were a huge success!
Thousands of bikers and walkers
came out to learn about Sun
Rideshare and other PAG programs.
They were able to visit the other
exhibitors and the neighborhoods
along the route, and participate in
all the activities.
Rideshare booth at Earth Day.
TRPTaskForce
ThenextTRPTask
Forcemeetingwill
beheldonJuly19,
at10a.m.,at1E.
BroadwayBlvd.,
Suite401.

SunRideshareNews-2016-06

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