And the Clean Commute Winners Are…

Each year, Clean Air Council celebrates companies and individuals who are dedicated to sustainable commuting with the Clean Commute Awards. For the past five years, Clean Air Council has awarded the Clean Air Commute Employer and the Clean Air Commuter of the year to companies and individuals that most represents the values of sustainable transportation. Transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in the region, and reducing pollution from the transportation sector is an essential part of Clean Air Council’s mission to protect everyone’s right to a healthy environment.

This year Clean Air Council honors both Patrick Lee and Anneke Ransijn as co-winners of the Clean Air Commuter of the Year.

Patrick Lee cycles to work no matter the weather and is truly deserving of the Clean Commuter of the Year Award. Not only is Patrick a dedicated bike commuter himself, but he also advocated within his company to support fellow cyclists. Patrick successfully worked with the human resources department at his office to organize a group ride on Bike to Work Day, selected a bike theme for Parking Day, put together a bike toolbox to have on hand, and compiled useful information about biking in a packet for new hires. This work goes a long way to helping others adopt a sustainable commute.

Anneke Ransijn is a dedicated multimodal commuter, even across state lines. Anneke bikes to the train station in Philadelphia and takes her bike on PATCO to ride to her job in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Anneke is famous among her friends and family for her dedication to a car free lifestyle. She prefers to bike not only to work, but to the store and just about everywhere else. She has even picked up her family’s Thanksgiving turkey on her bike, and regularly hauls a guitar or fold-up table on her commute to work.

The Clean Commute Employer of the Year for 2019 is Bicycle Transit Systems (BTS), the operations company for Indego, Philadelphia’s bike share system. As a public transportation operator, BTS walks the walk and offers a slew of benefits to all of their employees, especially cyclists. Cyclists who work at BTS enjoy showers, secure bike parking, bike maintenance support, and free bike share memberships for all employees. Any employee who chooses a sustainable commute is also eligible for an office prize raffle as an incentive. Outside of having a great commuting culture, Bicycle Transit Systems often partners with Clean Air Council to promote sustainable commuting to the public.

Clean Air Council would like to thank everyone who nominated others, themselves, and their workplaces. Every trip taken with sustainable transportation makes a difference.