Kansas City Metro Residents Invited to Join the 18th annual Green Commute Challenge

Earn points for green commutes.

Winners will be awarded in three categories: individual, team and local government.

Provides overview of the challenge, benefits like saving money on gas and improving air quality, and how to participate. Points and prizes earned for commutes.

KANAS CITY, MO, UNITED STATES, September 28, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- - Challenge is open to residents in the states of Kansas and Missouri
- More people seeking alternatives to driving amidst rising gas prices

WAY TO GO, a program of the Mid-America Regional Council, is calling on commuters, employers and schools across the bistate region to join the 18th Annual Green Commute Challenge. This free, month-long campaign runs Oct. 1–31 and rewards participants for not driving alone. Since 2008, more than 7,000 people from over 100 organizations have recorded green trips by cycling, carpooling, walking, rolling, scooting or riding transit to help improve regional air quality.

“More than half of the emissions behind ozone pollution come from everyday activities, such as driving,” said Lynelle Haugabrook, WAY TO GO program coordinator. “This makes the challenge a direct, measurable response to a public health concern, and momentum is already building. Plus, green commuting choices don’t just benefit air quality. They can also save people money on fuel and vehicle expenses.”

Riding the Soccer Summer Momentum
WAY TO GO's outreach ahead of the big matches helped change regional transportation:
• App membership growth jumped nearly 43% in a single month.
• Active WAY TO GO members are up 26% compared to 2025.
• Organization participation climbed 35% year-over-year comparing January–July across years.

“Those gains didn't happen by accident,” Haugabrook said. “The Kansas City region demonstrated the power of coordinated transportation investments. The Green Commute Challenge is a chance to build on that momentum long after the crowds have gone home.”

HOW IT WORKS
Participation in the Green Commute Challenge is free and open to individuals, employers, schools and local governments across nine counties: Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, and Wyandotte in Kansas; and Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte and Ray in Missouri. Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Participants earn points for taking green commutes. At the challenge conclusion, prizes will be awarded in three categories: individual, team and local government.

Each week of the challenge features a different mode of transportation. Two winners will be awarded prize packages donated by local businesses for recording trips within the designated mode. There will only be one winner for the first three days of the challenge.
-Week 1 (Oct. 4-10): Carpool/Vanpool
-Week 2 (Oct. 11-17): Walking/Rolling
-Week 3 (Oct. 18-24): Transit (bus or streetcar)
-Week 4 (Oct. 25-31): Two-wheels

TO JOIN:
1. Visit my.waytogokc.org to create a profile on the WAY TO GO desktop or mobile app.
2. Join a team — create a community team, or an employer/school team (add your employer or school to your profile to be matched automatically).
3. Start recording green trips on the WAY TO GO app beginning Oct. 1.

Sign up to participate in the challenge at www.waytogokc.org/gcc.

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ABOUT WAY TO GO: WAY TO GO is a program of the Mid-America Regional Council that promotes sustainable transportation resources. Founded in 1980 as the regional rideshare program, the program service area spans nine counties and 119 cities across Kansas and Missouri, reaching roughly 2.1 million people. WAY TO GO is federally funded through Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grants to help reduce regional traffic congestion and improve air quality. Learn more at www.waytogokc.org.

Lynelle Haugabrook
WAY TO GO KC
info@waytogokc.org
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2026 Green Commute Challenge Promo Video