Movability is proud to announce that 15 of its member organizations have been named as Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC), a prestigious nationwide designation that recognizes employers with robust commute benefits. Movability is honoring all the BWC winners, along with other commuting award champions, at its annual Central Texas Commuter Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 10, 2025.

The Central Texas Commuter Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have shown a commitment to reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles on our roads. Increasing mode split – the number of people using active and shared transportation modes – keeps Central Texas moving, even as we enter a decade of road and infrastructure construction.

The 2025 Central Texas Commuter Awards categories and finalists are:

The Commute Policy Champion, which recognizes an elected official, bureaucrat or advocate who is a champion for pushing forward TDM policies or legislation that impacts consumer behavior in support of the economic vitality of the region. The 2025 finalists are:

Movability is excited to announce the call for session proposals for the 2025 Movability Summit, taking place on September 19 from 11:30 am – 5:00 pm at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center in Austin, Texas. Held during National Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Week, the Summit will bring together 250 professionals and practitioners from across North America to foster collaboration, share best practices, and explore emerging innovations in TDM and mobility.

The Movability Summit is a premier networking and policy event that unites national, regional, and statewide leaders to break down silos and advance the future of transportation demand management. Attendees, including representatives from public and private sector employers, transportation service providers, universities, and non-profit organizations, will participate in engaging discussions, thought-provoking panels, and opportunities for professional growth.

Movability invites industry experts, thought leaders, and innovators to submit session proposals aligned with the following themes and topics:

· Building the transportation demand management (TDM) city

· Shared and active mobility in the private sector

Hey Central Texans! Want to win 2 tickets to the 2025 Moontower Comedy Festival? From Feb. 1 through March 20, all you have to do to be entered to win is download the Carbon Cred app and use active or shared transportation - like carpooling, transit, or biking - to get to where you're going.

Carbon Cred (available for Apple and Android phones) will automatically count those active and shared trips for you. The best part is that Carbon Cred will pay you for any commute trips you take that aren't drive-alone, during this challenge and beyond - the more you choose commute modes like carpooling or transit, the more you'll earn.

While Carbon Cred only tracks and pays credits for shared and active commutes, ALL shared and active trips enter you for Movability prizes - like the Moontower Comedy tickets - and extra incentives!

No matter what team you support, all sports fans can agree that gameday traffic in Austin is no fun. But what if you could opt out of traffic AND be entered to win some great gear??

Movability’s Gameday Challenge gives Austinites a chance to win prize packages by using active or shared transportation modes to get around - whether or not you’re going to the game - on days when there are home football games in Austin.

Here's how to win:

1. Download the Carbon Cred app for Apple or Android phones

2. On days when football or Austin FC games take place in Austin (Oct. 19, Nov. 9, and Nov. 23) use active or shared modes wherever you’re headed – carpooling, rideshare, transit, biking, scooters, walking, and bikeshare all count!

3. That’s it! Movability will do a random drawing among participants after each home game.

Prize packages:

Oct. 19 Football Fan Package: $150 value

This year, Movability is proud to participate with our coalition partners ADAPT of Texas, Transit Forward, Safe Streets Austin, AURA, Rethink35, Reconnect Austin, Austin Urbanistas, Urban Austin Reads, Future of New Urbanism - Central Texas (FNU-CTX), and Black + Motal Architecture and Urban Design in the #WeekWithoutDriving from September 30th to October 6th, a challenge that invites us to experience the everyday realities of those who, by circumstance or choice, do not drive.

Nearly a third of people in the United States, including individuals with disabilities, young people, seniors, and those who cannot afford the costs associated with car ownership, navigate their lives without personal vehicles. Their experiences highlight the importance of connected, accessible, reliable public transit and safe, active transportation options for all.

The Week Without Driving is not just an opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced by nondrivers; it's a call to transformative action for creating stronger, inclusive communities. Whether it's understanding the significance of every trip made without a car or considering the complexities of relying on others for transportation, this challenge encourages empathy and insight into the diverse needs of our community members.

This year we're kicking off the Mobility Games on September 16, the first day of TDM Week, and making it easier than ever to participate.

The Mobility Games is a community-wide event that challenges Central Texans to try active and shared commutes from September 16 - 30. The grand prize winner will get two (2) one-day passes to this year's ACL Fest for October 11 and the commuter who saves the most carbon during the Mobility Games will win a $100 gift card!

This year, instead of manually logging your sustainable commutes and fun trips (for example: carpool, transit, bike, vanpool, shuttle, walking, or micro-mobility) you can have those trips automatically counted for you when you download the Carbon Cred app (available for Apple and Android phones). The best part is that Carbon Cred will pay you for your active and shared commutes, during the Mobility Games and beyond - the more you choose commute modes like carpooling or transit, the more you'll earn.

Traffic congestion isn’t just a commuter’s headache – it also has real costs for businesses. While our region’s population doubles every 20 years, our roadways don’t. Leasing or building parking costs anywhere from $10,000 to more than $60,000 per parking spot; time in traffic reduces productivity; and retention rates suffer when employees have no option beyond driving alone to work.

A multimodal transportation demand management (TDM) program can boost recruitment, retention, and your organization’s growth. TDM plans aren’t just for huge tech companies!

A TDM plan can include carpool matching; subsidized transit passes or vanpools; telework or flexible work hours; carpool matching; preferred or discounted parking for carpools and vanpools; commuter lunch & learns, vendor fairs, or Mobility Camps; telework or flexible work hours; or employee surveys. Those are just a few examples of commuter benefits that help employers address the time and money lost to traffic congestion.

Businesses that offer a suite of commute options also gain:

· Measurable DEI benefits - the high cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle or living with disabilities impacts the ability to drive. Providing benefits that connect all employees with commute options is true equity and inclusion.

Central Texas’ growth means a lot of opportunities for small businesses, but that growth sometimes comes with real challenges. Traffic congestion – which will increase as regional construction projects break ground - can mean employees and customers alike will have a harder time getting to your business.

That’s where Transportation Demand Management (TDM) can help. TDM involves policies and strategies to connect commuters with more transportation modes, from carpools and vanpools to transit and bicycling. More people using shared and active commute modes means decreased traffic congestion, which benefits everyone – even those who must drive alone.

Here are a few programs Movability offers that might help your business take time back from traffic:

1. GoGrant: This semi-annual grant offers Austin businesses and nonprofits up to $7,500 in funding for infrastructure (like bike racks), programming (such as subsidized vanpools), or customized TDM consultation and planning. The next application period for GoGrant is August 14 to September 4.

2. MovePass: Designed to augment the CapMetro for Business bulk purchasing program, MovePass takes the administrative burden of buying, distributing, and tracking transit passes off your shoulders. Many businesses have discovered that MovePass is a coveted perk that improves their employee retention! "I do not own a car so I would either have to pay out of pocket [for transportation] or find a job closer to me," said a retail employee whose employer is enrolled in the MovePass program. "Having my commute to and from work covered has been a major perk."

Movability is thrilled to announce we have been selected to receive a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grant. We are one of only 343 grantees selected (out of 3,300+ applications!) from across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With this quick-action grant we will host Mobility Camps and Lunch & Learns for older Austinites, teaching them about mobility options that can help them be independent and connected as they age.

“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Movability for this investment to make Central Texas more livable for residents of all ages,” Lonny Stern, Movability's Executive Director, said.

About the AARP Community Challenge

The AARP Community Challenge grant program funds innovative, quick-action projects that inspire change in areas such as public places; housing; transportation; digital connectivity; community resilience; and more. With additional funding support provided by Toyota Motor North America, the program is also increasing its investment in pedestrian safety projects that will improve streets and sidewalks, create vibrant pedestrian infrastructure, engage community members and much more.

Hosting visitors or wanting to stay-cation in Austin but dreading traffic? Movability recently contributed to an article highlighting some of the activities, food, and experiences visitors and locals alike can enjoy in Austin. And many of them are easy to get to by transit, bikes, or shuttle, so you don't have to worry about endless circling and high parking costs!

Read the article here

We were named a local expert on ApartmentGuide. Read the full article here: 7 Steps to Make the Most of One Day in Austin, TX: Build the Ideal Itinerary ApartmentGuide is a subsidiary of Redfin.com

May is Bike Month, but you can cruise into bike month using any active or shared mode and win this month's prize from Mellow Johnny's!

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between May 1 and 31 will be in the running to win a bike tuneup kit from Mellow Johnny's that includes a bike flat kit, rechargeable bike lights, and a stylish bell - estimated value is $150.

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between May 1 and 31
3. Movability will randomly select a winner among eligible trip loggers

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

Spring days are here and Austin is blooming! To encourage Central Texans to enjoy the beautiful weather and form sustainable travel habits that will help keep our air clean, Movability is offering an outdoorsy incentive for logging active and shared trips in April.

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between April 1 and 30 will be in the running to win a "Hiking the Greenbelt Kit" valued at $600 that includes sunglasses from Krewe, an Osprey backpack, Yeti water bottle, hammock, and a portable speaker from Whole Earth Provisions.

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between April 1 and 30
3. Movability will randomly select a winner among eligible trip loggers

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

The President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors appointed Austin Mayor Kirk Watson to a leadership position on the Transportation and Infrastructure Standing Committee, where he will serve as the Vice Chair for Inter-Modal Transportation.

“Mayor Watson and Austin are on the cutting edge of transportation innovation, and I'm pleased to appoint him to a leadership position in the U.S. Conference of Mayors,” said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “Kirk has a history as a strong advocate for meeting multi-modal infrastructure needs and he will be a credible voice as we chart the future of transportation in our nation's cities.”

Austin is undertaking about $25 billion in new mobility infrastructure, including Project Connect, airport expansion, I-35 reconstruction, and other projects. Since taking office in January 2023, Mayor Watson has focused on delivering these generational infrastructure investments in a way that best serves our community.

“This important appointment is a recognition of how much good is going on in Austin in transportation,” Mayor Watson said. “From light rail to the airport expansion to major roadway improvements to the work on intercity passenger rail to addressing how we build the workforce so we can achieve our goals, Austin is seen as a leader in creativity and getting things done. I'm pleased and honored to be asked to play a leadership role in the U.S. Conference of Mayors.”

It's no joke - cutting out just one drive-alone trip each week can make a BIG impact on air quality and traffic congestion! To encourage Central Texans to try different modes like carpooling and transit we're offering a serious incentive next month.

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between March 1 and 31 will be in the running to win two tickets to the 2024 Moontower Comedy Festival and two 7-day CapMetro passes.

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between March 1 and 31
3. Movability will randomly select a winner among eligible trip loggers

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

For the past 10 years Movability has partnered with the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) program to offer our members application assistance to this innovative membership program that provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits. Employers and developments that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits can get on the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters.

We're thrilled to congratulate the following employers who have made the BWC list for 2024:

• Ballet Austin
• CapMetro
• Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG)
• Capital Area Rural Transportation System
• City of Austin
• Samsung Austin Semiconductor
• Silicon Labs
• The Thrival Company
• Whole Foods

Treat yourself and your partner or a friend with a night out!

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between January 22 and February 12 will be in the running to win a date night package that includes a $20 e-scooter credit, two transit passes, two Paramount Theatre tickets and a $100 gift card to Vespaio.

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between January 22 and February 12
3. The individual with the most non-drive-alone trips logged will win; in the event of ties there will be a random drawing between qualified participants

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

CapMetro’s Pickup, an on-demand shuttle service, has expanded to the Dove Springs neighborhood in Southeast Austin. Pickup provides customers with affordable, convenient access to schools, grocery stores, doctors offices and other locations within its services zones - and also provides connections into the wider CapMetro transit system.

Pickup is an on-demand neighborhood rideshare that can move you anywhere within the limited service zones. Using the Pickup app allows you to request a ride that should be about 15 minutes away. The costs for Pickup are the same as local and MetroRapid bus rides - $1.25 for adults and free for kids under 18.

As part of Project Connect, Pickup has expanded to four new zones since 2021, including Dove Springs, and now serves a total of eight areas in Austin: East Austin, Exposition, Northeast Austin, Walnut Creek, Dessau, South Menchaca, North Oak Hill, and Dove Springs. The service also operates in three zones in the cities of Manor, Lago Vista and Leander.

Learn more about Pickup’s service zones here and see a video tutorial about how to use Pickup here.

Want to kick off the new year with a healthy start? This wellness package is the perfect self-care gift!

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between Dec 15, 2023 and Jan 19, 2024 will be entered into a drawing to win a New Year's wellness package that includes a 6-month Planet Fitness membership, a massage at Milk + Honey, and a $50 gift card to Sweetgreen!

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between Dec 15, 2023 and Jan 19, 2024
3. The individual with the most non-drive-alone trips logged will win; in the event of ties there will be a random drawing between qualified participants

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

After serving as the interim director of Austin Transportation and the new Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) since June 6, 2022, Richard Mendoza was named TPW’s permanent director on November 28, 2023. Mendoza has served on Movability's Board of Directors since 2022.

"I am incredibly honored for the opportunity to continue leading TPW. I will do my best every day to support our dedicated staff in serving our community," Mendoza said.

Mendoza joined the City in January 2017 as the director of Public Works and served in that role until he was asked to lead Austin Transportation in 2022 as the interim director.

Following the merger of Austin Transportation and Public Works in spring 2023, Mendoza has overseen the new, combined department of more than 1,000 employees.

In the permanent director role, Mendoza will continue to oversee an annual operating budget of $140 million and a portfolio of $1.4 billion in capital improvement projects. The responsibilities of the department include providing a safe, reliable and accessible street network for everyone in the city – no matter how they choose to get around.

Whether you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for a loved one or you're ready to treat yourself, this is a giveaway you won't want to miss.

Central Texans who log non-drive-alone trips on the Get There Central Texas network between Nov 20 and Dec 15 will be entered into a drawing to win a MOD Bikes e-bike!

All you have to do is:

1. Make sure you're part of the Get There Central Texas network on myCommuteSolutions.com
2. Log your non-drive-alone trips in the platform between Nov 20 and Dec 15
3. The individual with the most non-drive-alone trips logged will win; in the event of ties there will be a random drawing between qualified participants

The fine print:

• Participants must reside in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties)
• Participants must be able to verify logged trips
• City of Austin and Travis County employees are not eligible for this giveaway based on City and County laws
• Movability employees and their relatives are not eligible for this giveaway
• Once notified, the winner must respond within five (5) business days. Failure to respond means a forfeiture of the giveaway prize
• Movability reserves the right to make final determinations and decisions about the prize winner

Congratulations to the Fall 2023 GoGrant recipients!

Movability's GoGrant program received a record number of applications for this funding round. The independent committee that considers and scores applications has made its selections, and now that all applicants have been notified we're excited to make it public! Drumroll please....

1. Yellow Bike: funding awarded for bike refurbishment
2. Out Youth: funding awarded for transit passes
3. O. Henry Middle School: funding awarded for bike racks
4. ICC Austin: funding awarded for bike storage, bike racks, and bike lockers
5. Marshall Middle School: funding awarded for bike accessories and programming to promote biking to school