Smart Commute – Community based travel program
Smart Commute programs support residents and businesses to try transit, carpooling, cycling or walking, as a more sustainable way to get around York Region. The aim is to reduce traffic impacts, lower emissions, and improve air quality while helping commuters save time and money.
Winter Commute Month
During the month of February, let’s make every commute count!
Winter commute month is about embracing winter, building sustainable habits, and tracking your impact along the way. Let’s make a difference together this winter commute month!
Each sustainable commuting trip you make, by bike, carpool, transit, walking or working from home, can reduce emissions and help reduce traffic congestion.
Log your trips for a chance to win a $50 e-gift card!
How to Participate:
- Register at SmartCommute or download the Smart Commute app to log your trips for a chance to WIN
- Trips taken between February 1 and 28, 2025, can be entered into the Smart Commute Tool by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 7, 2025, to be entered into the prize draw
- New users who create their account between February 1 and 28, 2025, will receive two (2) complementary, entries into the prize draw
- Two logged sustainable commuting trips per day are eligible for the prize draw
- $50 e-gift card, courtesy of Smart Commute
Join a webinar!
Winter Commute Month is all about embracing the season, reducing traffic impacts and tracking your impact along the way.
Webinar Details
Carpooling and the Smart Commute Tool
- Discover the benefits of carpooling and how the Smart Commute Tool can transform your daily commute.
Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Time: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Cycling in all Weather Conditions
- Make all-season cycling a breeze
Date: Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Time: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
How Daily Travel Contributes to Quality of Life in Canada
- Join the discussion on how a deeper understanding of daily travel-related factors can influence our quality of life.
Date: Thursday, February 27, 2025
Time: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Smart Commute in York Region
Smart Commute is a community-based program supported by York Region, in partnership with the Cities of Markham, Richmond Hill and the Town of Newmarket, that works with employers in York Region and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area with carpooling support, workplace-led training, engagement events and customized commuter projects.
If your workplace is in York Region and interested in learning about the Smart Commute program, please contact the Smart Commute office in your area.
Smart Commute Central York
Servicing the Towns of Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville and Township of King
Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill
Servicing the City of Markham and Richmond Hill
Smart Commute North Toronto, Vaughan
Servicing the City of Vaughan
For information about customized programs, please view the York Region Smart Commute brochure.
Upcoming Events
Bike Day/Bike Month
June is Bike Month and kicks-off with Bike Day in encouraging everyone to get cycling, learn new skills or simply have fun and connect with new people! Celebrate by riding your bike for your commute to work, when taking a break, running errands in your neighbourhood, or riding your friends, family or others!
Smart Commute Month
Participate in Smart Commute Month by using our online tool to explore your transportation options, match your trips with others and track the impact of your travel choices. Rethink the way you commute and explore alternative ways of travelling. Try the 4 Rs of travel planning: reduce, re-time, re-route and re-mode your trip.
Initiatives
Getting to Work
Smart Commute offers employers:
- Site assessments and surveys to understand employee commute behaviour
- Customized action plans to encourage employees to explore and try out smart travel options
- Tools to facilitate change include:
- Exclusive carpool ride-matching programs
- Emergency Ride Home programs
- Discounted transit pass programs
- Telework programs and flexible work arrangements
- Walking and cycling programs
- Fun events and promotions
Community Initiatives
Smart Commute partners with Transportation Demand Management (TDM) stakeholders across the Region to support transportation initiatives and sustainable land use. In York Region, this includes focusing on community-based programs aimed at:
- Promoting active and sustainable transportation infrastructure and connections to mobility hubs
- Shifting travel behaviour away from single occupancy vehicles
- Encouraging active and sustainable school travel
Travel Options
- Carpooling allows you to feel even more satisfied with your commute by sharing a ride with coworkers and spending less on gas!
- Transit takes you for a ride, sit back and relax with music or enjoy a book
- Cycling is a flexible mode of transportation but also carries many health benefits
- Walking is a great chance to step outdoors and enjoy the weather
- Flexible Work Arrangements or telecommuting, where offered, can reduce a trip to the office and allow for signing-in or meeting remotely to get the job done
- Emergency Ride Home is offered to Smart Commute member workplaces when it’s needed most - if you use a sustainable method of commuting to work and have an unforeseen emergency
Emergency Ride Home
As an employee at a participating Smart Commute workplace, you are eligible for Emergency Ride Home (ERH) reimbursement. If you have an unforeseen emergency on any day you use a sustainable method to commute to work, you can request reimbursement of up to $75 for your emergency transportation costs. Ensure you retain all emergency transportation receipt(s).
For more information, please contact your local Smart Commute office.
