Commuter Stories

Frank Haulgren

Getting up early is "cruel and unusual punishment" according to Frank Haulgren, Collections Services Manager and Assessment Coordinator for the Western Libraries. On the other hand, a nice long walk home from work is a good way to decompress and give his mind free rein to think.

So Frank rides the bus to campus and walks home nearly every day - a routine he has enjoyed since 1987. He values the 45 minute walk home as the best thinking time of the day. For example, he wrote the script for the "14 Days to Have Your Say" video while walking home from work one day in 2008.

Occasional commitments that require driving to work don't have to be a barrier to using sustainable transportation most of the time. When an appointment or errand necessitates driving to work, Haulgren uses a one day "commuter permit" to park on campus. The ability to park on campus up to 10 days each quarter gives Frank the flexibility to drive to work when he needs to.

By logging his smart trips to work at www.whatcomsmartrips.org, Haulgren is eligible for discounts, cash prizes and other rewards. His favorite reward is the discount he receives at Hardware Sales - a regular stop on his weekly errands. He also won the prize in November's Sustainable Transportation smart commuter drawing, a $25 AS Bookstore gift certificate.