Emma Parriott, an R.N. in the surgical intensive care unit, has been at Nebraska Medicine for five years. She shares her experience with TravelSmart.
What method(s) of active transportation do you use?
Currently, I carpool with two other nurses from SICU depending on our schedules each week.
How long have you been using active transportation?
We have been carpooling since March.
Why do you carpool?
We carpool for several different reasons. First, it’s cheaper. We spend less money on gas, and an added bonus is that with TravelSmart our parking is now free. Secondly, we all are aware the parking situation at the med center is tough. It’s easier to park one car instead of two. Third, it’s fun riding together. I love the girls I carpool with, and it’s fun making jokes before we get there and then decompressing on the ride home after a long shift.
Have you had any unexpected benefits since you started carpooling?
I’ve gotten even closer to my co-workers I carpool with and that makes our work environment better and more fun.
How has carpooling changed your daily routine (from not carpooling)?
Fortunately for us, we live in the same apartment complex so our routine hasn’t changed much. I walk over to their building or they come over to mine, and we head out to work as usual.
What’s the funniest thing that has happened to you while using active transportation?
I’m lucky that I carpool with my co-workers, but they’re also some of my best friends. Every ride we laugh a lot and that is definitely my favorite part about carpooling.
Would you recommend this to other employees/students? Why or why not?
I would absolutely recommend this to other employees and students, but it’s not always easy. As staff nurses, we work 12-hour shifts, and sometimes our schedules don’t line up, or we get an occasional staff reduction in the middle of a shift. But Nebraska Medicine has given us options (Daily Rate Flex Parking and Emergency Ride Home) for those scenarios.