Commuter Stories

 

 

 

Teri Bodensteiner

Teri Bodensteiner, a Student Health Nurse, has been using sustainable transportation as long as she has been working at Western – fifteen years!  She and her husband often carpool to work.  It’s easy, because they are going to the same place, and they have found that ridesharing has many benefits; saving money, preventing wear and tear on the car, and is a wonderful time for Teri and her husband to talk about their day.  Also, it’s great for the environment, and Teri says she likes sharing a ride because, “I’m all about my carbon footprint!”

Teri and her husband rideshare some days, but Teri also started biking to work six or seven years ago.  Just like ridesharing, Teri has found many benefits to biking.  Teri says, “I love biking.  It is a nice way to start the day and at the end of the day, it’s a nice way to unwind.”  She also mentions the added benefits of not buying gas, and the exercise biking provides. 

Teri logs her Smart Trips at www.whatcomsmarttrips.org because, "It’s good for the community to know how many people are doing it, and to encourage others to participate."  By logging her smart trips to work, errands and for leisure, Teri is eligible for discounts, cash prizes and other rewards.  She won the $25 gift card to the AS Bookstore in March’s Sustainable Transportation smart commuter drawing.  Teri was surprised to find out she won, and all along, has just enjoyed the additional perks of the smart trips program, such as the discount card she uses at local businesses.    

Teri’s tip to those just starting out with Sustainable Transportation: “You don’t have to do it every day.  There are days when we don’t do it because of schedules.  Just start small, start slow and work up.”