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The 2026 Commuter Challenge invites you to discover Fresh Ways to Get to Work. Instead of reaching for the same routine every morning, try “shopping” your commute options. Today, you might be craving a brisk bike ride, tomorrow your in the mood to tune-out with a book on the bus, and later in the week you carpool with a coworker or take a refreshing walk. Mix it up, sample what’s available, and stock up on sustainable ways to travel. You might just find that a fresh commute makes the whole day feel better.
To even out the competition, teams are divided into size categories. If you are the ONLY team in your category to have every single person at your workplace log a sustainable commute (All-Star Status) then you WIN! If multiple teams achieve All-Star status, the winner is decided by the leader boards. The winning team gets a pizza party!
SIZE CATEGORY
Email your team photo submission to mim@missoulainmotion.com.
The winning team will win a custom set of office mugs with the photo printed on them!
BEST TEAM PHOTO
Use #missoulainmotion
or tag @missoulainmotion on all of your Commuter Challenge posts! The team with the best content will win a printed photo collage!
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA
Some teams go above and beyond - helping each other find carpools, planning bikepools, and getting their coworkers excited about the Challenge. These teams aren't always their size category winners, but they deserve to be acknowledged and rewarded their hard work with an office ice cream party!
MOST INTO IT
Everyday you log a sustainable trip, you'll be automatically entered into the daily $50 GIFT CARD raffle. Winners will be announced the following day at 12:00 pm.
(Saturday and Sunday trips will be added to Monday's raffle and announced Tuesday afternoon.)
$50
GIFT CARD
Attend the
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Kick Off Party, May 4
-
Awards Party, June 2
for a chance to a win MIM merch, bus swag, prizes and more!
PARTY
RAFFLES
Commute sustainably and log your trip every single day of the challenge
​
(5 days per week
x 2 weeks = 10 days total)
​
and earn yourself a FREE ice cream cone!
10-DAY
MEDALIST
Give us your feedback by taking a short survey once the Challenge has ended to be automatically entered into a gift card raffle!
FINAL
SURVEY
Two $50 gift cards will be raffled every weekday during the Challenge. Log your sustainable commutes by 12pm the following day to be automatically entered into the raffle. Winners will be announced on social media by 1pm. (Winners will be notified via email)
To encourage participation in all modes, one of the daily gift cards will be raffled to ANY sustainable commute logged, the other will be specific to a certain mode. Use and log the sustainable mode correlating with the day (see schedule below) to have a chance at both gift cards that day.
Monday: Walk Tuesday: Telework Wednesday: Bus Thursday: Carpool Friday: Bike
win as a team
win as an individual
event
dates
Commuter Captain's Breakfast:
April 21, 2026
​Commuter Challenge:
May 3 - 16, 2026
​
​Last Day to Log Trips:
Monday - May 18 , 2026​
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​Awards Party:
Tuesday, June 2 / 4:30-6:30 PM
Western Cider
Bring your friends & family - Everyone is invited!
*Only Challenge participants will receive a 'Free Drink' voucher.
frequently
asked questions
Way to Go!
support
Your workplace participates by logging sustainable trips with the Way to Go! Missoula website and/or App. Each employee will create an account in Way to Go! Missoula and connect to your workplace network so their trips will automatically count for your team. Need help creating an account, logging a sustainable commute, or claiming a monthly reward? Click the tutorials below!
What is a commute?
A "commute" is your trip to/from your workplace. While we strongly encourage using sustainable travel modes for any trips (errands, grabbing lunch, etc.) additional trips will NOT be counted in this particular challenge. ​
​
What is a sustainable commute?
Any mode other than driving alone (walk, bike, bus, carpool, vanpool, telecommute, skateboard, rollerblade, etc.)
What counts as a carpool?
In order for your commute to count as a carpool:
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the other people in the vehicle must be eligible drivers (ie. 16 years or older with a valid driver's license.)
-
the car must remain at its final destination.
When questioning carpool eligibility, ask yourself - Am I taking a car off the road that would otherwise be contributing to traffic and co2 emissions?
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Do electric vehicles count as a sustainable mode?
Not in this challenge. The Commuter Challenge has 2 main goals.
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Reduce emissions (improving Missoula's air quality)
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Reduce traffic congestion
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Driving alone in an electric vehicle alone does not meet both of the goals so it does not count toward the challenge, HOWEVER carpooling in an electric vehicle does!
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Have more questions?
2025
Last year's winners
Micro Employers (2-10 employees)
ALWRI (Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute)
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Small Employers (11-20 employees)
TOMIS​
​
Medium Employers (21-40 employees)
City of Missoula - Municipal Court​
​
Large Employers (41-70 employees)
Missoula Housing Authority
Macro Employers (70+ employees)
The Poverello Center
​​​
​Telework Category (75% of staff telework 3+ days per week)
Adventure Life
Most "Into It"
Missoula Housing Authority​
​
Best Team Photo
Sussex School​
​
Best Social Media
YWCA
Commuter
of the year
Missoula In Motion recognizes TWO Missoulians (annually) who have built sustainable transportation habits into their daily lives - AND - who help promote sustainable transportation at their place of work or in the community.
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We are accepting nominations for individuals who best exemplify the sustainable commuting habits we encourage. Sustainable modes include biking, walking, busing, carpooling, and vanpooling, as well as other unique types of transportation like longboarding or rollerblading. You can nominate an employee, family member, neighbor, co-worker, or friend!
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Commuter of the Year Awards will be announced at Downtown Tonight in Caras Park .
