Gion Gibson
Most Valuable Commuter July 2005
Employer: Washington State Department of Transportation
Occupation: Materials Engineer
For over eleven years, Gion Gibson, Materials Engineer for Washington State Department of Transportation, has been carpooling to work daily with two or three carpool partners. Switching drivers every week, unless they have appointments, they never have to hassle with exchanging money. With an eleven mile one way commute, Gion enjoys the money he saves by carpooling.
Gion admits he was very hesitant about giving carpooling a try. He didn't want to lose his freedom after work. Once he started though, he really enjoyed it and says, "I would never go back to driving alone." He's developed several friendships over the years and really likes visiting with his carpool partners to and from work.
During the Smart Moves – Smart Options campaign, ETC, Jana Augenstine, asked Gion if he could be interviewed for a news segment on one of the local television stations. Jana was thrilled when Gion agreed and said "He did an amazing job! He put an awesome face on the everyday carpooler." She smiled. "He made it sound as fun as it really is and made viewers think about looking into carpooling." As a manager, Gion proves carpooling is easy and fun! Way to Go Gion!