The OahuMPO co-hosted the 2023 Hawaii Commute Challenge with Blue Planet Foundation during the month of August 2023. We received privately donated funds from Ulupono Initiative to purchase prizes and coordinate logistics for the celebratory event held on September 9. Prizes included commute backpacks, water bottles, safety reflectors, bike locks, noise cancelling headphones, Fitbit’s, and hydration packs. The grand prize winners were awarded an electric bicycle, an annual bus pass, and a gift card to Biki in the amount of $300 which is equivalent to a year’s worth of commuter membership.
In total, the Commute Challenge had 350 participants. The celebration event saw 150 attendees, who enjoyed music, catered food from Moku Kitchen, and were able to pick up information from Blue Planet Foundation, Hawaii State Energy Office, OahuMPO, Hawaii Bicycling League, Biki, and EcoRide. We have leftover funds from Ulupono that we plan to use for the 2024 Hawaii Commute Challenge, to continue building relationships with the community and providing opportunities to change travel behavior. We appreciate all the support received from our partners and look forward to improving and expanding our efforts next year.