In February 2005, SANDAG announced its annual Diamond Award recipients at a dinner emceed by NBC 7/39 reporter Kimberly King.

The Diamond Awards recognize regional employers who are exceptional in their efforts to promote commuting alternatives such as vanpool and carpool programs, subsidized transit passes, flexible work schedules, and telecommute opportunities to employees. 

The 2004 Diamond Award winners recognized at the event were Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino; BD Biosciences Pharmingen; Biogen Idec; Deloitte & Touche, San Diego Practice; Golden Acorn Casino; Kyocera Wireless Corporation (KWC); NBC 7/39; QUALCOMM Incorporated; San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina; Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); Scripps Health; Smart Corner; Sony Online Entertainment (SOE); U.S. Navy; and Watkins Manufacturing.

SANDAG’s commuting programs are an important part of reducing traffic congestion on the San Diego region’s busy streets. Each day more people leaving the solo commute behind and becoming involved in an alternative mode of transportation. Today, there are more than 400 vanpools, thousands of bicyclists and walkers, and thousands more who take transit to work.

Over the past year, SANDAG has implemented four additional programs to aid the San Diego workforce in surviving the daily commute. 

• Gas Pass
  SANDAG, in partnership with Caltrans District 11, now offers the opportunity to earn free gas money through the I-5/805 Vanpool Gas Pass project.  New vanpools in the I-5/805 merge construction area can earn $300 in free gas cards. 

• Compass Plus
  Compass Plus is a six-month pilot project being conducted by SANDAG, the North County Transit District (NCTD) and Flexcar.  The project combines transit service and carsharing.  Participants in the pilot project receive the Compass+ card, which includes transit fares, free yearlong Flexcar membership dues, and personal hours each month for any Flexcar vehicle located in San Diego .

• Employer Survival Kits
  This free tool kit consists of a CD for San Diego regional employers, giving them all the tools they need to promote commuting alternatives among their employees. The CD contains brochures, posters, and other promotional materials. It provides information on each of SANDAG’s employer and commuter service programs, including carpooling and vanpooling, carsharing, transit subsidies, biking to work, and teleworking.

• Best Places for Commuters
  Best Work Places for Commuters provides national recognition for commuter-friendly organizations that meet the National Standard of Excellence, a set of qualifications established by the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation.  SANDAG’s free employer consulting services can help your company qualify.

For more information on “surviving the San Diego drive,” go to www.ridelink.org or call 1-800-COMMUTE (1-800-260-0883), a SANDAG sponsored program.

Project Manager:
Allison Richards-Evensen
619-699-1982