Monday, October 8, 2012

September Commute Summary





'Tour de ZAP' Anyone?

Last month, I learned of ZAP Twin Cities, a program that automatically tracks bicycle commuting through a network of ZAP readers throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul. There is no logging in to enter trip information manually and the program offers rewards for consistency (e.g. bike accessories, gear, and $50 gift cards from local bike shops). www.ZAPTwinCities.org

I saw a promotional email about it on September 3, called the friendly folks at St. Paul Smart Trips, and within an hour my bike was tagged and tracking.  I still like to enter detailed information into MapMyRide, but the snapshot that I get from ZAP and the promise of prizes motivates me. From the day I stated the program, I can see I had a pretty solid month of commuting (only missed 3 days due to offsite meetings in the burbs that required driving)! The downsides: You need to have a ZAP station on your route, and the program only tracks 1 ZAP per day at the first reader you pass – I would like to see all of my ZAPs. I have suggested that they organize something like a "Tour de ZAP" promotional activity where one rides past each ZAP station in the Twin Cities. We’ll see if they take up the idea or if I have to organize my own!

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