[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/commuter-challenge-07.jpg” caption=”Daryl Bender of the ACT Office presents Randy Kay with VIA Rail tickets that he won for participating in the Commuter Challenge.”]Someone's lucky train came in during the Commuter Challenge earlier this month, and that lucky person is Randy Kay. As an incentive to participate in the Commuter Challenge, VIA Rail offered a prize of two tickets anywhere in the Quebec City/Windsor corridor.

Kay is a staff member at McMaster's OPIRG office and is an avid cyclist, relying on his two wheels most of the time for his commute to McMaster from Dundas.

The Commuter Challenge is a national event held during Environment Week from June 3 to 9. Communities from Victoria to Iqaluit to St. John's, including Hamilton, compete to find out which city has the greatest percentage of citizens traveling by bus, bike, foot, carpool and other sustainable means of transportation.

McMaster's participation numbers have grown from 38 in 2002 to an astounding 1,115 in 2005.

Once again, McMaster was Hamilton's strongest participating organization with 743 participants. McMaster also won the Corporate Challenge between the University, Hamilton Health Sciences and the City of Hamilton.

Other prizes were donated by Courtyard by Marriott on Upper James, Staybridge Suites downtown, the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the Sheraton Hamilton. Prizes were also awarded to departments with the highest rates of participation.

In the three categories, the first place winners were the Arts & Science Program, grounds staff and the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour. They will be enjoying a free lunch. For a detailed list of results by department, please click here.

Thanks to everyone who participated in McMaster's impressive showing in the 2007 Commuter Challenge.