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From YouTube: Commuter Services: Commuter Choice Awards 2016
Description
We’re putting the spotlight on organizations, employers and individuals for their great work in promoting alternatives to driving alone. The 2016 Commuter Choice Awards, a metro-wide program that salutes creative commuting programs and advocates. The program recognizes organizations and employers that promote taking the bus or train, walking, bicycling, vanpooling, carpooling or teleworking. Awards for individuals recognize those who demonstrate a commitment to transportation options in their workplace, school or community. Winners were announced on Thursday, April 28, at Centennial Lakes Park, the following program covers the event.
A
Good
afternoon
my
name
is
Theresa
Kane
and
I
am
the
manager
of
commuter
programs
at
Metro,
transit
and
I
want
to
welcome
you
all
to
the
2016
commuter
choice
awards
on
behalf
of
Metro
transit
and
its
partner
organizations.
Anoka
County
commute
solutions,
move
Minneapolis
commuter
services
and
st.
Paul
smart
trips,
thanks
for
joining
us
today,
as
we
recognize
public,
private
and
individual
contributions
to
sustainable
transportation
in
the
Twin
Cities
I
am
honored
today
to
introduce
our
guest
presenter,
a
champion
of
regional
mobility.
A
James
hovland
has
dedicated
much
of
his
public
service
to
transportation
policy
and
practice.
He
serves
as
the
chair
of
the
transportation
Advisory
Board
to
the
Metropolitan
Council
and
the
municipal
legislate
legislative
Commission
he's
an
active
local
leader
in
the
planning
process
for
Southwest,
light
rail
project
and
serves
on
the
county's
transit
improvement
board.
Please
join
me
in
welcoming
to
the
stadium
or
to
the
stadium.
That's
welcoming
at
podium,
Mayor,
James,
Hovland,.
B
Hey
it's
more
like
a
bowling
alley
than
a
stadium,
and
we
have
the
medicine
here
from
time
to
time
and
it's
like
you're
talking
to
people
in
another
time
zone
or
zip
code
down
at
that
end.
But
it's
a
really
a
great
building
for
us
for
especially
I,
think
wintertime,
where
this
becomes
a
warming
house
with
the
fireplace
is
going
at
both
ends
and
all
the
skaters
out
here.
B
So
if
you
haven't
been
to
a
diner
or
Centennial
lakes
before
this
is
our
most
popular
part
by
far
created
back
in
the
mid
80s,
it's
just
kind
of
reached
its
full
potential.
Now
with
the
vegetation
and
the
it
was
designed
by
a
guy
who
lives
here,
buddies
from
Lithuania,
so
you
can
kind
of
feel
the
European
influence
of
it
as
you
walk
around
and
people
in
the
office
buildings
done
and
the
other
segments
walk
around
the
whole
thing.
B
Non-Motorized
transportation,
of
course,
and
and
we've
got
fifteen
to
twenty
thousand
people
a
day
that
use
this
park
in
the
summer
time,
for
a
variety
of
reasons,
and
one
of
the
things
we've
had
from
a
challenge.
Standpoint
is
getting
people
across
france
avenue.
We've
got
a
large
number
of
folks
that
live
west
of
france,
avenue
and
they've
got
kids
and
relatives
that
come
grandma's,
grandpa's
and
getting
them
across
france.
Evan
has
been
difficult,
so
we
put
in
these
three
strategic
locations
where
we
created
these
landing
pads.
B
I,
don't
know
if
you
notice
that
coming
down
France
where
people
could
get
across
and
then
we
improve
the
boulevard
along
with
the
county,
and
then
we
put
in
this
lighting,
that's
kind
of
controversial
I.
Don't
know
if
you
have
noticed
it,
but
when
we
do
something
that
people
like
from
a
lighting
standpoint,
then
they're
happy
like
right.
Now
it's
been
it's
been
purple
since
prince
died
and
they're
going
to
keep
it
that
way.
I
guess
there
won't
be
a
funeral,
but
I
guess
he
was
cremated.
B
So
then
they're,
okay
or
when
there's
a
tragedy
like
in
France
and
it's
blue
white
and
red,
then
they're,
okay,
but
otherwise
that
you
know
get
a
lot
of
criticism
for
it.
But
I
want
to
thank
you
folks
for
having
me
here.
Transportation
is
so
vitally
important
from
the
ancient
days
of
the
Roman
Empire.
No
Great
Society
could
function
without
transportation
infrastructure
for
moving
both
people
and
goods,
and
that
same
thing
is
today
what
we're
blessed
with
now
I
think
in
a
way.
I
hope
it
turns
into
a
real
blessing.
B
Is
that
we've
got
both
Republicans
and
Democrats
at
the
legislature
saying
we
need
to
do
something
about
our
transportation.
Infrastructure
is
just
not
functioning
properly,
whether
it's
in
our
area,
in
the
metro
area,
where
we
have
a
greater
emphasis
on
transit
or
its
enrollment
of
soda,
where
there's
actually
a
need
for
rural
transit
and
then
making
sure
that
those
roads
are
in
good
condition
and
and
primarily
from
a
safety
standpoint.
So
we've
got
some
common
goals
here.
B
It's
not
a
good
investment,
and
we
can't
we
can't
prosper
as
a
region.
We
can't
grow
as
a
region.
We
can't
become
global
in
the
way
we
want
to
be
as
a
region
without
creating
a
system
of
moving
people
around
effectively
and
South.
West
LRT
helps
us
finally
create
that
system
and
then
we'll
have
Bottineau
and
a
few
others
coming
behind.
But
Southwest
leads
the
way
without
Southwest
those
other
things
aren't
going
to
happen,
because
that
the
federal
government
gets
wind
of
the
if
they
sense
that
our
state
doesn't
support
this
idea.
B
We
can
take
care
of
ourselves
and
for
me
from
being
involved
in
transportation
issues
for
over
a
decade.
That's
a
good
feeling.
I,
don't
like
going
to
the
legislature
and
asking
them
for
even
a
ten
percent
investment
and
having
them
tell
us
no
for
a
variety
of
reasons.
It
could
be
political
or
you
know
just
bias
anyway,
I'm
taking
too
long
we're
going
to
have
just
our
association
that
in
our
communities
with
494
commuter
services,
which
has
done
such
a
great
job
but
I
know
all
over
the
metro.
B
All
the
commuter
services
operations
are
working
so
hard
to
get
people
out
of
single
occupant
vehicles
and
into
vanpooling
carpooling
and
there's
methods
of
moving
people
around
in
an
efficient
way.
So
I
want
to
congratulate
all
you
and
these
companies
that
are
up
for
awards
today,
whether
there
are
nonprofits
utilities,
for-profit
companies,
individuals,
we
got
some
great
individuals
that
are
nominees.
I
want
to
thank
all
of
you
for
the
work
that
you
do
and
I
look
forward
to
these
present
to
the
presentation
of
the
words
Theresa.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
You
mayor
Hovland,
so
we're
here
to
recognize
employers,
organizations
and
individuals
who
provide
commuting
solutions
to
our
communities
for
those
of
you
who
are
joining
us
for
the
first
time,
I'd
like
to
take
a
moment
to
explain
the
process
leading
up
to
today's
events.
Each
year
we
received
dozens
of
nominations
from
around
the
region.
Judges
are
recruited
to
review
nominations
in
one
of
the
five
categories:
building
owner
or
management
company,
employer
government
entity,
individual
and
organization.
A
This
year
our
24
nominated
projects
and
initiatives
were
scored
on
criteria
related
to
impact
creativity,
overall
success
and
nomination.
Clarity,
in
addition
to
selecting
the
winners,
judges
are
given
the
opportunity
to
identify
nominations
that
may
not
have
received
the
highest
score,
but
merited
special
recognition
before
we
announced
the
2016
commuter
Choice,
Award
winners
and
honorable
mention
recipients.
We
must
recognize
that
none
of
this
would
be
possible
without
our
the
work
of
our
independent.
Judging
panel,
these
individuals
volunteer
their
time
to
carefully
review
and
score
each
nomination
in
their
designated
category.
Judges.
A
Now,
on
to
the
business
of
the
day,
we
have
transportation
champions
in
this
room
today
and
the
nominations
speak
volumes
about
the
effort
and
dedication.
Many
of
you
apply
to
your
daily
living
nominees
will
be
recognized
along
with
the
honorable
mention
recipients
and
winners
in
each
category.
Honorable
mention
recipients.
Please
stand
when
you're
announced
so
that
we
may
acknowledge
you
properly.
Word
winners.
Please
come
to
the
stage
and
we
receive
your
award
your
plaque
from
Maryland.
A
Our
first
category
is
building
owner
and
management
company
representing
projects
that
were
carried
out
in
2015
that
improve
commuting
options
for
their
tenants
as
I
announce
the
nominees
I
ask
you
that
you
hold
your
applause
until
the
end.
The
nominees
in
the
building
owner
and
management
category
are
centerpoint
energy
in
Minneapolis,
Heinz,
property
management
and
US
bank
plaza
in
Minneapolis,
cushman,
wakefield
and
north
mark
and
Norman
Dale
Lake
office
park
in
Bloomington.
A
Among
those
nominees
judges
had
these
comments
for
our
first
honorable
mention
recipient
I
applaud
their
efforts
to
reduce
traffic.
This
is
a
true
partnership.
The
first
computer
choice,
honorable
mention
in
the
building
owner
and
property
management
category,
goes
to
cushman
wakefield.
North
mark,
please
stand
up.
A
The
second
honorable
mention
in
this
category
was
given
this
praise
by
the
judges
they
deserved
public
acknowledgment
of
their
outstanding
civic
contributions
to
our
environment.
The
second
2016
honorable
mention
in
the
building
owner
and
property
management
category
goes
to
Heinz
property
managements.
A
This
year's
winner
brought
a
new
corporate
headquarters
into
downtown
Minneapolis
and
dedication
dedicated
a
portion
of
their
space
to
a
destination
visitor
center,
located
steps
from
the
nicollet
mall
metro
station
meet
Minneapolis
and
it's
TMO
partner
move
Minneapolis.
They
are
available
seven
days
a
week
to
provide
transportation,
information
and
resources
to
travelers
commuters
and
community
members.
Please
welcome
the
2016
commuter
choice,
building
management
company
of
the
year
centerpoint
energy.
A
A
A
Our
next
category
is
the
commuter
choice
employer
of
the
year
representing
companies
around
the
region
that
go
above
and
beyond,
to
encourage
sustainable
community
commuting
among
their
employees
as
I
announce
the
winners
I
ask
that
you
hold
your
applause
till
the
end.
Abbott
northwestern
hospital
in
minneapolis
bar
engineering
of
a
dyna
be
the
match
in
minneapolis
bestbuy,
headquartered
in
richfield,
fresh
energy
in
st.
Paul
Gillette
Children's
Hospital
in
st.
Paul
mall
of
america
in
bloomington
solos,
compliance
in
Minnetonka
tcf
bank
in
Plymouth
and
Wells
Fargo
in
Minneapolis.
If
you
could
stand
and.
A
A
testament
to
the
quality
of
the
nominations
this
year,
the
judges
voted
to
bestow
honorable
mention
upon
three
employer
nominees.
Our
first
honorable
mention
goes
to
a
company
about
which
the
judges
said.
The
creativity
in
which
they
promote
their
programs
is
exceptional
and
should
be
recognized.
The
first
honorable
mention
in
the
employer
category
goes
to
bar
engineering
company.
A
A
A
This
year's
winner
make
sustainable
commuting
the
easiest
choice
for
its
twenty
employees,
who
earn
an
extra
two
dollars
a
day
when
they
walk
or
bike
to
work.
Transit
is
subsidized
at
fifty
percent
and
can
be
paid
with
pre-tax
dollars
while
nice
ride
memberships
are
fully
subsidized
additional.
Additionally,
employers
are
encouraged
to
use
car
sharing
for
work
day,
travel
that
can't
easily
be
accomplished
by
transit
bike
or
on
foot
our
2016
commuter
choice
of
the
year.
The
employer
of
the
year
is
fresh
energy.
A
A
Judges
elected
to
bestow
honorable
mention
upon
two
nominees
in
the
individual
category,
our
first
nominee,
a
judge
said
she
seems
very
passionate
about
healthy
commuting
in
her
personal
and
professional
efforts
and
is
involved
in
many
volunteer
leadership
efforts.
A
commuter
choice,
honorable
mention
in
the
individual
category,
goes
to
Rebecca
air
met
of
st.
Paul.
A
A
This
year's
winner
has
gone
above
and
beyond
to
improve
access
to
sustainable
transportation
for
his
colleagues
from
his
start
as
a
store
employee,
this
bestbuy
staffer
has
had
a
lot
has
long
advocated
for
expanding
the
company's
commuter
benefits
beyond
corporate
headquarters.
Over
the
last
year
he
has
worked
across
departments
to
make
that
a
reality.
The
2016
commuter
champion
of
the
year
is
Brian
Nelson.
A
A
This
year's
winner
has
the
humbling
and
inspiring
mission
of
training
young
adults
affected
by
the
autism
spectrum
and
other
learning
differences
to
become
successful,
independent
members
of
their
communities.
Part
of
the
training,
includes
extensive
experience,
navigating
the
public
regional
transit
system
and
accessing
other
sustainable
options.
Please
welcome
the
2016
commuter
choice
organization
of
the
year
minnesota
life
college.
A
As
you've
heard,
this
past
year
has
been
marked
by
some
incredible
efforts
and
accomplishments
on
improving
how
our
region
moves.
Thank
you
to
everyone
here
for
your
hard
work
and
dedication
to
maximizing
our
infrastructure
through
smarter,
clean
commute
options.
I
have
four
final
housekeeping
items.
First,
we
would
appreciate
if
you
could
return
your
name
tags
in
the
box
by
the
registration
table
so
that
we
may
reuse
them.
A
Secondly,
if
you
haven't
already
all
nominees
to
pick
up
their
certificates
at
the
registration
table
and
third
winners
and
honorable
mention
recipients,
please
meet
at
the
registration
table
for
photographs
and,
finally,
just
to
let
you
know
you
should
expect
to
receive
an
event
valuation
by
email
later
this
week
we
really
appreciate
the
feedback
that
we
get
about
these
awards.
This
award
program,
please
take
a
few
months
to
fill
it
out
and
we
want
to
make
sure
that
everyone
is
meeting
the
needs.
So
thank
you
very
much.