A message from Judge Sarah Eckhardt
Traffic is terrible and the tolls are high. Traffic congestion leads to air pollution, frustrated employees and lost time. More people move to Central Texas every day -- new roads and bus routes cannot be built overnight and cannot keep up with the demand.
We need a new way of thinking in order to move from here to there, with a focus on moving people, not cars. That is why on May, 11, 2016, I am asking all county employees to participate in the “Austin Don’t Rush” challenge initiative. On that day, I encourage employees to find a way to work that avoids rush hour traffic. You can bike, walk, carpool, take public transportation, telework (with management approval) or work flex hours (shift your normal work hours to earlier or later to avoid rush hour traffic).
I challenge all employees to actively participate in this initiative and complete a three-question survey on May 12th about your commute. The Travis County Department with the most participants will be recognized at Commissioners Court on May 17th. We must all work together to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.
Tips
PLAN AROUND RUSH HOUR: Peak Drive Times to avoid - 7-9am (arrive outside these times) and 4-6pm (depart outside these times). Note: For your maximum comfort, if you have the additional flexibility you will have greater odds of more tolerable congestion if you arrive outside the hours of 7-9:30am and depart outside 4-7pm.
Share pics and stories about your alternative commute on social media. Use #Austin Don't Rush #ATXTraffic #YearOfMobility #DOTSmartCity
For more tips visit Austin Don't Rush.com
Offers for Commuters
Many businesses are offering options to make it easier for you to find an alternative commute. Below is a list of specific offers for commuters.
Capital Metro
Free service all day on all CapMetro buses, trains and MetroAccess services.
CARTS
CARTS (Capital Area Rural Transportation Service) is offering free service all day May 11th on their 9 regional commuter services routes and their fixed route bus services in Bastrop and San Marcos. http://www.ridecarts.com/
Metropia
Bonus to qualified app users on 5/11 who Flex (travel outside 7-9am and 4-6pm) and/or DUO carpool feature.
Sponsoring a contest for app users (using promo code ADR2016) for users 5/11 who sign up for the contest to win a traffic relief kit (goodies, gift cards valuing $100 and 1000 points).
ZipCar
Anyone that signs up to become a Zipcar member between now and May 11 by going to zipcar.com/atxcommutechallenge can join for $15, and we’ll also include $25 of driving credit to help get you started.
Car2go
In preparation for “Austin Don’t Rush” go to car2go and use promo code C2G15 and get FREE registration (regularly $35) and 15 FREE drive time minutes. Allow 2-4 days for membership activation.
Austin B-cycle
The $8 access fee for its 24-hour “Walkup” access is being waived. That means residents can go up to any Austin B-cycle station on May 11 and enter promo code 051116 for 24 hours of bike-share system access at no charge.
Elliott McFadden, Executive Director of Austin B-cycle, said, “In addition, everyone who rides Austin B-cycle with our Austin, Don’t Rush code on May 11 will get an additional month of Austin B-cycle at no charge so they can keep reducing traffic with our fun, fast service.” According to a press release, to receive the free Local30 membership, opt-in for text messaging on your Walkup pass and a promo code will be texted to you within 24 hours.
Bike Trails
Free as always! Map out your bike route from home to work. Don’t forget to follow these safety tips.
Toolkit
Posters
