Community Transit

Sign In   Rewards   How to Participate   Resources Eligibility   FAQs

Save more. Stress less.

It pays to choose a smarter trip.

Curb the Congestion offers great rewards for 2013. Choose a smarter trip at least eight days a month and you could qualify for:

• Monthly Rewards: Receive $50 a month for three months!
• Keep it up to qualify for a $150 drawing each month.
• Recruiter Rewards up to $100 a year when you refer friends, neighbors or co-workers.

 

Curb the Congestion is a partnership between Community Transit and Snohomish County to reduce traffic and encourage healthy travel options on congested roadways. The program is funded by Snohomish County through development mitigation fees and federal grants. The program is operated by Community Transit.

Ride the bus, carpool, vanpool, bike or walk instead of driving alone on:

Our Curb the Congestion Specialist is ready to help you plan your trips.

Whether you use one of these streets to drive to work, school, or errands, we can help you find a more relaxing way to get there.

• 164th Street SW/SE (between Lynnwood and Mill Creek)
• 128th Street (between Everett and Mill Creek)

Curb the Congestion Rewards for 2013

Log smarter trips on at least eight days a month and you may qualify for the following rewards, funded by Snohomish County through grants and development fees. Read about recent winners.

$50 Monthly Rewards

Thinking of trying a smarter trip? When you register for Curb the Congestion, you can earn $50 a month for three months to help pay for bus, carpool, vanpool, biking or walking expenses. Eligible participants receive a $50 voucher toward bus or vanpool fare or a $50 gift card for gas or to REI.

See $50 Monthly Rewards details and eligibility.

$150 Monthly Drawing

After three months, keep logging trips on at least eight days a month on your calendar to qualify for monthly drawings for a $150 prepaid MasterCard gift card.

See $150 monthly drawing details and eligibility.

Recruiter Rewards

Would you like $25 to help pay for your bus, carpool, vanpool, biking, or walking expenses? Do you have a friend, neighbor, or coworker who travels on 164th Street, 128th Street or 20th Street? Would they benefit from learning about their options for making a smarter trip?

Tell a friend about Curb the Congestion - we've put together recruiting tips (pdf) to get you started. If your friend registers and logs trips on their Curb the Congestion Calendar, you could earn a $25 voucher toward bus or vanpool fare or a $25 gift card for gas or REI. You must be a current and active participant in the program yourself.

Download your recruiter kit (pdf), or email CurbIt at commtrans dot org or call (425) 438-6136 to get one.

Your Curb the Congestion Calendar will also calculate how much money, fuel and air pollution you save by not driving alone. Learn more about the calendar.

Personal Assistance

Get one-on-one assistance with planning your trip to work, school, or errands. Our Curb the Congestion Specialist will answer your questions and provide information on options like taking the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling and walking.

For example, if you’re interested in taking the bus to the mall, our specialist can explain where, when, and how to catch your bus. If needed, the specialist may provide maps, schedules, and other information. Or if carpooling to work is a good fit for you, the specialist can help you look for carpool partners.

You’ll have a chance to request personal assistance when you register for Curb the Congestion. Later, you can always request additional help by emailing or calling.

How to Participate

Step 1: Register online. Participants without Internet access can request a paper form. Call (425) 438-6136 or email CurbIt at commtrans dot org.

Step 2: A Community Transit Specialist will contact you to help you plan your trip to work, school, or errands. The representative will also ask you to sign an optional pledge form to reduce your drive-alone trips. Pledging strengthens your commitment to smarter trips.

Step 3: Start making trips by bus, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling and walking instead of driving alone on one of the targeted road corridors.

Step 4: To qualify for rewards, track your trips online using your personalized Curb the Congestion Calendar.

Curb the Congestion Eligibility

1. You must currently travel on a selected corridor (164th Street SW/SE or 128th Street) to get to work, school, or errands.
2. You must be 16 years or older and live or work in Snohomish County, Washington.
3. You must begin using an alternative to driving alone or have begun within the last 6 months. 
4. You must register at www.communitytransit.org/CurbIt. Participants without Internet access can request a paper form by calling (425) 438-6136 or emailing CurbIt@commtrans.org
5. If you are a participant on 164th Street SW/SE or 128th Street SE you may not use another Curb the Congestion corridor to remove your vehicle trip.
6. When you log a bus, carpool, or vanpool trip, you must not drive alone in a personal vehicle on a selected corridor to meet your bus, carpool, or vanpool. However, it is permitted, but not encouraged, for 128th Street participants to drive to the McCollum Park & Ride to meet a bus, carpool, or vanpool.
7. Employees of Community Transit and their immediate family members are not eligible to win incentive prizes. Everyone is nevertheless encouraged to register and log trips on the Curb the Congestion Calendar.

$50 Monthly Rewards Eligibility

1. A $50 Monthly Rewards may be awarded at the end of the month following registration and during each of the following two consecutive months.
   • Eligibility will be evaluated separately for each of the three months, but may not be extended beyond three consecutive months.
2. To be eligible for $50 Monthly Rewards for a given month, you must meet all of the following criteria:
   • Started making smarter trips on the corridor in the last 6 months.
   • Make a trip by bus, carpool, vanpool, bicycling or walking on at least 8 days during the calendar month on one of the selected corridors.
   • Log your trips on the online Curb the Congestion Calendar or on a paper calendar provided by Community Transit.
   • Complete your Curb the Congestion Calendar online (or submit paper calendar) no later than the 9th of the following month.

  Distribution of $50 Monthly Rewards

1. Approximately 2 days after you register, you will receive an email notifying you of your eligibility.  You will receive an email with instructions for selecting from one of the following:
   • $50 TranBen Voucher good toward bus or vanpool fare. For bus fare, voucher must be redeemed at an ORCA Customer Service Center or participating retail outlet. For instructions on using voucher toward vanpool fare, contact your vanpool customer representative.
   • $50 Chevron or Shell gasoline gift card.
   • $50 REI gift card.
2. Participants are responsible for following all instructions to select their reward choice and for ensuring a correct mailing address is listed in their user profile at www.communitytransit.org/CurbIt.
3. Please allow at least 4 weeks from the end of a qualifying month for rewards to be verified, processed, and mailed.
4. Continuation of rewards is dependent on the availability of funds. Community Transit may adjust program or incentive details to ensure program efficiency. Community Transit and Snohomish County are not responsible for technical failures in entry transmission, or lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, illegible, or postage-due forms. Participation constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use recipients’ names, hometowns, and any text submitted for the purposes of promotion on behalf of Curb the Congestion.

$150 Monthly Drawing Eligibility

1. To be eligible for a $150 monthly drawing, held on the 10th day of the following calendar month, you must complete the following:
   • Make a trip by bus, carpool, vanpool, bicycling or walking on at least 8 days during the calendar month on one of the selected corridors.
   • Log your trips on the online Curb the Congestion Calendar or on a paper calendar provided by Community Transit.
   • Complete your Curb the Congestion Calendar online (or submit paper calendar) no later than the 9th of the following month.
2. A participant may not be awarded in two consecutive drawings. If the same name is drawn for two consecutive months, a new name will be selected.
3. Continuation of rewards is dependent on the availability of funds. Community Transit may adjust program or incentive details to ensure program efficiency. Community Transit and Snohomish County are not responsible for technical failures in entry transmission, or lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, illegible, or postage-due entries. Entry constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use prize winners’ names, hometowns, and any text submitted for the purposes of promotion on behalf of Curb the Congestion. 
4. When a drawing date falls on a weekend or holiday, the drawing will be held on the next business day.
5. Participants currently receiving or being considered for $50 Monthly Rewards are not eligible for $150 monthly drawings.
6. If you are awarded a $150 monthly prize, a Community Transit Specialist will contact you approximately two weeks after the end of the month to arrange getting your prize to you.  This process may take approximately four weeks from notification. 
    

Community Transit reserves the right to deny individual participation in the Curb the Congestion program.

Recruiter Rewards Eligibility

You the recruiter must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be currently registered in Curb the Congestion.
• Log trips on at least eight days a month on your Curb the Congestion Calendar.
• Submit a completed and signed Recruiter Rewards Application Form (pdf) for each new recruit.
• All Recruiter Rewards forms are subject to verification and approval. Any abuse of Recruiter Rewards will result in ineligibility for all Curb the Congestion incentives and rewards.
• Recruiter may not recruit self. No reciprocal recruiting.
• Maximum of four Recruiter Rewards per recruiter per calendar year, while funding lasts.

The person you recruit (recruitee) must meet all of the following requirements:

• Must not have registered previously for Curb the Congestion.
• Register for Curb the Congestion and meet the Curb the Congestion eligibility criteria above.
• Complete and sign the recruitee section of your Recruiter Rewards Application Form within 30 days of registration, naming you on the form as the recruiter.
• Log trips on at least eight days on his/her Curb the Congestion Calendar during the following calendar month.

Each recruitee may name a maximum of one recruiter. Eligible recruiters may choose one of the following rewards:

1. $25 TranBen Voucher good toward bus or vanpool fare. For bus fare, voucher must be redeemed at an ORCA Customer Service Center or participating retail outlet. For instructions on using voucher toward vanpool fare, contact your vanpool customer representative.
2. $25 Chevron or Shell gasoline gift card.
3. $25 REI gift card.

Distribution of Recruiter Rewards

• Recruiter Rewards will be awarded to eligible participants after the recruitee completes the requirements above, including logging trips on at least eight days during the following calendar month.
• Participants are responsible for ensuring a correct mailing address is listed in their user profile at www.communitytransit.org/CurbIt.
• Please allow up to six weeks from time recruitee completes trip calendar for rewards to be verified, processed, and mailed.

Resources

In addition to personalized commute assistance from a Community Transit Specialist, the following resources can help you improve your trips.

Bus

• Online Trip Planner
• Transit System Map

Carpool and Vanpool

• RideshareOnline.com: Find a carpool or vanpool for your daily commute or for regional events.

Bicycling and Walking

• Snohomish County Bicycle Map (pdf)
• Online Pedometer: map your trip, see how long you walked and how many calories you burned!

General

• Puget Sound Traffic Cameras: Traffic cameras for state roadways, plus information on freeway congestion, commute times, construction and closures, road conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the purpose of the Curb the Congestion Program?

  Reduce traffic congestion and improve quality of life by promoting transportation by bus, carpool, vanpool, bicycling and walking.
• What are the selected road corridors?

  There are three:

  • 164th Street SW/SE (between Lynnwood and Mill Creek)
  • 128th Street (between Everett and Mill Creek)
• I travel on a corridor not listed.  How do I enter?

  Choose “Other” from the drop down list on the registration form. You will be contacted by a Community Transit Specialist to help you plan your trips. You may be eligible for other Community Transit programs, but you will not be eligible for Curb the Congestion program incentives.
• How is Curb the Congestion funded?

  The program is funded by Snohomish County through development mitigation fees and federal grants. The program is operated by Community Transit.
• Why is this program only available on selected roadways?

  The Snohomish County Department of Public Works identified these specific road corridor because they will benefit the most from this type of program based on the existing infrastructure (i.e. roads, bike lanes, sidewalks, and transit facilities), constraints to further improve the road, and development patterns.

  Community Transit has also identified all three roads as “transit emphasis corridors.” This means Community Transit supports an integrated vision of land use planning that includes a balanced mix of investment in roadways, land use decisions supportive of transit market development and a long-term commitment to transit services.

• I work at an employer and/or worksite not listed. How do I enter?

  Choose "None" or “Other” from the very top of the employer list on the registration form.
• If I’ve previously participated in Curb the Congestion, am I still eligible for rewards?

  Anyone 16 or older who makes eligible trips on the selected corridors can participate in Curb the Congestion. Any participant may qualify for Recruiter Rewards and $150 Monthly Drawings.
  
  Note that any participant who started making smarter trips on the selected corridor more than 6 months ago may not qualify for $50 Monthly Rewards.
   
• How will this program work to address traffic congestion?

  There is no single way to reduce congestion. Rather, we need a multi-faceted approach. Curb the Congestion is part of the overall solution by increasing public awareness about transportation choices and eliminating some of the barriers that keep people from trying an alternative to driving alone.
• What is the purpose of the Curb the Congestion Calendar?

  Community Transit uses the tracking calendars to:
  

  • Confirm participant eligibility for program incentives. 
  • Determine the number of vehicle trips removed from target corridors.
  • Measure increases in bus ridership, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, and walking on selected road corridors.

  The act of logging trips also helps you:
  

  • Notice opportunities for making more of your trips by bus, carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, or walking.
  • See the money you save and the good you do for your environment.
• What is the purpose of pledging to reduce my drive-alone trips?

  Pledging is not a requirement of the program, but it is encouraged.  We know it can be hard to change a daily practice, such as always driving alone to work.  Pledging reinforces your commitment and helps you set and reach your goals.
• How will my personal information be used?

  Your personal information will remain confidential and is only used by Community Transit to send you requested materials and incentives. Community Transit will not sell, distribute, or otherwise disseminate your information to any third party. Information given by participants, both contact information and commuting information, will be kept confidential, unless authorized by you for the purposes of finding a carpool, vanpool or bicycling/walking buddies. Entry constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use prize winners’ names, hometowns, and any text submitted for the purposes of promotion on behalf of Curb the Congestion.
• How do I receive my prize if I am a winner?

  A Community Transit Specialist will contact you directly to arrange getting your prize to you.
• How will I know if I qualify for a $50 Monthly Reward for each of the three months after I register? How and when would I receive my reward?

  Community Transit will contact you approximately 10 days after the end of the month to notify you of eligibility. You will receive an email or phone request approximately four weeks after the end of the month asking you to follow instructions to select your reward. Approximately two weeks after you successfully select your reward, you will receive your reward by U.S. mail. Please watch for related emails and U.S. mail during this time frame.
• Are there any tax consequences for being a prize winner?

  Community Transit will comply with the IRS reporting requirements for prize winners. According to  IRS instructions, a Form 1099-MISC is required for any person receiving over $600 in prizes and awards. For those prizes where there is an issue of what the actual worth of the prize is, the IRS regulations defining the fair market value of a prize will determine whether or not a 1099-MISC is filed. Recipients of prizes qualifying for a 1099-MISC must agree to provide the information necessary for the 1099-MISC in order to receive their prize; they should expect to receive their forms in time to file their appropriate tax returns. For prizes worth less than $600, it is the recipient’s responsibility to comply with all relevant IRS income reporting guidelines.
• I drive alone on a selected corridor in order to reach a park & ride, then take a commuter bus from there. Does that count as a bus trip?

  To count as a bus trip, you must not drive alone on a selected corridor. Our specialist can help you find another way to get to your park & ride, such as by local bus or carpool. If circumstances require you to drive alone to a park & ride, then consider reducing other drive-alone trips you make on selected corridors, such as to errands or leisure activities. However, it is permitted, but not encouraged, for 128th Street participants to drive to the McCollum Park & Ride to meet a bus, carpool, or vanpool. This is because the McCollum Park & Ride is at the edge of the corridor.
• I made eight trips in one day. Does that qualify me for rewards?

  You must make at least one trip a day on eight days in the calendar month and meet other eligibility requirements in order to qualify for a rewards.
• What if I am driving a hybrid vehicle?

  If there is more than one person in the car for the commute, then the hybrid vehicle may count as a carpool. Driving alone in a hybrid vehicle may reduce fuel usage and emissions, but does not reduce traffic congestion. Therefore, Community Transit does not recognize hybrid use alone eligible for prize drawing eligibility.
• Why are motorcycles not included as an alternative mode?

  There are a number of reasons for this.

  • First, a primary goal of the program is to promote bus, carpool, vanpool, bicycling, and walking to remove drive-alone trips. A motorcycle can qualify as a carpool if more than one person is riding the same cycle.
  • A second goal of the program is to encourage commuting methods that increase roadway capacity. Even given the relative size of a motorcycle to a car, there is still an issue of the number of vehicles using our county’s roadways. We believe that the best way to encourage people to use fewer vehicles overall is to encourage methods that promote personal or community connections, such as riding the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, biking, or walking.
• What if I use a scooter?

  Power-assisted bicycles qualify as a bicycle in this program. Motorized scooters of any type, whether meeting license requirements or not, count towards the program only when more than one person is sharing the commute, for the same reasons as listed above for motorcycles.
• Are there other types of foot-powered commuting that are eligible under the “walking” category?

  Yes, as long as it is a method of transportation where the foot is in contact with the ground, it is eligible in the “walking” category. This would therefore include skateboards, jogging, rollerblading, and non-motorized scooters. Trips made by wheelchair are also eligible in the "walking" category, as long as the trip replaces a drive-alone vehicle trip.