Before the Challenge (early-mid April)

Send an email about the Challenge and Challenge calendar to staff. (See sample email templates here.) Print copies or poster versions of the Challenge calendar for the lobby, internal or public communication screens, etc.

Among the messages key to ensuring maximum participation are the following:

1. The Challenge is open to all commuters, regardless of the way they commute!
2. Participation involves simply logging one day's commute during the week of Walk/Ride Day, the last Friday of every month.
3. Everyone who logs a commute is eligible for rewards by local retailers and in the online monthly raffle.
4. A workplace's standing on the Leaderboard is based first on overall participation. Employers can also be recognized for staff adding more activity to their commutes or reducing their emissions. Getting off the T one stop earlier, parking further away from work, driving or carpooling to the commuter rail instead of driving alone all the way to work - these changes all count as more active and/or greener commutes.
5. Walk/Ride Days are also prime opportunities for encouraging staff to talk to colleagues about how they commute, be curious and open minded about alternatives, and learn about the commuter benefits your workplace offers.

During the Challenge

Week before Walk/Ride Day Week

Green Streets will have communicated the raffle items, incentives and events the week before. Use the content from this communication to prepare an email for participants. Some will appreciate the advanced notice so they can plan their Walk/Ride Day commute.

During Walk/Ride day Week

The middle of the week is a great time to remind colleagues to log their commute and share information about the Challenge and the day of awareness. Tabling in the cafeteria or lobby also helps inform colleagues and start conversations about commuting. Green Streets will provide you with mode pins and snacks to enliven the conversations.

Some colleagues may benefit from a tutorial about how to log commutes such as this video produced by Cambridge Health Alliance.

On Walk/Ride Day (last Friday)

Wish colleagues a happy Walk/Ride Day, ask them about their commute that day and enlist colleagues who are passionate about sustainable / active commuting to help. Work with Green Streets to organize an office event - after hours, during the work day - to continue the conversation. Another way to reward and encourage participation is to provide a small incentive to everyone who logs a commute (a Company-branded hat, a T pass, a Green Streets mode pin).

Post-Walk/Ride Day

On the Monday morning following Walk/Ride Day, review your coordinator dashboard to see who has already logged a commute. Consider sending out a reminder email to increase participation. Green Streets will send a reminder to those on our mailing list who have not yet logged a commute.

Over the two weeks after Walk/Ride Day, look at your statistics / leaderboard rank and consider using these in next month's communication to drum up participation / interest. Consider selecting a commuter of the month (using the data from your coordinator dashboard) to include in your internal newsletter.

Typical Green Streets Communications Calendar Per Month

Coordinator Engagement Practices

We surveyed our 2018 coordinators and asked how they engaged participants - including spreading the word and incentivizing staff - in the Challenge