Smart Trips has just been awarded the Silver Level Award for EPA’s Best Workplaces for Commuters Race to Excellence.

The Race to Excellence nationally recognizes commuter programs that are successful in encouraging commute alternatives and promoting the value of commuter benefits in their respective communities. Smart Trips received the Bronze Level Award in 2005.

Smart Trips was one of twenty-four Network Member programs to be nationally recognized for efforts in commuter benefits promotion at the Association for Commuter Transportation International Conference in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 29. Smart Trips works with employers throughout the East Tennessee non-attainment region to help develop commuter programs for their employees.

These programs encourage employees to use alternative transportation to get to work, such as carpool, vanpool, taking transit, bicycling, walking, or telecommuting. By using alternative transportation, commuters can help to reduce the number of drive-alone miles, which saves them money and helps to lessen air pollution.

Providing commuter benefits helps employers address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention, and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. The Best Workplaces for Commuters program publicly recognizes employers whose commuter benefits reach the National Standard of Excellence.

Participating companies earn the designation "Best Workplaces for Commuters"-a mark of excellence for environmentally and employee-friendly organizations. Several companies in the Knoxville area are working towards earning the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation.

Two Knoxville area employers have earned the Best Workplaces Designation - the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Knoxville-Knox County Metropolitan Planning Commission - for providing and promoting commuter benefits to their employees.