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Reduce, Recycle, Retweet Challenge
Reduce, Recycle, Retweet Challenge
April Commuter Challenge
his month, we're celebrating Earth Day
and helping you to "go green"! A simple and easy way we can all make a difference is adjusting our daily commute habits. Luckily, Watertown has a plethora of bike paths
and MBTA bus routes
to help you get to where you want to go. Plus, if your workplace or residential property is a Watertown TMA member, registering for our Emergency Ride Home
program allows you to leave your car at home worry-free knowing that they have access to emergency rides through Lyft, taxi, or rental cars at no out of pocket cost to you (see program guidelines
for more details).
Here are three easy ways to "go green" in Watertown for Earth Day:
1. Reduce
Opt-out of single-occupant commutes (driving alone) by carpooling, trying public transit
or biking/walking
to work. Not only does this reduce traffic in our town, it saves on vehicle emissions and makes the air cleaner for everyone!
2. Recycle
Sort materials in the proper bins, start a compost bin
(discounted bins available to Watertown residents, read more here) and find out more about recycling in Watertown on the Department of Public Works' website.
3. Retweet @WatertownTMA ($50 Prize Drawing)
Follow & RT @WatertownTMA
during the month of April & automatically get entered into our $50 AMEX gift card drawing. The more @WatertownTMA tweets you RT this month, the more chances you'll get to win! But hurry, the challenge ends April 30, 2018.
TMA Members:
Download the flyer to promote this month's commuter incentive at your location. Not a member? Don't worry, email us at Director@WatertownTMA.org
to learn about incentives like this and all the benefits a TMA membership has to offer.
It's officially winter! Are you ready for the snow and ice? Is your car ready? Join Luis Mejia, Fleet Mechanic at TransAction Associates & Corporate Shuttles, as he shares some winter car maintenance and safety tips.
World Car-Free Day 2023 was a huge success! Organized in a variety of ways around the globe, every event shared the unifying goal of reducing the number of cars on the road. The Watertown TMA participated in MassCommute 's 2023 Car-Free Day, the Commonwealth’s Coalition of 15 TMAs to promote and celebrate Car-Free Day in Massachusetts. Commuters who participated helped to make a positive impact on the environment and contributed to a greener Bay State!
The WatConnector launched on September 7, 2021, with hourly service between Watertown Mews on Pleasant Street and Harvard Square. Starting February 13, 2023, the WatConnector will go electric and will run every half hour. Thanks to a grant from MassDOT, along with other public and private funds, two new electric shuttle buses were purchased and will replace the existing gas shuttles.
This past November, Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) commuters were challenged to express their gratitude for the commutes that bring them safely to-and-from the workplace.
Also known as the WATConnector, passengers along Pleasant Street can now get to and from Watertown Square as well as Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. The WATConnector Pleasant Street shuttle services are available to participating corporate and residential partners and the public.
As a green commuter, you’ve done your part to help the environment. You found a carpool partner, coordinated schedules, made the trip in together. But what if you arrive at work and find that all of the good parking spots are taken? Many organizations have good intentions when they designate special preferred carpool parking spots in a prime location near an entrance. One carpool space reduces the need for at least one other parking spot. Promoting carpooling is a great way to reduce your parking demand and encourage commuters to share the ride. However, without the proper enforcement and program management in place, the positive impact of the preferential parking incentive can lose its effectiveness. That’s where having a partner like the Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) to manage the program can help.
Everyone knows biking is good for you and good for the planet. Incorporating biking to work and during the workday has its advantages on the business side of things too. Studies have repeatedly shown people who bike are healthier (and therefore take fewer sick days), arrive to work less stressed, and are more productive. Need even more reasons? Below are just a few more of the benefits of biking for your commute: Avoids unhealthy traffic congestion Helps to improve air quality Saves on gas Avoids parking costs Increases your physical activity Reduces your stress Be a member of the bike commuting community Feel the thrill you get from bike riding
The Watertown Connector transports passengers to and from Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. There are two services available to participating corporate and residential partners (listed below).
The MBTA Forging-Ahead service cuts were approved by the MBTA's Fiscal Management and Control Board (FMCB) on December 14, 2020. These reductions are being made based on an overall 80% drop in ridership due to the pandemic. Although these cuts are not as severe as originally proposed by the MBTA in early November, they are significant and will impact the Watertown commuter community. According to the MBTA, by focusing on the reductions to service frequency, this allows for better preparation to increase service when ridership returns, after the widespread vaccine distribution.
Walking is something most of us do every day, it is our default transportation mode. By incorporating more regular walking habits into our routines, it can lead to some incredible physical and mental benefits. You're More Creative & Productive "A study done at Stanford showed that walking made participants more creative than their sedentary counterparts. They found that creative output increased 60 percent when a person was walking." source: Medium It's Healthier Than Running According to research reported in the American Heart Association journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology , "Calorie for calorie, walking also had a stronger impact on heart disease risk factors. The risk of first-time high blood pressure was reduced by 4.2% by running and 7.2% by walking." source: The Guardian Make Your Walk Fun! Plan multiple walks throughout your day. Take a break from the work day and go for a quick 10-minute walk Walk to an errand Create a destination Set out to just enjoy the beauty of nature