TART recently received notice that the Michigan Energy Office will partially fund the 2005 event. Smart Commute Week is a week-long event to get people to consider alternative ways to get to work. Smart commuting includes bicycling, walking, carpooling or taking BATA, our area bus service. The $6,000 grant from the Energy Office will fund a Bicycle Commuting Class and a Smart Commute “Cook Book”

Bicycle Commuting Class
During the Smart Commute 2004 event, we conducted a survey on Barriers to Smart Commuting. From that survey, 50% of the 270 respondents said that ‘heavy auto traffic’ is a barrier that prohibits biking. We think that there is significant demand to offer education to those who want to bike to work but aren’t sure how to do it. The goal of the class is to educate and encourage proper bicycle handling and increase the level of comfort of commuters.

Smart Commute “Cook Book”
TART Trails has been approached about developing a document that would enable other municipalities with the tools and know-how to coordinate a local Smart Commuting event. Spreading the joys of smart commuting to others is our main objective, and the Cook Book is the tool to reach others outside of Traverse City. The Cook Book is simply a document intended to guide other communities who are interested in hosting a local Smart Commuting event.