Does your commute pollute? Does your drive drive you crazy? Does rush hour traffic have you spinning your wheels? Make the Road Less Traveled!
Download the Smart Trips Month brochure >>
AWARDS
- Business Challenge
Make it your job this May to improve our region’s air quality while fattening your wallet, not your waistline. Join the Smart Trips Month Business Challenge for a chance to win prizes for you and your office. Work it!
Two businesses with the most new registrants and the highest number of total Smart Trips participants in May will be awarded a grand prize that includes an invitation to the Smart Trips awards luncheon, an official Seen Being Green certificate presented by your mayor and a gift for every Smart Tripper in your office.
- Longest Bike Commute: Ride from Oak Ridge to East Knoxville every day? No? You could still win!
- Most People in a Carpool: Does your carpool look like a vanpool? Squeeze the most people in—everyone needs a seatbelt, folks—and enter for your chance to win!
- Most Diverse Commute: For the Smart Tripper who combines the most alternative modes of transportation during the month.
- Longest Walk: Do you take the scenic route?
- Sightseeing Award: For the Smart Tripper who makes the most transfers on their daily bus ride to work.
- Go Getter Awards
Special prizes for the Smart Trippers who go the extra mile in the month of May! Organize a team to bike to work. Recruit a gaggle of neighbors to join Smart Trips. Show some friends how to ride the bus for the first time. Then let us know what you did in a short email. Winners will be announced June 1.
Think you qualify for one of these awards or want to nominate a fellow Smart Tripper who deserves some recognition? Send us an email to smarttrips@knoxtrans.org with your story and you or your nominee could be the winner! Awards will be given at a Smart Trips Month luncheon in June.
SMART TRIPS COMMUTER BUCKS – Get loot for your commute!
Throughout the year, we reward every participant who logs Smart Trips 30 days or more each quarter with a $10 gift card to a local business. That’s right, no worries about if your name will be drawn out of the hat—you automatically win! $50 gift cards are awarded in a random drawing each month to four lucky participants who log 5 or more days of Smart Trips.
UNDRIVER’S LICENSE
Challenge yourself to try a new way of getting around for something you’d normally drive to. How necessary is a car for each of the trips you take? Many Undrivers have discovered the benefits of Undriving, some of them surprising: fresh air, exercise, community connections, saving money, less stress, and even more time.
Take the Undriving Challenge. Make a pledge that’s do-able but also a stretch. Here are some ideas for you:
- Commit to not driving on Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Form a carpool to get to church or a regular meeting
- Start a Walking School Bus with your neighbors to get the kids to school
- If you are already a committed Undriver, share your experiences as an Undriver with friends and co-workers, and encourage them to make their own pledge
Licensed Undrivers will receive benefits during the month of May:
- 20% off any regularly priced item at Mast General Store
- 20% off merchandise at Market Square Farmers’ Market main booth
- Free fountain drink or iced tea with $5 purchase at The Tomato Head
- 10% off any regular cake or cupcake box from the Magpies showcase
- 10% discount to the Glowing Body Cafe, excluding alcoholic beverages
- 25% discount on beverages at Coffee and Chocolate
You can get an Undriver’s License by attending any of our events listed here. We’ll have Undrivers License Stations at the Farmers’ Market on Market Square on opening day, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., every Wednesday during May from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at Mast General Store on Saturday May 9 from noon to 2 p.m. If you are already a Smart Tripper, you can also request a license online.
Undriving and Undriver Licensing originated with Sustainable Ballard, Seattle, WA. For more info: http://www.undriving.org
WHEEL TO REEL CONTEST
DEADLINE EXTENDED! YOU NOW HAVE UNTIL MAY 31 TO ENTER!
Make a video about your commute for a chance to win a prize and a screening of your creation at our Smart Trips Month awards ceremony. Submissions must be two minutes or less, with both a DVD mailed to Smart Trips, c/o KRTPO, Suite 403 City County Building, 400 Main Street, Knoxville TN 37902 and your video uploaded to our Youtube site by May 31. More information >>
Enter your video before May 31 >>
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(Events are arranged first by mode of transportation, then by date.)
MULTIMODAL EVENTS
PARKing Spaces Day
May 1, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visit Krutch Park, Central Avenue and Cumberland Avenue to see parking lots turned into paradise. Businesses will convert parking spaces into public park space. When you walk, bike or ride the bus to each site, you could win prizes! More information >>
CARPOOL EVENTS
How Many Can You Fit in a Fit?
May 8, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Come to Market Square and watch as local companies try to stuff their employees into a Honda Fit (courtesy of Rusty Wallace Honda). The company who can squeeze the most people in will win a pizza party for their Smart Trips participants. Watch video coverage on the Smart Trips blog >> or see photos from the event >>
Free Ridematching
Looking for someone with a similar commute? Find potential carpool partners online for free. Just register for Smart Trips, click on “Find a Carpool” and you’ll see the results in seconds. There’s even a nifty map. For more information, call 215-2916.
TRANSIT EVENTS
First Friday Art Bus
May 1
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A KAT bus will moonlight as an art gallery at the intersection of Market Street and Union Avenue–learn the ins and outs of taking transit while appreciating local art inspired by Smart Trips.
Try Transit Essay Contest
Board a bus in May and share your experiences in an essay for a chance to win a $50 gift card. More information >>
Transit Route Planning
Not sure which KAT route goes by your house? Check out the KAT website or call 637-3000 to figure out how to get there (wherever your “there” is)!
Yes, we know it’s scary the first time. Where do I stand to catch the bus, what time will it be at this corner, how do I pay, how do I signal that my stop is coming up? Bus mentors will also be available throughout May to ease your transition into transit! Request a mentor >>
BIKE EVENTS
Bike to the Beach
May 2
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Join us for the opening day of 2009 Market Square Farmer’s Market with a beach party on Market Square stage! Learn how to run errands on your bicycle as we gather supplies from nearby neighborhoods. Don't worry, it's not a race. Just show up at 11 a.m. with your bike, helmet and some way to carry things on your bicycle (e.g. basket, pannier, milk crate, trailer). You'll get to choose from various items and locations, and then off you go (in groups, if you wish). When everyone returns to the Square, we will create a beach party and have some fun!
At 1 p.m. there will be a “Pack it Up” contest. Participants will pack a load of supplies to see who is the fastest, neatest and most creative
Bicycle Photo Scavenger Hunt
May 2
2 - 6 p.m.
Tennessee Valley Bicycles, 214 W Magnolia Ave, 540-9979.
Velo de Mayo ride
May 6
7 p.m.
Come support 865 Cycling, the Knoxville Cycling movement. Ride will begin on Market Square and go through Historic 4th and Gill and then onto Barley’s in the Old City. There will be a drawing for prizes. Goody bags for all participant while supplies last. No registration or entry fee required to ride.
Historic Knoxville by Bicycle
May 10
2 p.m.
Join us for this free bike tour of downtown Knoxville’s lesser known, but equally interesting, historic spots. Space is limited so you must sign up ahead of time.
Bike to Work Day
May 15
7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Stop by Café 4 on Market Square as you ride your bike to work and we’ll buy you breakfast. We’re also giving prizes to the best dressed bike commuters, so break out those suits and high heels! Mayor Bill Haslam will join us to give awards at 8 a.m. Bike to Work Day photos >>
Commuter Convoys
May 15
Want to bike to work, but aren’t sure about the best route? Or would you just like some company along the way for a change? Meet at one of these locations to join the movement (call 215-3815 for more info):
- 7 a.m., West Knoxville to downtown. Meet at Wynnsong 16, 200 North Peters Road.
- 7 a.m., North Knoxville to downtown and UT. Meet at Office Depot/Food City parking lot on Broadway, 4212 N Broadway.
- 7 a.m., East Knoxville to downtown and UT. Meet at Holston River Park, 3300 Holston Hills Road (top parking lot by pavilion).
- 7:15 a.m., Bearden to downtown and UT. Meet at Third Creek Greenway trailhead, 130 Forest Park Blvd.
- 7:15 a.m., South Knoxville to downtown and UT. Meet at Food City parking lot, 4580 Chapman Highway.
Bike Safety Fair
May 17
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Mayor Bob Leonard Park
301 Watt Rd., Farragut.
Come learn basic bicycle safety. The clinic is open to anyone 7 years old and up. We will cover skills such as: how to get started, how to deal with cars and what to do at intersections. The day will end with a ride through a “mock town” which will combine all the skills learned that day. Clinic will be held at the parking lot on the west end of the park (follow signs).
Flat Tire Repair Clinic
May 19
6 p.m.
The Bike Zoo, 4445 Kingston Pike. Call 558-8455 by May 16 to sign up.
Confident City Cycling
June 6
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Cansler YMCA
616 Jessamine St.
Want to learn how to ride your bike safely and confidently in traffic? The 4-hour class combines classroom learning with on-bike exercises and a practice ride in traffic. More info and registration form available on the TPO website. No charge but you must pre-register by May 29.
Roadside Bike Repair Classes
- May 5, 7 p.m.
Earth Traverse Outfitters, 2815 Sutherland Ave. Call 524- 0000 by May 2 to sign up.
- May 7, 5 p.m. (before the greenway ride)
Riversports, 2918 Sutherland. Call 523-0066 by May 5 to sign up.
- May 12, 6 p.m.
Harper’s Bike Shop, 118 Northshore Dr. Call 588-5744 by May 9 to sign up.
- May 12, 7:30 p.m.
Greenlee Bike Shop, 1402 N Broadway. Call 522-8228 by May 9 to sign up.
- May 14, 6:30 p.m.
Cedar Bluff Cycles, 9282 Kingston Pike. Call 692-1010 by May 12 to sign up.
- May 21, 6 p.m.
The Bike Zoo, 4445 Kingston Pike. Call 558-8455 by May 19 to sign up. (Will not include flat repair instruction—see Flat Tire Repair Clinic.)
- May 28, 7 p.m.
Biketopia, 7328 Norris Freeway, Call 922-1786 by May 26 to sign up.
Bike Booths
Every Wednesday
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Want to find out more about bike commuting and how you can do it? Come to our bike booth at the Farmers’ Market on Market Square and get the answers. Local bike shops will be on hand with commuter bikes and everything else you need to start biking to work or running errands.
Beginner Greenway Rides
Every Thursday
6:30 p.m.
River Sports, 2918 Sutherland Ave. Call 523-0066 for more info.
Bike Rentals
Bicycles are available for rental at the foot of the pedestrian bridge on Volunteer Landing, next to Calhoun’s. For more info, call River Sports at 865-523-0066 or visit www.riversportsoutfitters.com
Bike Mentor Program
Want to find the most comfortable route between home and work or school? Call 215-3815 or go to www.knoxtrans.org for more information.
WALK EVENTS
How to Get a Greenway Walk
May 5
6 p.m.
City of Knoxville Greenway Coordinator Donna Young will lead a walk along the Bearden Village Greenway to talk about the challenges involved in getting this urban greenway built, and about how other neighborhoods can plan and advocate for greenways. Meet at Bearden Elementary School, 5717 Kingston Pike.
Hidden Knoxville Walk
RESCHEDULED to May 12
5:30 p.m.
We were rained out on May 6, so here's your second chance to join Jack Neely, Secret History columnist for MetroPulse, on the Hidden Knoxville Walk. We'll go to Mechanicsville, Knoxville College, the Warehouse District and other interesting spots that are all within walking distance of downtown, even if the way to get there may not be obvious. We’ll meet at the future site of downtown Knoxville’s dog park, the intersection of Summit Hill and Central Avenue.
The Battle of Fort Sanders Walk
May 13
5:30 p.m.
Joan Markel, Civil War Curator at the McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee, will lead a walk to Civil War sites on UT’s campus and in the Fort Sanders neighborhood. We’ll meet at the Museum at 5:30 for a tour of the Battle of Fort Sanders exhibit, then leave for the walk at 6 p.m. The Museum is a 20-minute walk from downtown. Parking and bike racks are available along Circle Park Drive in front of the Museum.
Downtown Greenway Walk
May 19
4:45 p.m.
The walk will be led by Sarah Harder from the Knox County Health Department’s Healthy Weight Program. Meet at the riverboat landing at the east end of the Calhoun’s parking lot for a brief warm-up and walking tips. The walk will begin at 5:15, and will follow the James White Greenway to Gov. Ned McWherter Park and back. It will finish with a stretching session. The 2-mile walk will take a brisk pace, but there will still be time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Historic Fountain City Walk
May 27
6 p.m.
Get to know Fountain City’s past and present during this walk led by Jim Tumblin, Fountain City historian. We’ll visit the spots where historic buildings once stood and see some that are still standing in this North Knoxville neighborhood, which was once the largest unincorporated city in the United States. Meet at the gazebo in Fountain City Park, 125 Hotel Ave. Historic Fountain City walk photos >>
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