Videos: E-mobility tops Travelwise Choices Awards

Mercury, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, and Big Street Bikers’ e-mobility efforts are recognised among nine winners of Auckland Transport Travelwise Choices Awards 2020.

Big Street Bikers (BSB) won the Innovative Thinker award for its Rechargery solar powered e-bike service station and encouraging people to switch to e-bikes.

More than 1000 e-bike test rides and 30 guided tours for local businesses have been run by BSB during the past year to encourage e-bike adoption.

BSB has just launched its monthly online newsletter The Bikers Bulletin which covers expansion of its Locky Dock secure e-bike parking and charging stations. It says in a first private partnership Kiwi Properties has moved from its pilot at Lynnmall to rolling out Locky Dock sites at other malls in Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North and Christchurch.

Locky Docks, launched in Christchurch, are also coming to Wellington.

“The docks are currently being manufactured. This puts us on track for the stage one network footprint of sites across Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch,” BSB says.

Fisher and Paykel Healthcare won the Excellence in Travel Choices award for its move to sustainable travel, installing 20 EV charging spaces in one building, enabling carpooling and sharing, and running seven e-bike events.

An internal car pooling app has also been developed by the company which has previously featured in EVs and Beyond

for its EV efforts.

The ‘Kiss Oil Goodbye’ campaign won Mercury the Initiative of the Year award, judges saying the specific transport initiative has been particularly successful.

Mercury has 69% of its fleet in EVs and is an e-bike supporter providing various ways of encouraging people to get e-bikes.

The energy company has also featured many times in EVs and Beyond.

Other winners were EcoMatters Environmental Trust – Community Bike Hubs (Superior Grassroots Action award), Devonport Business Association – Devonport PARK(ing) Day (Event of the Year award), Teau (Mr Tee) Aiturau (Champion of Modes award), Debbie Wilson (Sustained Leadership award), Xero (Flexible Future award), and Jasmax (Sustained Leadership in Transport award).

The Travelwise Choices Awards recognise the commitment of businesses, individuals and community organisations to encourage staff, students, customers and volunteers to make fewer car journeys.