GO Boulder announces the 2009 Commuter of the Year award winners

GO Boulder/City of Boulder is proud to announce the winners of the 13^th Annual Commuter of the Year awards.  Each spring commuters are recognized for their dedication to finding, using and promoting Boulder's transportation options and award winning facilities. The winners inspire others to choose biking, walking and transit for their daily trips.  Each winner is a role model for their friends, neighbors, peers and our community, and, through their choices, each consciously makes an impact on our community by reducing pollution, traffic and congestion.

The 2009 Commuters of the Year winners are:

All Around Commuter: Joshua Jackson, court specialist

Bicycling Commuter:   Andrew Feeney, middle school teacher

Transit Commuter:  Georgette Johnson, community police specialist

Honorary Commuter of the Year: Matthew Sawyer, North Boulder Recreation Center customer service team

All Around Commuter of the Year-Joshua Jackson

Ironically, Court Specialist Josh Jackson rides his bike or takes the bus daily from Longmont to his job in Boulder where he oversees a program that handles parking ticket appeals. His walk to the bus stop is about a mile each way, which Jackson says allows him to enjoy his communities. As much as Jackson enjoys the bus, commuting by bike in warmer weather is his favorite. "By taking the longer route home" Jackson says, "I can easily stretch my 20-mile bike commute to a healthy 40-miles." The longer route offers Jackson a better workout and more time to explore Boulder County's back roads and trails. Jackson's supervisor and nominator James Cho attributes an increase in transit use and bike commuting among staff to Jackson. According to Cho, "Jackson not only sets a great example and answers questions, but has put his words into action by purchasing a light for one coworker so that he can safely walk from the bus stop to his home. He also tunes staff bikes to make sure they are safe and ready for Bike to Work Day." Jackson emphasizes that his employer sponsored Eco Pass makes his lifestyle possible. Jackson explains, "Riding the bus and at times combining it with biking becomes the convenient, economical, efficient and obvious choice with my Eco Pass."

Bicycling Commuter of the Year-Andrew Feeney

When you're a teacher who bikes to work you need a little extra time so that you're never late for class. That's why Manhattan Middle School Teacher Andy Feeney aims to arrive at school at 8 a.m. every day even though the bell doesn't ring until 8:40 a.m. It hasn't happened often, but even if Feeney needs to fix a flat along the way he'll still be on time. While Feeney usually takes the direct 5.5-mile South Boulder Road route to work, on the way home you can find him enjoying the scenery along his 15-mile ride on Boulder's Coal Creek, High Plains and Marshall Mesa trails. As a science teacher, he ties-in the health and environmental benefits of biking versus driving. Currently, his sixth graders are learning about energy, so the discussion of biking being a renewable resource provides for a lively discussion. Feeney also started a bike club for students six years ago with his mentor and former Bicycling Commuter of the Year Tim Downing. According to Feeney, "Because Manhattan Middle School is located near a lot of bike paths, we can show kids how to safely and conveniently get all over town on their bikes." When it's a little too icy, Feeney will opt for the bus. Feeney's tips for riding in the snow include: "Lower your tire pressure; leave more room between you and cars; stay on dirt trails because tires grip better on fresh snow than on plowed paths; and, definitely don't squeeze your breaks too hard when riding over ice."  Thanks to Feeney's spirit and persistence to ride no matter how hot or cold, he inspired his nominator to ride her bike three times a week. This school year he estimates he will have commuted about 2000-miles between Louisville and Boulder.

Transit Commuter of the Year-Georgette Johnson

Georgette Johnson is a mother of three girls and a full-time community police specialist who finds that commuting 4000 miles by bus each year between Lafayette and Boulder is convenient, cost efficient and relaxing. Johnson's two college-aged daughters follow their mom's lead by riding the bus to get to and from their schools and to visit their mom. If Johnson needs to run errands or attend meetings while at work she happily walks or borrows a commuter pool bike provided by her employer. Johnson began using the bus when she was relocated from the 33^rd Street Police Station to downtown Boulder and University Hill. She realized she had an Eco Pass, but was not going to be given a parking pass. This has made all the difference in how she sees the world and chooses to commute personally and professionally. Once she began avidly commuting on the bus, Johnson began promoting the bus to her coworkers. She tells them, "The Eco Pass is a great employee benefit. It saves money and conveniently allows us to help reduce our carbon footprint." She adds, "Because my employer provides the pass it's like getting a ride for free." Part of Johnson's job includes promoting the Eco Pass to new employees. When she needs to drive, Johnson says she usually carpools instead. Because she works four 10-hour days, Johnson usually has one day to herself and often picks a random bus and rides it to see where it goes. Some days she takes the "N" to Nederland or the "AB" to DIA just for fun. Bimonthly, she takes five different buses to and from Denver to accomplish her sideline job of making wigs for cancer patients.

Honorary Commuter of the Year-Matthew Sawyer

To honor the dedication of North Boulder Recreation Center Customer Service Team Member Matthew Sawyer, an avid and enthusiastic cyclist and supporter of Boulder's transportation options, the city will dedicate a bike rack in his name in June as a part of Walk & Bike Month. Sawyer did not own a car, got more than his share of use out of his Eco Pass, walked just to enjoy the pace and rode his bike nearly everywhere. He heralded the benefits of Boulder's transportation options to his coworkers, friends and recreation patrons, and was proud of his position as an ambassador of Bike to Work Day.  He even helped to coordinate a "Yoga for Cyclists" class. Sawyer passed away recently, but his many contributions to the Boulder community will have a lasting effect on the people he encouraged to put their keys away and ride to work.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 09:39