The Diamond Awards honor organizations for their outstanding contributions to reducing traffic congestion and improving mobility in the San Diego region. Award winners promote alternatives to driving alone including vanpooling, carpooling, use of public transit, teleworking, walking, biking or a combination of these. Some also provide incentives, subsidies or pre-tax deductions to their employees for their participation in eligible programs.

2008 Diamond Award Winners

The 6th Annual Diamond Awards ceremony was held March 28, 2008 during the SANDAG Board of Directors meeting. SANDAG Chair and Lemon Grove Mayor Mary Teresa Sessom presented awards to these deserving organizations:

• Best New Program: Amylin Pharmaceuticals – Program highlights include a transit subsidy, a free COASTER shuttle, bike parking, and shower facilities.
  
• Innovation Award:  EDAW – Program highlights include cash benefits for carpooling, bicycling, or walking to work. Bike parking and shower facilities also available as well as free transit passes.
  
• Program Excellence: Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino – Program Highlights include a free shuttle service for employees and visitors, subsidized vanpools, and free shuttle promoted as part of employee incentives.
  
• Program Excellence:  Naval Base Coronado (NBC) – Program highlights include both transit and vanpool subsidy. In addition, NBC has a very robust outreach and marketing program.
  
• Ongoing Commitment: University of California, at San Diego – Program highlights include vanpool and carpool subsidies, bike lockers and shower facilities, and a Free Bus Zone.
  
• Ongoing Commitment: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP – Program highlights include fully subsidized bus, trolley, and COASTER passes. Cash benefits for carpoolers and flextime, telework, and remote office options.

Mayor Sessom also noted that SANDAG will use the successes of these award winning programs to help other companies set up transportation benefits programs.

Nomination Process

To help your company organize a nomination for 2009, check out the criteria for the Diamond Awards below:

• Description of the transportation demand management program
• Unique aspects of your program
• Number of employees participating in the programs
• Specific transportation problem your program addresses
• The success of the program and how you measure its effectiveness
• How the program is promoted to employees

Nominations are open to all individuals, businesses, organizations, and public or private agencies that maintain an employee transportation program in San Diego County. Up to two winners may be named in each category. Please look for 2009 application materials beginning December 2008.

If you would like to follow in the low carbon footprints of these companies, please contact Deborah Jones at (619) 699-6988 or djo@sandag.org.