Champion Commuter

Derek Aubrey, Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency

Derek Aubrey is a Compliance Inspector for the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. Derek started teleworking due to COVID19. When restrictions lifted, he continued to telework 1 day per week. In 2021, when the Clean Air Agency moved near Airway Heights, Derek’s commute from Diamond Lake increased to a 108-mile round trip commute. Last fall, Derek’s wife, who used to work in Newport took a job in Spokane. Not wanting to put over 100 miles a day on each of their cars, they began carpooling. Last October they purchased an electric vehicle, so now their 108-mile round trip commute has zero tailpipe emissions. Recently, their carpool expanded. When Derek drops off his wife off at her job, he sometimes meets up with a coworker to carpool to their office. Derek doesn’t feel he has many challenges to overcome, him and his wife coordinate their schedules to accommodate the best use of commuting with the busy work schedules and their son’s high school activity schedule. ETC, Margee Chambers, says “Derek sets a great example of doing his part to help our environment. He uses a commute option almost every workday, Monday-Wednesday he carpools and on Fridays, he teleworks. Congratulations Derek!