A researcher from Ottawa is looking for people who started cycling in the winter as a result of a program intervention by a community group or municipality.

She writes:

I am writing two papers for Transport Canada that will explore how people's travel behaviours have changed as a direct result of community or municipal sustainable transportation programs or active transportation resource programs. The papers will concentrate on two regions, Prairies/North and Atlantic, and will appear on Transport Canada's Urban Transportation Showcase Program web site in both English and French. The audience for the paper consists primarily of municipal transportation planners, transit agencies, municipal staff and councillors, universities, and other organizations that have an interest in sustainable transportation.

The papers will include personal stories of individuals who have reduced or eliminated their driving in favour of active or sustainable modes, such as carpooling, transit, cycling, walking and teleworking, as a direct result of such programs as:

1. Community-based travel marketing programs
2. Employer-based programs, such as transportation management associations or annual campaigns such as the Clean Air Commute or Commuter Challenge
3. Transit programs, such as express service, park & ride or discounted transit programs
4. Car sharing organizations and/or carpooling programs
5. Cycling infrastructure, e.g., cycling lanes and trails, showers and/or change rooms at work, secure bicycle parking, etc
6. Active transportation resource programs

Generally speaking, the papers will focus on the daily commute to and from work, but other trips are also important (e.g., transporting children to school or other activities, shopping, recreational trips, etc.). If you live in any of the Prairie provinces, the territories, or the Atlantic provinces, and are interested in taking part in a 20-30 minute telephone interview, please email Sharon Boddy at Sharon.Boddy@teksavvy.com to arrange a date and time. Interviews can also be done via email; in that case, I would send you a list of questions that you could answer at your leisure. Thank you for considering this request!

Sharon Boddy
Ottawa, Ontario