State Honors UMass Boston with Highest Award for Eco-Friendly Commuting

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MassRIDES, MassCommute, and MassDOT Select UMass Boston for Pinnacle AwardUMass Boston received its first Pinnacle Award — the state's highest award for eco-friendly commuting — at the annual Excellence in Commuter Options (ECO) Awards at Fenway Park last week.

MassRIDES, MassCommute, and MassDOT have sponsored these awards since 2011. There are three levels: pacesetter, leader, and pinnacle.

Pacesetter Award winners need to meet at least five criteria, such as offering an emergency ride home program and flexible work schedules for employees. Leader Award winners need to meet the meet the same criteria as a Pacesetter Award winner and five more criteria, such as conducting quarterly promotions of ride-matching services like NuRide and offering vanpools, discounted transit passes, and on-site amenities like ATM, food, and child care. Pinnacle Award winners have to meet the same qualifications as the other two levels and meet four more criteria, such as providing shuttle services and showers for cyclists.

MassRIDES, MassCommute, and MassDOT determined that UMass Boston meets all of the criteria above. The university's green transit options and incentives include eco-friendly free shuttle buses, the Hubway bike sharing program, the HarborWalk, and motorbike parking.

UMass Boston received Leader Awards in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, and a Spotlight Award for Leadership in Commuter Options in the area of walking in 2016. Wednesday was the first time it has received a Pinnacle Award.

“While our students, faculty, and staff are to be commended for availing the sustainable and healthy choices for sustainable transportation, I would love to thank certain campus departments that help to make this a success year after year - campus services, transportation services, recycling and sustainability, construction and master planning, university communications, human resources, facilities, and environmental health and safety,” said Aditi Pain, manager of the Office of Recycling and Sustainability.

UMass Boston has been honored for its green efforts by other organizations as well. UMass Boston has been part ...

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