Across Oregon, people tried new ways to get where they needed to go—and proved that small transportation choices can add up to a big statewide impact.
The recent Get There Challenge brought Oregonians together around a simple idea: when more people choose sustainable transportation, every trip makes a difference. From October 1-14, participants across the state logged their carpool, vanpool, transit, bike, and walk trips (and work from home days!) in Get There Connect. They joined workplace and community networks and encouraged one another to try transportation options that are greener, more active, and more affordable.
The results show just how powerful small changes can be.
This year’s Challenge was about more than numbers. It was about people trying something new and finding ways to make daily travel work better for their lives, their budgets, their health, and their communities. The Challenge showed what happens when individual choices become collective momentum.
Across Oregon, participants swapped a solo drive for transit. Others logged remote work days, shared a carpool, joined a vanpool, walked to school, biked to work, or combined different options throughout the week. Each trip helped reduce drive-alone travel while making sustainable transportation feel more practical, familiar, and achievable.
I really enjoyed the connection I felt with my community. Chatting with friends I bumped into while cycling, discovering a new shop or restaurant while walking by, or striking up a conversation with a stranger on the bus. You don’t realize how isolating cars are until you spend time outside them, connecting with your community instead of just passing through it.
– Grand Prizer Winner Nic W.
The statewide impact also showed up at the community level. Workplaces, schools, and local organizations helped turn the Challenge into a shared experience by creating friendly competition and celebrating the ways people already move through their communities. For employers, the Challenge was an opportunity to bring employees together around a common goal—whether that meant cheering on coworkers, spotlighting team progress, offering small prizes, or recognizing people who tried a new way to get to work. Those moments of encouragement can make sustainable transportation feel more visible, approachable, and rewarding in the workplace. They can also support broader organizational goals, from reducing drive-alone trips and lowering emissions to strengthening employee wellness, engagement, and connection.
Congratulations to everyone who participated, whether you logged one trip or many!
The Get There Challenge may be over, but the momentum does not have to stop here. Sustainable transportation works best when it becomes part of everyday life in small, flexible ways. Keep going. Keep exploring. And keep logging your trips in Get There Connect so you can track your impact, stay connected to your network, and continue building on the progress made during the Challenge.