Take the 'Drive Smarter Challenge'

Saturday Oct 10 2009 1:26 PM

Pierce County is challenging its residents and employees to save money and drive smarter as part of the national Drive Smarter Challenge. Counties across the country are competing for the highest participation in the challenge, based on population percentage.

The challenge offers fuel-saving strategies for keeping cars in good working order, driving less and driving more fuel efficiently.

The campaign, which ends Nov. 30, is sponsored by the National Association of Counties and other partners to help U.S. consumers lower their gasoline costs by using less. Pierce County advances in the competition every time someone takes the online Drive Smarter Challenge, available at www.piercecountywa.org/drivesmarter.

The challenge can be customized to vehicle make, model, year, and ZIP code, and calculates the dollar amount of savings for each fuel-saving strategy accepted. The county site also features links to money-saving tips, public transportation, bicycling, carpooling, and other commute options.

Pierce County, working through the transportation planning section of its Public Works and Utilities Department, is working in partnership with Pierce Transit and the City of Tacoma to promote the Drive Smarter Challenge and encourage the use of alternative transportation modes to help the environment.

NACo was founded in 1935 as a national organization to represent the nation's 3,066 counties with a unified voice before the federal government, to improve the public's understanding of county government, and to assist counties in finding and sharing solutions to common problems. For more information, visit www.naco.org.

Contact: Debbie Germer, Public Works and Utilities Transportation Planner, 253-798-3556, or Hunter George, Pierce County Communications director, 253-798-6606 or hgeorge@co.pierce.wa.us

Find more Pierce County news at www.piercecountywa.org or follow us at twitter.com/pierceco.