Champion Commuter

Benjamin Christiansen - City of Spokane Public Safety

Benjamin is a Court Clerk I for the City of Spokane, Public Safety Building. He’s been riding the bus since he was a child, as his dad was a driver for STA and recently retired after 34 years. After he began working at Public Safety in May 2022, he immediately took advantage of the fully subsidized bus pass that the city offers. He’d heard about it during the new hire-orientation, but his mom also told him to take advantage of it, as she’s also a City of Spokane employee.

Benjamin enjoys riding the bus to save on gas, dealing with car maintenance, the cost of parking and to help the environment. He also enjoys the stress-free commute by riding the bus, stating, “honestly, I just hate driving”!

Benjamin’s biggest challenge is the connections with the 2 busses he needs to catch for his commute. If one is running a little late, he’ll miss his connection, which delays him another 15 minutes. Road construction the last couple years has also been a challenge, having him walk further than normal to get to his bus stop. But, none of that is enough to make him stop.

Benjamin tries to encourage fellow co-workers to ride the bus. He knows it works exceptionally well for him, and that might not be the case for others. But he’s always up for a discussion about the money he saves by riding the bus. Logging his trips on the commute calendar was a no-brainer! He was already using a commute option, so why not! In the last 10 months, he’s won 3 different gift cards for his participation.

ETC, Angie Napolitano, states “Benjamin is an excellent example of someone who recognizes the value of commute trip reduction! Since day-one of his employment, he has used the City’s free bus-pass and has filled out his calendar.”

Congratulations Benjamin!