Can a Chatty Commute Make you Happier?

Written by Judy Bortman

Often my car radio is tuned to NPR (National Public Radio). A few days ago I heard an interview during morning drive time that presented a paradoxical idea. A university researcher was sharing his findings about communication between commuters.

The study found that talking to strangers on public transit made people happier and even healthier. I thought the topic was intriguing, especially because it contradicted what Mom had always said about not talking to strangers.

It turns out that keeping to ourselves on the bus or train may not be serving us well after all. It’s a social contradiction. According to Nicholas Epley and a PhD student, Juliana Schroeder, from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, striking up a conversation with a stranger gave lonely commuters a boost in happiness.

A Recent Commuter Study: An experiment in Chicago randomly assigned train and bus riders to either talk to the stranger next to them or commute quietly. The Result: Even for introverts, silence leaves you sadder. 

Epley and Booth found that people were much happier when talking to the commuter sitting next to them. In fact, they found that the other person was also happier.

Additionally, their research revealed that people misinterpreted the silence of fellow-commuters as “not wanting to talk.” It was a misguided cue interpreted as wanting to be left alone.

Epley and Booth urged commuters to be brave and start a conversation with a fellow commuter who may be just as eager for human communication. You can listen to the entire interview at NPR.org.

Do you prefer a "quiet commute?"
 
Some commuters really want to be left alone. They just want to "chill" during their ride to or from work and choose to refrain from conversation or even from using their cell phone.

If you prefer to read, work or just relax during your commute, seek out the Quiet Commute Car option that’s available on a growing number of NJ Transit trains.

"We heard from our customers that they want to enjoy the benefits of Quiet Commute cars on trains during off-peak hours in addition to peak periods, and we are taking action based directly on their recommendations," said Executive Director Veronique Hakim in a recent press release. "We want our customers to know that their feedback will continue to be the driving force behind NJ TRANSIT’s ongoing efforts to improve their overall experience on our system."

Learn more about Quiet Commute cars on NJ Transit Northeast Corridor trains.

If you’re seated next to a stranger on the train or a bus, would you start talking?

For me, it’s a personal preference. I’d trust my intuition and how I interpret the body language of the person sitting next to me. If he or she is actively involved in reading or has their head down and eyes focused on their smartphone, I’d leave them alone and respect their commuter “timeout.”

If they’re looking around or staring out the window, I’d give conversation a try. After all, research has confirmed that talking to “our neighbor” on the train or bus can make us happier. And who doesn’t want to be happier!

What would you do?

Planning to Retire? Add Transit to Your Checklist

Written by Judy Bortman

We’ve heard the phase, “Location, location, location,” when scouting for places to buy or rent a home.  It’s now the mantra for the millions of seniors who are retiring, downsizing and selling the family home. They’re leaving the suburbs where driving was the only way to get around and migrating to the city where walkable neighborhoods and public transit abound.

Why this seismic shift?  Several factors are intersecting:

Americans are living longer:
According to Business Insider, the 65-74 age group is 10 times larger than in 1900 and the 85+ age group is 40 times larger.  Centenarians, people who are 100 years of age or older, is a word you’ll hear popping up more often in the coming years. There’s even a selection of Hallmark cards to celebrate that landmark birthday.

U.S. Census data from 2010 reveals that there are about 50,000 people over 100 in the United States, almost three times as many as there were in 1980.

Boomer Power:
Baby boomers, people born from 1946 to 1964, are retiring in droves. It’s estimated that 10,000 “boomers” in the United States are turning 65 every day until the year 2030.  The volume of this demographic wields tremendous social and economic clout as children of the 1960s continue to be trend-setters.  They’re leading the march from the suburbs to the cities.

Giving up the keys is a large part of the equation:
Many seniors want to stay active physically and mentally.  This means going out of the house, taking classes, doing volunteer work, getting together with friends and scheduling appointments.

Moving to a city or senior-friendly community can enhance the quality

of life for seniors who are no longer able to drive.  They can walk or take public transit

to appointments and activities that support their mental and physical well-being.

If you live in the suburbs most, if not all, of these activities require transportation which means driving by yourself.  Once a suburban senior no longer drives, they are isolated from activities, friends and are frequently challenged to get around to appointments and services. By living in cities, seniors can walk or take public transit, become “carfree” and still continue their lifestyle.

An excellent article about incorporating transportation into retirement planning, When Planning for Retirement, Consider Transportation, appeared recently in the New York Times.

It cites the American Journal of Public Health which states that Americans are outliving their ability to drive, on average 10 years for a woman and seven years for a man, and offers ideas to help incorporate transportation into retirement planning.

Is My Location Walkable?

Seniors who are researching places to move can get a snapshot of shops, services and transit in the neighborhood by checking the Walk Score for an address and measure its walkability.


The higher the Walk Score number on a scale from 0 to 100, the more you are able to walk to shops, services, recreation or connect to transit.

I wanted to try Walk Score so I looked up the walkability of the TransOptions office at 2 Ridgedale Avenue in Cedar Knolls . Our score is 29, on the low side, which means (as I already knew) that most errands require a car.
                                                             
If you scroll down on Walk Score page for the location you’ve entered, you’ll find public transit options including the route numbers for the local NJ TRANSIT buses that stop by our office.  This free site is a great place to start exploring “walkable communities” anywhere in the United States.

Change is a Challenge for most seniors
One of the programs I give at senior groups is called, Retiring from Driving: A Kinder Way to Give Up the Keys.  I address a “tough topic” - the normal, physical decline that happens with aging and how it impacts and limits seniors’ driving ability and safety.

Many seniors have told me that they feel uncomfortable driving at night, on highways, in rush hour traffic and during inclement weather. Most of these seniors are living in the suburbs, in the same home where they’ve lived for 40 years and raised their children.  They’re reluctant to change their residence or their transit routine because they don’t want to give up the keys and lose their independence.

There will come a time when change is inevitable, when the physical responsibilities of suburban homeownership become challenging or even overwhelming including cutting the grass in summer, raking leaves in the fall and shoveling snow in winter.  At this turning point the maintenance, time and cost of keeping upkeep of house make it a burden rather than a joy.

Perhaps then they’ll have to decide if it’s time for a change and at that point, may consider moving from the suburbs to the city.  Some seniors will decide to age in place and find people to assist with home maintenance.  Others will realize that it’s time to explore options that include selling the family home, cashing in on their investment and relocating to an apartment, condo or senior community where someone else handles the maintenance.

Seniors who decide to move to a city or walkable community may not even realize that walking to activities and taking public transit can add years to their lives.  By walking to shops, appointments and services, seniors are stretching their minds as well as their physical beings. Living in a city can even help them live longer. Perhaps they’re on the path be becoming centenarians!

Cherishing and Creating Holiday Traditions

Written by Judy Bortman

It’s almost Thanksgiving. Suddenly life has ratcheted up. The season for holidays, traditions, traffic congestion and guilt-free eating is officially underway!

 

Throngs of travelers on the roads and last-minute shoppers crowding the supermarkets remind us that this is a hectic, fast-paced holiday. We hope you eke out a moment to pause, enjoy and savor time with family and friends. It’s what Hallmark calls, “priceless.”

Where feasible, try taking public transit to family celebrations, gatherings with friends and holiday events. Riding the bus or train is a safe, sane, stress-reducing and hands-free way to travel, especially during peak travel times and inclement weather.

Online resources and smartphone applications help seasoned commuters as well as occasional public transit riders plan their route and reduce their stress. Here are some tips to get you started:

• The New Jersey Transit website has bus and train schedules as well as a point-to-point Trip Planner to help you find a specific route, options and schedules.


• MyBus provides online access to bus information for more than 19,000 bus stops

Using public transit to take a break from holiday traffic is one way to “push the pause” button during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Park & Ride Lots located throughout the state are an ideal place to connect to public transit or meet friends and family to share a ride. Some lots offer free parking while others charge a nominal fee or require a permit. You can find Park & Ride lots in northwest New Jersey with the Map It page on our website.

While growing up, Thanksgiving Day was all about family and food. The holiday ritual began by getting dressed in a “party outfit” and traveling to Grandma’s house. (Yes, I really did go “over the river and through the woods” to get there because Garden State Parkway Exit 102 didn’t exist then). We’d see relatives that lived far away, get caught up on family happenings and hear childhood stories related (once again) by Uncle Alvin or Aunt Eleanor.

Eating lingered throughout the day starting at a buffet table of appetizers, moving to the dining room table for carving the “bird” and passing a host of side dishes. The feast was topped off with a plethora of desserts. Who can have just one?

On Thanksgiving Day it was okay to have whipped cream on your slice of pumpkin pie and to try the pecan pie, too. No guilt. It was family time. We’d always joke that calories didn’t count.

After pitching in to help with the dishes, everyone would settle themselves in the living room to overcome a carbohydrate-induced food coma. Of course we all knew that would happen. Conversation lingered into the evening until it was time to collect our “care package” of leftovers and head home feeling content and satisfied. Such was our Thanksgiving Day tradition.

Whatever way you travel to spend Thanksgiving Day, consider hitting the “pause button” for a few minutes to reflect on what you’re thankful for. Perhaps that “time out” moment will become your new Thanksgiving Day tradition.

Enjoy and travel safely! Happy Thanksgiving Day from TransOptions.

What's Up with Gas Prices? They're Down!

Written by Judy Bortman

Have you recently had sticker shock (in a good way) when you pull up to the pump? Gas is under $3 per gallon nationally and under $2.60 at many northwest New Jersey stations!

What's up? Why are prices dropping? Does why matter? When it comes to gas prices, I’m probably not going out on a limb by saying that lower cost per gallon is what most motorists care about followed by how long will these prices last.

In September the national average price for gas was $3.41 per gallon; this week it's $2.91 per gallon. Gasbuddy.com found $2.756 was the average price of gas in New Jersey as of November 10, 2014.

You might say that lower gas prices are a consumer-perfect storm resulting from a convergence of favorable conditions.

The combination of factors at play are leaving Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service "a little bit shocked." Global demand for gas has slowed its rise, new U.S. sources of oil are being tapped, and crude oil is flowing from the Middle East. Kloza estimates that gas prices will remain unusually low amid weak global demand.

A combination of low demand, increased gas supplies and the switch to less expensive winter-blend gasoline has played a role in the price drop, according to AAA MidAtlantic spokesperson Tracy Noble.

What makes up the cost per gallon? 

 

Have you ever wondered how the price of a gallon of gas is determined? There are four main components of the retail price; approximate percentages are:

• 13% Taxes
• 10% Distribution, Marketing, Retail Costs and Profits
• 14% Refining Costs and Profits
• 64% Crude Oil

NOTE: The cost of crude oil as part of the retail price varies over time and among regions of the country.
For example, on July 24, 2014, refiners paid an average of about $104 per barrel of crude oil, or about $2.47 per gallon; the cost has since declined.

Click the map to see gas tax rates nationwide

One of the factors contributing to lower gas prices is reduced demand. Commuters choosing transit options are helping to lower the amount of gas they use by sharing a ride, using public transit, riding a bicycle and/or walking to work, part if not all of the way.

Teleworking also contributes to reduced gas consumption. A growing number of commuters are using technology that enables them to telework on a regular basis. According to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com, the growth of teleworking seen in American Community Survey data from 2012, varied widely within different sectors of the workforce.

• Federal employees = 421.0% growth (A jump in growth to 433% occurred between 2005 and 2006, the year of Hurricane Katrina; it has actually declined in subsequent years)
• State government employees = 122.1% growth
• Not-for-profit employees = 87.6% growth
• For profit employees = 70.4%
• Local government employees = 62.3%

The cost of a gallon of gas is something that we don’t personally control; it will continue to fall or rise depending on the interplay of economic factors. What we can control is how much gas we use or don’t use.

If you’d like to learn more about what drives U.S. gas prices visit EIA.gov website for the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

To find or start a carpool or vanpool, learn about public transit routes, find a local Park & Ride lot or rent a bike locker at one of the Morris County train stations, visit TransOptions.org or call us at (973) 267-7600.

It's a Tough Task to Drive Distraction-Free

Written by Laura Cerutti

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released the second part of a long-term study to evaluate the use of hands-free calling systems and how these “safety” features relate to distracted driving. Contrary to the public’s popular belief that driving while using hands-free voice features eliminates risk, the study actually found that hands-free devices are just as dangerous as driving while using a handheld cellphone.

More and more drivers have turned to hands-free calling features with the belief that they are a safer alternative. If their eyes are on road and hands are on the wheel, then what danger could there be? Yes, hands-free does reduce visual and manual distractions associated with cellphone use while driving but cognitive distractions persist.

Cognitive distraction occurs when our focus shifts away from the primary task of driving to attend to another like having a conversation on your car’s speakerphone. We think our full attention is on the road just because we are looking it at, but we are not actually processing what we are seeing.

This “looking without seeing” is known as inattention blindness. While our mind is elsewhere as we proceed down the road, our visual scanning decreases and our reaction time is impaired. If a pedestrian were to run out in front of us while we are driving and talking via Bluetooth, we may not process the danger and react quick enough to slam on the brakes. And when operating a vehicle, sometimes a fraction of a second is the difference between life and death.

We have known for a while that driving with a phone pressed to our ear is dangerous and texting while driving is even more ludicrous. Now we know hands-free is not risk-free either. This all got me thinking, what is it about driving that makes us want to engage in a phone conversation?

I think that when we spend so much time alone in our cars that we start to feel isolated, especially for those who have long commutes to work and deal with daily traffic nightmares.  On these long monotonous rides, we look for something to occupy or mind and relieve loneliness, so what do we do? We press a button and tell our car’s voice-command system to place a call.

It is a backwards concept to think that driving is our downtime and we need to find something to pass the time behind the wheel. I have a friend that told me she regularly uses her 45-minute commute home from work to call friends and family members to catch up. She also disclosed that driving home is the only time she has during the day to place these personal phone calls and maintain connections with people who are important her.

It seems that driving has become second nature to so many of us over the years that we think we are able to multi-task behind the wheel. But juggling cellphone use while driving has proved to have tragic consequences. We may believe that we are skilled multitaskers, but in reality it is impossible for the human brain to efficiently carry out more than one task at a time.

Talking and driving are drawn from two different regions of the brain, and when we combine both tasks at one time, they have to compete for our mind’s attention and focus. Our mental workload only goes so far, and instead of multi-tasking we rapidly switch back and forth between tasks and are unable to carry out both talking and driving as thoroughly as we think.

I also firmly believe we have become very addicted to technology, mainly our cellphones. Today, 90% of American adults own a cellphone and 58% of those cellphones are smartphones. Now compare that to way back when in 1996 where only 14% of people had cellphone subscriptions. These so-called “smart” mobile devices allow us to connect socially and access information instantly from almost anywhere, and our cars are no exception.

According to a study published by the Journal of Behavioral Addiction, cellphone dependency has been categorized along with gambling and shopping as a behavioral addiction, which is defined as the “the compulsion to repeat a behavior despite its negative impact on one’s well-being”. We know that distracted driving is dangerous but the gratification we receive from instant social connection causes us to jeopardize our safety for our phones.

Car manufacturers are perpetuating our compulsion to communicate with the outside world while driving by including hands-free/voice-activated systems and marketing them as “safety” features that come standard in all new models. The idea of pressing a button on the steering wheel and commanding these systems to make a phone call would seem like a simple task. AAA found that the majority of these voice-command systems are full of errors and inaccuracies making them a less safe option even though consumers are led to believe otherwise. For example, when telling the system to “call home” and it calls your work phone instead, your mind enters into a full-on state of distraction as it works to correct the mistake immediately.

According to the CDC, 9 people are killed and 1,153 are injured everyday as a result of cellphone use while driving. So far 44 states have banned texting and driving while 12 states, including New Jersey, have banned all handheld cellphone use while driving. The only group that has hands-free device restrictions is new drivers under the GDL.

For now, more experienced drivers are able to use hands-free devices with no legal consequence. As more research is being conducted on the impacts of hands-free while driving, the next step may be to outlaw these systems as well. The real work would also need to come from individual drivers to learn to be comfortable alone in the car and resisting the temptation to multi-task while driving.

Why Carpool? It's more than just the cost of gas!

Written by Judy Bortman

TransOptions just concluded TripSwitch, a three-week challenge that encouraged motorists to "switch" a solo car ride for one that's smarter.

We developed this free, short-term campaign to motivate commuters to try an energy-efficient or shared ride to work. The idea was to walk, bike or carpool to your destination instead of driving alone. Participants could also combine modes for their trips such as walking or riding a bike to a train station or bus stop.

As if a smarter ride was not incentive enough, we sweetened the challenge with awards and raffle prizes. Participants had multiple chances to qualify to win an array of prizes including an iPod Shuffle and Yurbuds headphones, a FitBit, a solar recharging kit and a number of gift cards ranging from $75 to $250.

It has been said that, "timing is everything." Some months ago when we started planning TripSwitch, motorists were paying about $3.35 per gallon for regular gas. We believed that “switching” to a smarter ride would also lower the cost of commuting even more by saving money on fuel.

About three weeks ago, ironically right around the time TripSwitch started, gas prices started coming down. A gallon of regular gas currently sells for less than $2.90 in many northwest New Jersey towns. What timing!

At TransOptions employer and community events, I regularly ask current and prospective carpool riders why they decide to share a ride. Gas prices are definitely a large part of the equation. About five or six years ago when the price of a gallon of gas hovered around $4.00, our phone was ringing off the hook with people wanting to start carpooling.

Now that gas prices are $1.00+ per gallon lower, carpool riders have told us that they have additional reasons to carpool. Their replies to the question, "Why do you carpool?" consistently reveal that quality of life issues and the overall cost of commuting are also part of the equation.

What collectively matters most is:

• Saving money by sharing commuting costs
• Vehicle wear and tear
• Employer perks (preferred parking, financial incentives)
• Emergency Ride Home (registered carpool riders can receive a free ride home from TransOptions up to twice a year should an emergency arise)
• Camaraderie

I decided to reach out to several carpooling TripSwitch participants to learn what motivated them to share a ride and see if the quality of life hypothesis held up.

"Saving money on gas and reducing wear and tear on my vehicle," was the identical response from three carpoolers; one sought to help the environment.

When asked how frequently they carpool, Tom G. (28 carpool trips totaling 1,120 miles) replied, "every work day if possible."

Helen T. (34 carpool trips totaling 1,034 miles) and Laura P. (20 carpool trips totaling 1,000 miles) also carpool five days a week. For Sonya T. (18 carpool trips totaling 540 miles), three to four days is typical but when feasible, she will share the ride all five workdays.

Were these carpoolers new rideshare recruits or veteran venturers?

"I've been carpooling for 14 years," shared Laura. "About thirteen years," said Tom. Helen and Sonya were the newbies that I talked to, only having carpooled for two years and one year respectively.

"Camaraderie" was also a motivation for rideshare veteran Laura. We then turned to the subject of difficulties or obstacles to their carpooling and how they were handled.

We "worked through any difficulties, and every once in a while, one of us needs to leave and we have taken advantage of the free (emergency) ride home" said Tom.

Similar experiences were shared by the other responders. "The biggest difficulty is the last-minute change of plans," shared Helen.

Laura highlighted the problem of not "meeting on time." Their carpool group faced the issue of "one person needing to leave work early or stay late."

Sonya expressed similar concerns. "A few times one of us has ended up waiting for the other and a few times I had to find another ride home," she said. "Once and only once I used the 'free ride' when I just couldn't get a ride (home)."

Distance from work appears to be a strong motivator for carpool riders I've talked to. Helen, for example, lives 60 miles (one-way) from her office.

That being said, carpooling encompasses aspects beyond mileage, gas prices and vehicle wear and tear. It's also about quality of life and connecting with other people in person. Sharing a ride means the opportunity to share today's news, discuss the weather, check Traffic Alerts and not have to experience traffic delays alone.

Sharing a ride can be a time to wind up for the day, wind down at the end of the day and, if you choose, have continuity about family events and milestones.

With daylight savings ending and winter on the horizon, perhaps you, too, will be motivated to try carpooling and have company for the way home on those dark, cold weeknights.

Is this the year you'll switch your trip?

Our appreciation to all who participated in TripSwitch. Special thanks to Helen T., Laura P., Sonya T. and Tom G. for contributing to this post by sharing their carpool insights and experiences.

Six Must-Have Mobility Apps

Written by Daniel Callas

These free transportation and travel apps will give you all the tools you need to better plan your trips, avoid delays and take advantage of mass transit options. If you don’t already have them ready to go on your phone, give them a shot and see what you’ve been missing. Have any favorites you don’t see here? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

1. Google Maps
(Google Play) (App Store)

This one should really go without saying. Google has the financial strength to outmatch the competitors and it does just that. Maps has gone through several iterations over the years, and with the somewhat-recent acquisition of Waze (check it out, it’s also a good app on its own) and the gradual rollout of Waze’s features, Google continues to provide travelers with a powerful tool to get where they’re going by bike, walk, transit or car and avoid delays in the process.

2. Ridescout
(Google Play) (App Store)

While it’s still expanding, Ridescout is far and away the up-and-comer on the circuit. Aiming to serve as a one-stop-shop for getting around, there’s no doubt this one will gain traction among the less-car-reliant millennial generation. Ridescout allows you to enter in your starting point and destination and will then give you all the options of travel, from Uber and cabs to mass transit and bike share. And it all comes with a time estimate and cost breakdown.

3. Uber
(Google Play) (App Store)

Despite the controversy, Uber is forging ahead, and for good reason. The taxi alternative offers passengers a clean and convenient ride around town, and because drivers use their own vehicles, they can offer the service at a reduced cost from traditional cab companies. Check out our post Tech Innovation Targets Transportation for more on Uber and the battle over rideshare.

4. Transit App
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you only get one mass transit app for your phone, you’d better make it the oh-so-cleverly-named Transit App. Simply enter in your start and end points for your trip, and see what’s available and what your travel itinerary would look like. The app also includes real-time NJ Transit bus information for you to plan your own trip.

5. NJ TRANSIT MyTix
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you only get two mass transit apps for your phone, be sure to grab NJ TRANSIT’s MyTix. MyTix allows you to buy rail tickets and passes at any time and display them from your phone when you’re riding any one of NJT’s trains. Bus tickets can also be purchased through the app for NJT’s southern region. The app allows you to store two credit cards to allow for easy payment when you're on the move.

6. Best Parking
(Google Play) (App Store)

If you’re going to be doing any city driving, this app’s for you. The other apps can get you there, but with Best Parking, you'll be able to find the best garage and lot rates around you all while avoiding circling the block a dozen times looking for a better option. With 105 supported cities you’ll be good to go almost any time you travel.

Keeping Us Safe With Fall Colors

Written by Judy Bortman


There’s something about fall that grabs our attention and stimulates our senses. Is it the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes? The taste of fresh-picked apples? Or the evolving palette of orange we see while walking, biking or driving?

As nature transforms trees in the fall, they morph from a not-being-noticed shade of green to varying shades of red and orange, beckoning us to stop and stare. The trees shout “look at me” before shedding their leaves and, like us, hunkering down for the winter.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve associated orange with fall, pumpkins, and most recently as a safety advocate, a color that helps you stand out and be seen. Orange wasn’t my favorite color in the big box of crayons, but it always got a workout around Halloween.

Besides being a visually beautiful time of year, fall is when daylight hours start to dwindle. It gets dark earlier (groan) making it harder for motorists to see people walking and biking. During fall, we would be wise to take a cue from Mother Nature and don bright-colored clothing so that we, too, are noticed.

It’s hard not to notice the trees and their changing colors, each transitioning at their own pace. In my neighborhood (pictured above), maple trees are leading the fall color parade and adorn the path where I like to walk. It’s as if I’ve gone from watching a black and white movie to a free colorized version overnight.

Oscar Wilde has said that “Life imitates art...” Like fall leaves, orange and bright neon colors are popping up in many products and cultural phenomenon. Of course, thanks to the recent television hit, we all know “Orange is the New Black.”

Walk into any store that sells athletic shoes or apparel. It’s obvious that reflective and neon colors have made their way into merchandising. Just like the bright colors of fall trees, they stand out and for a good reason. They help keep us safe.

A recent and innovative way that life and Mother Nature are imitating art is a company called Glowing Plant. This San Francisco start-up is using genetic engineering to create plants that literally glow.

The goal of Glowing Plants is to provide a sustainable light source and in the process provide a new way that color can help keep us safe. Imagine walking, biking or driving down a dark road that’s illuminated by trees!

The first glowing or bioluminescent plant was made in 1986. Changes in genetic engineering and funding from a recent Kickstarter campaign have quite literally “lit” the way to a brighter future.

According to Glowing Plant, there is potential in using nature as a sustainable energy source that can illuminate and replace expensive street lights.

Take a cue from Mother Nature and Glowing Trees; wear bright or reflective clothing. It will help you be noticed while walking and biking especially now as daylight hours are dwindling. Being seen helps you stay safe.

And there's good reason for all of these oranges and yellows! As we continue to be blanketed in orange thanks to the changing leaves, pumpkins and mums, we remember that as kids we learned that orange comes from mixing red and yellow; so does its meaning.

It's no accident that our signage, signals and emergency vehicles use a variety or reds, yellows and oranges in their color schemes.

Colors have their own meanings and evoke specific feelings and responses without us even knowing it. Traffic lights are an example of color association. We see green and think “go,” see yellow and start to “slow down, approach with caution and prepare to stop” and know that red means “stop.”

This color signal system first started for railways and was then implemented on roads.

Remember that wearing bright or reflective colors helps you to be seen and stay safe. Enjoy being outside during fall and marvel at Mother Nature’s color palette as it evolves during the next few weeks. It’s the best free show in town!

Embracing Challenge

Written by Judy Bortman

When you hear the word "challenge," how do you react? Are you eager to learn more and participate? Or does the word "challenge" make you want to run in the opposite direction?

Deciding whether to participate in a challenge is a timely topic that popped into my mind as we prepare to introduce TripSwitch, a free, short-term campaign encouraging people to switch their solo drive for a trip by walking, biking or carpooling. In addition to the sustainable benefits, all participants become eligible for a number of great prizes.

While preparing TripSwitch marketing materials, several questions came to mind:

• Do people ever change from being challenge-phobic to challenge-friendly?
• Would chances to win great prizes and the excitement of competition incent people to modify their behavior for a few days and “switch” to a trip by walking, biking or carpooling?
• Is altering your commute or mode of transportation too challenging? How could I motivate participation? Would naysayers even consider taking part?
• Are people who live in cities more likely to participate because they have access to a train station or bus stop?
• Does the type of challenge matter? Is a test of physical strength appealing to some while a Jeopardy-style trivia game attracts others?

There are two kinds of people...

I kept coming up with questions faster than I could find or figure out answers. It's my belief that people fall into two distinct camps on some matters, such as those who like anchovies on their pizza and those who don't.

Likewise, I suspect that there are people who like to participate in a challenge and those who prefer to stay away. You can’t do either half-heartedly. Either you participate in a challenge or you don't.

A person switching even a few trips would still be considered a TripSwitch participant and eligible to win prizes. I decided to research successful and noteworthy challenges as a Yoda-like way to understand their appeal, discover how to reach people and apply those insights to TripSwich marketing.

A recent, very visible and popular challenge came to mind. The Ice Bucket Challenge to benefit the ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) Association took the nation by storm thanks to social media. It attracted celebrities and professional athletes as well as everyday folks who endured being doused with a bucketful of ice water in order to raise awareness (and money!) for a worthy cause.

Note: The Ice Bucket Challenge lives on as a Halloween costume.

Nominating a minimum of three people to take the Ice Bucket Challenge was a component that kept the effort going through the late summer. As a result of the Ice Bucket Challenge the ALS Association increased awareness of its mission and received over $100 million in donations from over 700,000 new donors.

So why did the Ice Bucket Challenge catch on? Several reasons, I believe:

• Good timing - It took place during the summer.
• Short duration – The challenge itself took seconds, with just a bit more time for preparation and social media posting.
• Flexible - Participants could choose where and when they were doused and plan accordingly.
• Challenging only yourself – It was a challenge, not a competition. People challenged themselves - to be dunked or not to be dunked. For most, it was a new experience.
• Helping a cause - Increasing awareness of ALS and generating donations made people feel good which overshadowed a momentary chill.
• Boasting rights – Sharing your video on social media was tangible proof of your personal accomplishment and the reward for an act of kindness.

With a nod to Yoda, I saw parallels for The TripSwitch Challenge and motivating people “to do” not just “try”:

• Good timing – TripSwitch is taking place during October, ideal walking and biking weather.
• Short duration – It lasts only 21 days, from October 6th to 26th.
• Flexible - Participants can choose how, were and when they switch their trip.
• Challenging only yourself – Everyone who participates is a winner. People challenge themselves by taking a different mode of travel and feel good about their accomplishment. The more they switch the more chances to win prizes.
• Helping a cause – Improving the air we breathe and reducing traffic congestion are ways that TripSwitch participation helps sustainability.
• Boasting rights – Sharing your TripSwitch ride on our GoForGood Challenge site and sharing on social media is tangible proof of your personal accomplishment as well as an intrinsic reward.
• Increasing awareness – Participating in TripSwitch increases awareness of trip options and hopefully inspires participants to continue walking, biking or carpooling after the Challenge concludes.

 

Whether you prefer to embrace or avoid challenge, TripSwitch is a safe way to step outside your comfort zone. Plus it’s flexible, sustainable, will make you feel good about yourself and it’s free!

TripSwitch is now underway at GoForGood.TransOptions.org, but you can register at any time. We hope you'll join us!

What Employees Want

Written by Anne Adier-Vivino

Is traffic congestion in New Jersey impacting a business's ability to find and keep the talent they desire? For businesses located in the "burbs" of New Jersey, finding and retaining new and upcoming talent could pose more of a challenge as the millennial generation wants to be less reliant on cars and desire a multi-modal transportation system.

A recent study surveyed people aged 18 to 34 across 10 metro regions with varying levels of transit service. From Chicago to Tampa to Los Angeles, young people reported a preference for places that are walkable and transit-friendly. Four in five respondents reported they would like to live in a city where they could get around without a car. And almost three in four said neighborhoods without transit access were less appealing places to live.

Let's face it, getting into, out of and around New Jersey is taking a lot more time due to congested roadways, and with travel times getting longer, the drive to work can be incredibly stressful. With commuters spending more than an entire workweek delayed in traffic every year, getting to work is a leading frustration for employees.

Even in smaller urban areas, commuting is more of a hassle than ever before and as traffic congestion increases, so does its effect on the quality of life, roads and the environment.

Many consider the commute to work as part of their day and after an hour-plus commute, employees are arriving to work overwhelmed and overstressed. This often results in loss of productivity as well as time off due to stress-related illnesses.

Many employees accept this as the reality of their work life, but should they? And will they continue to do so?

The research tells us a resounding NO. The millennial generation, in particular, say that work life balance is of utmost importance and, truthfully, wouldn't we all like more free time in our day to do with as we please, rather than spending it stuck in traffic? There are simple solutions for businesses that can please employees of all generations.

Regardless of the location, employers can continue to attract new talent and retain current talent without offering pricey benefits. Many companies are turning to commute programs, offering employee incentives and solutions that encourage the use of commute alternatives like ridesharing, shuttles, teleworking, bicycle programs and utilizing NJ Transit.

Through these programs, they are successfully attracting and retaining employees. 

When seeking jobs, potential employees who may have otherwise overlooked the suburban location may find that these types of additional options for travel appealing and therefore expand their job searches. Current employees will be appreciative of opportunities that save them time and money. They will also arrive to work less stressed and ready to start their day.