TravelSmart: Better health among benefits

Fran Higgins, communications specialist in the UNMC College of Allied Health Professions, has been at UNMC a total of 17 years (14 of those are consecutive). Today, she shares her experience with the TravelSmart program.

What method(s) of active transportation do you use?
Walk, bike, or bus at least four days per week. I used to walk or ride the bus, years ago, but had gotten out of the habit. I started again as part of the beta testing two weeks before the TravelSmart launch.

Why do you walk, bike, or bus?
I walk and bike for my health and the environment, and to free up parking and congestion on campus. It also saves me money. The bus is FREE when I need it! Since we only pay for parking if we actually drive to work, I’m saving over $200 a year, just on parking.

Have you had an unexpected benefits since you started?
Yes! It motivated me to buy myself a bicycle, which my son had been after me to do for years. He and my husband love to ride, and now we can make it a family event. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to ride. The hills were killer the first couple of weeks, but now I can power up without stopping and my heart rate is much lower.

How has biking and walking changed your daily routine?
This also has motivated me to get back to the gym. The shower facilities at the Center for Healthy Living are available to TravelSmarties (I coined that, btw), but I already had a membership that I wasn’t using very often. Since I knew I’d want to shower after my walk or ride, anyway, I just started getting up earlier, hitting the gym and getting ready for work there.

Would you recommend this to other employees/students? Why or why not?
Absolutely! I tell everybody about it. I know it isn’t for everyone, but for those who can participate, it’s great.

Anything else you’d like to share?
I just read an article in the Omaha World-Herald about how Omaha’s population is almost to a million and how commuting time will be longer and more stressful. It’s a great time to find alternate ways to get around. The more people use active transportation, the more likely the city will improve bus routes and add more and safer bike lanes and trails. Be a TravelSmartie!