Commutesmart NH And Commutesmart Seacoast Commit To Sustainable Transportation

Angela Cleveland (AICP), Vincent Pagano, Joyce Sawicki, and Michael Tardiff 

What is CommuteSmart NH? CommuteSmart NH is New Hampshire’s (NH) Transportation Demand Management system (TDM) Trip Planner. TDM is defined as a set of planning processes, strategies, and policy decisions that are aimed at relieving congestion and improving efficiencies of transportation infrastructure. Trip planning is easy using CommuteSmart NH!

In NH, the software that powers the CommuteSmart NH trip planner is called AgileMile. Users of CommuteSmart NH’s trip planner app can plan multi-modal trips with fixed route transit, demand response transit, micro transit, bike share, car share, park and ride lots and other transportation options. Users can find rides to match their type of transit mode, (e.g. carpool vanpool, bike, transit), organization, gender, language spoken, time, day of the week, and more!

CommuteSmart NH to host statewide May Spring Commuter Challenge

What is the May Spring Commuter Challenge? The Central New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC) is hosting a special event to challenge NH residents to go green, get some exercise and have fun commuting! We encourage you, your employers, your coworkers, your family, and your school to find an alternative to driving alone to commute to work and school throughout the month of May and track your trips using the CommuteSmart NH trip planner. CommuteSmart NH’s challenge runs from May1 through May 31 and also coincides with Bike to Work Week (May 13-19) and Bike to Work Day on May 17.

Where else is this happening? The CommuteSmart NH May Spring Commuter Challenge is open to everyone who lives and works and plays in NH, but check online for commuter challenge events happening nationwide! If you or your company are located in the Seacoast of NH, you can compete in the CommuteSmart Seacoast B2B Challenge and have your commutes count in both!

Why should you participate? You can have fun commuting to work and school! NH citizens can save money, reduce air pollution, get exercise, promote safe bicycling, and reduce stress during their work and school commute. You can save on the cost of gasoline as well. Decreasing the number of cars on the road also preserves the life of our existing roadways, reduces air pollution, minimizes time spent in traffic, and most importantly, keeps you healthier and happier.

Show me the metrics! In May 2023, we accomplished much for the environment, our health, and our wallets, all through green commuting. During last year’s challenge, collectively completing commuters reduced 9,648 car trips, drove a total of 71,075 miles less and prevented 60,674 pounds of CO2 discharged to the environment. Not to mention, we saved 3,096 gallons of gasoline from being bought. The savings at the pump and from wear and tear on our vehicles equaled a total of $44,422 during our 2023 Spring challenge. Commuters collectively burned 486,667 calories by biking, walking, running, and scootering to work. It is amazing what 383 challenge participants can collectively do when they are committed to commuting smart to work and school!

How do you sign up for the challenge? Registration using the CommuteSmart NH app and the desktop version is easy and safe. Follow these steps to join!

1. Type commutesmartnh.agilemile.com into your desktop browser, scan the QR code, or download the CommuteSmart NH mobile app (CSNH).

2. Create a free account.

3. Opt-in to the challenge and join a team. This can be found on the home page if you’re on the desktop version or under the “more” tab in the mobile app. If you don’t see your work or school, you can create a team yourself.

4. Start logging your trips! The leaderboard will appear on May 1 and will update at midnight every day. Gift card prizes are awarded to individuals every week.

The CommuteSmart NH algorithms automatically ensure the accuracy of the data, prevent duplication, and protect users’ privacy. All participants are eligible for great giveaways and coupons. CommuteSmart NH also seeks to educate employees and employers about the benefits of smart commuting and provides them with the resources they need to get started. CommuteSmart NH is a partnership between NH’s planning commissions, state agencies and transit providers.

Have more questions? Contact CommuteSmart NH at 603-226-6020 or email vpagano@cnhrpc.org.

Angela Cleveland is a Principal Planner at the Strafford Regional Planning Commission. Vincent Pagano is a Regional Planner at the Central NH Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC). Joyce Sawicki is a Project Planner at CNHRPC. Michael Tardiff is the Executive Director of the CNHRPC.