Clearing Up Your Questions
Clear the Air Challenge FAQ's

So far we've had a great response to the Clear the Air Challenge. It's great to see that so many people are excited about improving our air quality. We've received some questions regarding the Challenge and wanted to clear up them up. We hope that the following information is helpful. Thanks for the enthusiasm and keep up the good work!

What is a trip?

A single-occupant vehicle trip is any trip you may take from point A to point B. A trip from point B back to point A is considered a second trip. Ask yourself: How many trips would I normally have taken? How many trips did I take? The difference between the questions is your trips saved.

• If you decide to ride your bike somewhere, you've saved 2 trips.
• If you carpool to your kids' soccer game, everyone in the car but the driver saved 2 trips.
• If you telework from home one day, you've saved 2 trips.
• If you walk to an event, you've saved 2 trips.
• If you telework for a Utah based meeting instead of driving to meet, you've saved 2 trips.

What can be counted as "trip chaining?"

The basic theory behind trip chaining is that it is more efficient, uses fewer miles and causes less air pollution to chain trips into one outing with sequential stops, rather than take many there-and-back trips.

• If you drive from home to the library, from the library to the post office, from the post office to the grocery store and finally back home, you have saved 2 trips. The 2 trips account for the trips saved by not driving back home between errands.

How do you enter trips?

1. Log into your Trip Diary.
2. Select a date. Use the forward and back buttons next to the date shown on the trip diary to find the proper date. Note: Enter your trips saved on the day they were saved. Do not enter the trips saved for the week on one day. If you missed entering your trips on the day they were saved, just select the proper date and enter them.
3. Enter your trips eliminated.
4. Enter the approximate number of miles you saved.
5. Select the TravelWise strategies you used.
6. If applicable, select the educational course you attended.
7. Press the submit button.
8. Press the refresh button in your browser window to update your totals at the bottom of the page.

How do you calculate "approximate miles?"

Approximate miles are calculated by totaling all of the miles you have saved throughout the day by eliminating trips.

• If you ride a bike to an event that is two miles from your home and then ride back home, you have saved two trips and four miles.

Do teleworking meetings instead of face-to-face meetings when the meeting is out of state count?

Teleworking to meetings out of state do not count as trips saved. Although you are doing your part for nationwide sustainability, this Challenge is geared specifically to Utah. Therefore, only trips saved in Utah are counted.

Do trips saved on work time count?

Yes. All employees can serve as a model of how to drive less while still getting all their work done.

Do trips saved on personal time count?

Yes. All eliminated trips / saved miles count and should be tracked on the website during the six-week challenge (June 1 - July 10), to help us reach the goal of eliminating 300,000 trips and saving 1,000,000 miles.

What if I already drive less and drive smarter?

Every eliminated trip and saved mile counts, whether or not you already travel that way today. Individuals who already travel wisely are encouraged to challenge themselves during the six-week period to do even more.

How do I join a team if I'm already registered for the challenge?

1. Log into your Trip Diary.
2. Select the Edit Profile button on the left hand side.
3. On the Edit Profile screen, you can either create a new team or find the team you want to join in the drop-down menu.
4. Save your profile.

If I know someone who hasn't signed up yet, can he or she still register for the challenge?

Yes. Anyone can register for the Clear the Air Challenge anytime during the six-week period and still be eligible for the weekly and grand prizes.

If you use a fuel efficient or electric vehicle, do your trips count?

No. Although driving a fuel-efficient or electric vehicle is an excellent way to reduce emissions, the goal of the Clear the Air Challenge to eliminate trip entirely.

What TravelWise strategy to you check if you decide to take your lunch to work instead of going out to lunch?

In this situation you do not need to worry about selecting a TravelWise strategy, but you can count the two trips you saved by not going out to lunch and the approximate miles associated with those trips.

Do you count trips saved if you drive your vehicle to a public transportation outlet or to a carpooling meeting spot?

Yes. Even though you are still driving to a destination, you are saving additional miles you would have driven. If you drive to a carpool meeting spot or a public transportation outlet, you can count two trips saved.

Can I edit my log for trips I saved yesterday?

You can edit your trip diary as far back as your registration date. You cannot log trips saved before your registration date. However, remember that the Clear the Air Challenge is based on weekly goals spread over six weeks of the Challenge.