The pilot
program will run from September 2012 to April 2013, and is designed to provide
all Mohawk College employees with an exclusive 25% discount on monthly HSR
transit passes. The Mohawk Student Association introduced significantly discounted passes for the College's Hamilton-based students in 2010.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Simply
complete the membership agreement here and bring it to the Fennell
Campus Bookstore. The Bookstore will keep your form on file, and sell you your
monthly transit pass at a 25% discount. This form must be completed prior to
purchasing your first discounted pass, but your membership will never expire through
the duration of the pilot program, so you only need to fill out the form once.

HOW MUCH WILL I SAVE?

All Mohawk
employees will receive an automatic discount of 25% off the regular adult
monthly pass price of $87, which makes your cost $65.25. If you already commute
by HSR, that’s an immediate saving of $21.75 every month, or $174 if you participate in all 8 months of the pilot program.

If you
currently commute by car, your savings will be even greater! You’ll save on the
cost of fuel, vehicle maintenance, and parking ($525+ annually).

HOW DOES THIS HELP THE ENVIRONMENT?

You’ll be
helping to reduce your personal carbon footprint by lowering the amount of
harmful emissions that result from commuting in a single-occupant vehicle. The
average vehicle emits 240g CO2e/km, whereas the average bus trip will emit 77g
CO2e/km, which equals close to a 70% reduction in your commuting footprint.

The Sustainability Office encourages all Mohawk staff to explore the
option of using HSR transit and are here to answer any questions you may have.
Please feel free to contact alan.griffiths@mohawkcollege.ca for more information. 

The Employer of Year Award recognizes organizations for outstanding achievement in the areas of commitment, leadership, innovation and results in the Smart Commute program. 

Among its many accomplishments, Mohawk College has:

• established the fastest-growing Carpool program in Hamilton, doubling the amount of registered carpoolers at the college;


• constructed a new secure bike parking facility for more than 40 bikes;


• established 12 new carpool parking spots;


• organized an annual Residence Active Living Fair with Smart Commute as a central theme; and


• supported a student-led initiative to launch a discounted transit pass program, which is now available to all students at the college for unlimited use of the HSR. 

Mohawk has some of the highest participation rates in Hamilton and is a strong supporter of green commute initiatives such as Clean Air Commute, Bike to Work Day and Smart Commute Week.

Commenting on the award, Mohawk's sustainability initiatives coordinator Alan Griffiths says, “We’re absolutely thrilled and honoured to have been chosen for this award. As an innovative and community oriented College, it's important for us to be a leader in programs like this, and to set an example for others to follow. At Mohawk we work hard to walk-the-talk, and we’re truly thankful for the recognition.” 

Mohawk College is committed to providing sustainable transportation solutions for students and employees, says Alan. The College works closely with Smart Commute Hamilton to promote environmental awareness and to reduce its carbon footprint.  

Run by the City of Hamilton's Public Works department, Smart Commute Hamilton is part of Smart Commute, a program funded and supported by Metrolinx and the municipalities of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. More than 177 employers with a combined total of 430,000 employees participate in the Smart Commute program. Smart Commute Hamilton works with organizations in the City to promote more sustainable modes of commuting and help organizations manage their travel demand effectively.

Mohawk students and staff will soon have a more secure option to store their bicycles on campus.

Starting this fall, a student-led initiative will give cyclists the option to buy a membership to a restricted-access bike shelter located just outside C Wing to the east of the main entrance (south). Similar facilities already exist at several city-owned locations throughout Hamilton.

With room for up to 40 bicycles, the shelter will provide bicycle commuters with a safer way to store their bicycles on campus. Members will receive a key fob that has been specially programmed to access the facility. Once inside the cyclists can either store their bike vertically in one of the hanging racks or on the ground in a traditional bike rack. A simple U-lock will secure both tires and the frame of the bike to the racks. Security cameras will monitor the shelter for added protection.

As an added bonus, members will be given after-hours access to city-owned shelters, some of which are located in the downtown core and at other popular locations such as parks and recreation facilities.

The shelter wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Mohawk students, says Alan Griffiths, Mohawk's sustainability initiatives coordinator. From the initial research, to the pursuit of funders, Mohawk students have led the process from start to finish. The students were successful in accessing shared funding from the City of Hamilton, Smart Commute Hamilton, and Metrolinx as part of its BikeLinx program.

Stay tuned to the Sustainability Office website for more information, including details on how you can become a member.

Bike to Work - and School - Day is annual event that encourages commuters to trade in their four wheel rides for two wheels in an effort to reduce vehicle emissions and adopt healthier lifestyle practices. The event is also a segway into Clean Air Commute Week, which takes place from Monday, June 13 to Sunday, June 19. Other local organizations that will be participating in this year's event include McMaster University, Horizon Utilities, St. Joseph's Healthcare and Hamilton Health Sciences.

To register for Bike to Work Week visit Smart Commute Hamilton's website. Once you register you'll be eligible for prizes including a weekend getaway for two in Northumberland Country.

Stay tuned to the Sustainability Office website for more information including the times and location for the Mohawk College check-in station that will be set up the day of the event.

If you drive a vehicle you know how much it costs to fill up the tank these days. You've also probably thought about how you can save money on gas by taking advantage of alternative modes of transport like taking the bus or riding a bike, or maybe you've thought about carpooling.

Smart Commute wants you to consider carpooling too and they've made a website that helps connect commuters with others looking to form a carpool.

To encourage commuters to join, Smart Commute is holding a Carpool-to-Win contest. It's quick and easy to enter. Simply login to Carpoolzone.ca and keep your profile active. Commuters who register and keep their profiles active will be eligible to win a $100 Milestones gift certificate. 

For more information including other ways you can win check our the Carpool-to-Win website.

Smart Commute Hamilton is an initiative supported by the City of Hamilton that provides programs and services to support alternative transportation options. Smart Commute Hamilton's mission is to reduce traffic congestion, smog, greenhouse gas emissions, and their related impacts on the environment, economy and community.

Complete the survey for the chance to win an iPod Touch. The draw will take place just in time for the holiday season.

Questions? Email them to gogreen@mohawkcollege.ca