For Immediate Release
Date: June 15, 2016
WHAT: Participants riding a car, a bike and a bus will compete for the title of fastest commute downtown during the 8th Annual Dump the Pump Challenge.
WHEN: TOMORROW, Thursday, June 16, 2016, coinciding with National Dump the Pump Day. Race starts at 8 a.m., with competitors expected to cross the finish line shortly after 8:15 a.m.
WHERE: Race departs 12 Oaks Shopping Center just south of DeRenne Avenue with the arrival of the Abercorn 14 bus. Finish line is at Savannah City Hall on Bay Street.
WHO: Mayor Eddie DeLoach will be at the finish line, where he will award the winner with the coveted Dump the Pump Challenge Medal. This year’s participants are:
• Representing Cyclists - Jen Colestock, Program Manager of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign’s New Standard Cycles program. Jen will be attempting to defend the title she has won for the past three years. A bicycle mechanic, woodworker and generally handy person by trade, Jen is a long time cyclist.
• Representing Bus Riders – Cedric Dumas, Chatham Area Transit System
• Representing Car Commuters – Nick Deffley, City of Savannah Environmental Services and Sustainability Department.
WHAT ELSE: In the classic contest of bicycle vs. bus. vs. car, the bicyclist has been the first to make it from midtown to City Hall each of the past eight competitions, though the margin of victory has been razor thin – generally just a few minutes separates 1st from 3rd Place.
The competitors must follow all traffic laws. The bus rider gets off at the nearest bus stop to City Hall, while the car driver must park in the nearest garage.
The public can get in on the action by giving bicycle commuting a shot on Thursday. To promote participation this year, CAT will be running a photo contest. Customers can snap a ‘selfie’ while riding the bus, paratransit, or bike sharing service on June 16th and share it on social media to be entered to win. Full contest details are online at www.catchacat.org.
The event will also be used to officially announce the availability of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign’s new Bike SAV map and guide, which contains guidance on route selection, safe cycling tips, and a briefing on state and local laws pertaining to bikes. The Bike SAV guide was designed by Caila Brown, chair of the Bicycle Campaign board, and funded by grants from the Governor’s Office and Highway Safety and the Downtown Neighborhood Association. Technical assistance was provided by City of Savannah and Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization staff. More than 5,000 copies of the map have been distributed to locations around Savannah, including bike shops, the Savannah Visitors Center, and City of Savannah and Chatham Area Transit offices.
“We hope the Dump the Pump Commuter Challenge will inspire people to explore their commuting options,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. “Among these are multi-modal commutes. Since all CAT buses are equipped with bike racks, with our new Bike SAV guides residents and visitors can discover how to combine buses and bikes to reach their destinations.”
National Dump the Pump Day is an annual event that promotes alternative forms of commuting that are cheaper and cleaner for the environment. The City of Savannah, CAT and the Savannah Bicycle Campaign have organized Savannah’s Dump the Pump Challenge since 2009.