We’re proud to launch a new program called TravelSmart today!

Through TravelSmart, we’re hoping to help people make smart travel choices for getting around our region. It’s no coincidence that we’re launching this on the first anniversary of the Olympics—we’re looking to continue the efficient travel choices that we all embraced during the 2010 Games.

To that end, we’ve launched a new website at travelsmart.ca with resources on ride-sharing, teleworking, cycling, walking, and more. And you can follow @travelsmart on Twitter.

Travelsmart.ca has a new Your Neighbourhood Map tool, which lets you plug in an address and discover what services are easily accessible nearby. There’s also a wealth of articles discussing travel choices available to you. Have a look!

Sign up at travelsmart.ca and win prizes!

If you sign up at the TravelSmart website between February 12 to 28, 2011, you will be automatically entered to win weekly prizes or one of our grand prizes!

The grand prize draw includes two Rocky Mountain Bicycles, an iPad, or one of 10 $500 gift certificates from Vancouver Top Attractions (and FareSaver transit tickets to get you to your destination of choice).

The weekly prizes include:

• $100 gift certificates to Park Royal Shopping Centre (and FareSaver transit tickets to get you there)
• $100 gift certificates to Mountain Equipment Co-op
• $25 gift certificates to Waves Coffee (and FareSaver transit tickets to get you to the Waves in your neighbourhood)

You’ll also see some street teams and other folks spreading the word at events this weekend and beyond—so look out for even more ways to learn about TravelSmart and win.

A work in progress: we need your feedback

At the moment, the current TravelSmart program and website is really a work in progress. The website is not complete by any means, and we’re still looking to build better tools and resources to help people try different travel choices.

That’s where your feedback can really help us build a really strong TravelSmart site. Please let us know what you like, where you see opportunities or challenges, and any other suggestions you can think of to help improve our work! Feel free to use the comments below, or e-mail our TravelSmart community manager Sarah Loewen at sarah.loewen@translink.ca.

Right now, we’re aiming to upgrade the TravelSmart site in April 2011, when your site registration will hopefully give you access to more personalized tools—and with your help, we can make sure TravelSmart grows up right :)

TravelSmart: helping build a healthy region for our future

Beyond the small day to day choices we’re hoping to help you with, TravelSmart is actually a key way to build a healthy, sustainable region over the next 30 years!

The program is a big part of helping us to achieve the region’s Transport 2040 vision of creating a more livable community, through encouraging Metro Vancouverites to use efficient alternatives to solo-driver travel.

Smart decisions about how we move around can help us build a better future for everyone—so we really would like you to get engaged and join the TravelSmart movement! Sign up, give us feedback, and stay with us: together we can hopefully build a strong transportation future for our whole region.