Who we are

Closer Commutes is a breakthrough initiative to radically reduce commuting times and distances worldwide – organized by CloseCommute Systems Inc., a BC-registered corporation resolved as a benefit corporation. [Read about benefit corporations here.]

Our 5-year goal is to save commuters billions of hours annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one per cent globally, while boosting productivity, decreasing traffic congestion and pollution, lowering healthcare costs, and strengthening regional economies.
 

Chief Organizer

Bruce Batchelor has been obsessed with doing something ever since he became aware of both the massively wasteful inefficiency of daily urban commuting and a forgotten, brilliant 1990s solution called proximate commuting. He brings a background of entrepreneurship (founding the world's first print-on-demand book publishing service in 1995), management (CEO of non-profits, corporations), writing (bestselling author, journalist), editing (books and magazines), management & communications consulting (for federal, provincial and municipal agencies, corporations and non-profits), education (curriculum development, college instructor and university lecturer) and mathematics (combinatorics & optimization, computer science). Bruce loves playing pick-up soccer.

Systems and Analysis Advisor

Since 2004, John Batchelor has been helping dozens of public sector clients understand requirements and opportunities, and assisting them to implement practical responses and systems. John has over 30 years of experience with federal departments and central agencies in planning, management consulting, performance measurement and program evaluation policy. His training includes degrees in mathematics, public administration and business administration. John has been a university instructor and is an experienced public administration trainer. He can also apply specialized disciplines such as operations research, game theory, database design and web-site administration to his clients' challenges. John has developed the spreadsheet apps that employers will use to assess their carbon burden and opportunities for reducing same. He is Bruce's older brother and a rock star (literally: bass and vocals in a rock cover band called Red Tape).

HR Strategist

Recently retired professor Tom Rippon, CD, CHRP, PhD taught HR Management at Camosun College's School of Business. [Camosun grants a bachelor-level degree in Human Resources Management.] Previously Tom was on faculty at Royal Roads University Faculty of Management, again doing teaching, research and publishing in HR, specifically Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness. Before that he was head of HR departments for various private and public sector organizations.

Advisor

Gene Mullins devised and pilot-tested proximate commuting in the early 1990s. He received numerous accolades and awards, and his concept was one of TIME magazine's top 50 ideas to save the planet. For reasons none of us can understand, the concept was never adopted by employers, and has been largely forgotten even to transportation planners. We are going to change that big time!

Advisor & Researcher

Todd Litman is executive director, Victoria Transport Policy Institute. Todd tipped me off to investigating proximate commuting, assisted in preparing our annotated bibliography, and co-authored our research paper for the Journal of Transportation Demand Management Research. Todd is a prolific researcher and keynote presenter at transportation conferences. The Victoria Transport Policy Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative and practical solutions to transportation problems. It provides a vast collection of resources available free at vtpi.org to help improve transportation planning and policy analysis.

Advisor & Sponsor

Environmental educator Maureen Jack-LaCroix arranged sponsorship for the legal report prepared by the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre through the sustainability education organization Be The Change Earth Alliance of which she is founding director. Through BTCEA, Maureen has activated thousands of individuals to make positive environmental behaviour change by connecting the big global issues to personal lifestyle choices. She developed an adult education program of symposia and action circles, wrote the ‘Be The Change Action Guide’ and produced The Great Turning community engagement events. She has also collaborated with secondary school teachers on the iterative design and development of ‘SLC: Student Leadership For Change’ EE learning resources and teacher aids. Maureen is also working with a wide variety of businesses to bolster employee engagement through sustainability programs in the workplace. Maureen is the recipient of multiple awards for her environmental education work.

Legal Research & Analysis

We thank Professor Deborah Curran, executive director of the Environmental Law Centre Clinic at University of Victoria, and law students Richard Wagner, Ruben Tillman and Alexa Powell for researching and preparing ‘Report on Commute Trip Reduction Initiatives: Implementing Efficiencies in Transportation for a Green Future’.

Logo artist

Yolanda in New Zealand ("Tiny Kiwi") created our short hop robin logo. Her art is available at her etsy sales site. Her website is at tinykiwi.co.nz.
 

Key informants

Over the past five years, Bruce has conducted phone, email and in-person "key informant interviews" with a broad spectrum of people to better understand the situation, barriers and opportunities. He is grateful for their time, the information and advice they provided and their frank opinions. Their backgrounds span many sectors and situations. Here are some of their names and affiliations at time of contact, in no particular order:

1. Tiffany Ma, executive director and chief financial officer, BC Ministry of Education
2. Jerome Atherton, manager of road safety programs, ICBC
3. Lisa Helps, Mayor, City of Victoria
4. Amanda Broad, climate action program coordinator, Capital Regional Distrtict
5. John Hicks, senior transportation planner, Capital Regional District
6. Rob Fleming, MLA, Minister of Education
7. George Heyman, MLA, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
8. Colin Roberts, Human Resources Director, School District 61 (Victoria)
9. Jonathan Dunn, Financial Analyst, BC Ministry of Finance
10. JoAnn Woodhall, Translink TDM Specialist
11. Jason Curteis, president, Baragar Systems
12. John Dickinson, director of road safety, ICBC
13. Dave Pitre, assistant superintendent, Greater Victoria School District (SD#61), later school trustee
14. Scott Stinson, assistant superintendent, Saanich School District (SD#63) - now superintendent, Sooke School District (SD#62)
15. Lynda Steele, talk-show host, SteeleTalk, CKNW
16. Emilie de Rosenroll, South Island Prosperity Project, Victoria
17. Mark Brenner, host, CFAX, Victoria
18. Steve Vanagas, vice-president, TransLink
19. Chris Istace, small retail business owner/operator, community developer; also social media influencer as The Mindful Explorer
20. Jo-Ann Roberts, deputy leader, Green Party of Canada
21. Carole James, MLA, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance
22. Shayli Robinson, constituency assistant to Carole James
23. Susan Lambert, former president BCTF, Vancouver city councillor
24. Ahmed Mumeni, P.Eng, BC Transit
25. Christy Ridout, vice president of business development, BC Transit
26. Paul Hawken, drawdown.org
27. Chad Frishmann, vp & research director, drawdown.org
28. Dan Haley, executive director of human resources, Sooke School District (SD#62)
29. Laura Schwertfeger, district principal, International Student Programs, Sooke School District (SD#62)
30. David Stevenson, CTO, Latitude Geographics
31. Steven Myhill-Jones, CEO, Latitude Geographics
32. Steve Cardwell, superintendent & CEO, Vancouver School District (SD#39)
33. Lon LaClaire, acting director of transportation, engineering services, City of Vancouver
34. Glen Hansman, vice president [now past-president], BC Teachers' Federation
35. Tom Gill, councillor, City of Surrey
36. Tracy Redies, CEO, Coast Capital Savings Credit Union, later MLA for Surrey-White Rock
37. Jeff Bos, director of people innovation & impact, Vancity Credit Union
38. Jennifer Tan, Vancity Credit Union
39. Beat Mertz, research scientist
40. Arnie Hansen, psychologist and novelist
41. Bradford Kent Green, architect and management consultant
42. Vernon Brooks, author, neuroscientist and professor emeritus, University of Western Ontario
43. Reg Faubert, acting director, transportation policy and program branch, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
44. John Fryer, adjunct professor of public administration at University of Victoria; former vice-president of the Canadian Labour Congress; former head of BC Government Employees Union
45. Michael Marchbank, public administrator, BC Public School Employers Association
46. Donnie Wing, president & CEO, BC Healthcare Benefit Trust
47. Manuel Achindinha, CEO, BC Transit
48. Gilles Larose, president, CUPE local 382
49. Brad Hall, president, CUPE local 947
50. Jennifer Whitehouse, vice-president, CUPE local 947
51. Ian Johnson, president, BCTF local 62 (Sooke)
52. Linda Hunter, professional event planner
53. Carolyne Taylor, Vancouver Island Manager, BC Human Resources Management Association
54. Eric Sei-in Remy Jordan, CEO, Codename Entertainment
55. Moira Mackenzie, executive director, BC Teachers' Federation
56. Peter Miles, The Chamber., Victoria
57. Peggy Kulmala, Policy & Public Affairs Manager, The Chamber.
58. Mark Lovick, regional vice president, South Vancouver Island, Royal Bank of Canada
59. Gordon Gunn, partner, Advisory Services, KPMG
60. Alan R. Peretz, partner, Advisory Services, KPMG
61. Manpreet Jandu, Advisory Services, KPMG
62. Greg Conner, executive director, human resources & corporate secretary, BC Transit
63. Mark Latham, PhD, financial economist, founder of Votermedia.org
64. Phil Embley, retired bank executive, White Rock, BC
65. Scott Kristjanson, sessional lecturer in computer science, Simon Fraser University
66. Lowell Ann Fuglsang, solopreneur coach, lowellann.com
67. Alison Paine, ADM, BC Public Service Agency
68. Patty Beatch, manager of employee wellness, Vancouver School District (SD#39)
69. Lauralee Russell, Vancouver School District (SD#39)
70. Stephanie Premji, professor, McMaster School of Labour Studies; co-investigator, "On The Move" national research partnership
71. Danielle Devereaux, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, On the Move Partnership, Memorial University of Newfoundland
72. Barbara Neis, university research professor in the Department of Sociology at Memorial University of Newfoundland; Co-Director of the SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
73. David Shortt, primary grades teacher, Saanich
74. Andie Britton-Foster, law student
75. Karen Smith, French teacher, Saanich
76. Lillian Truong, regional manager, Pacific & Prairie Region, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
77. David Golen, district vice president, Vancouver Island, TD Canada Trust
78. Neil Spicer, senior policy and planning analyst, MetroVancouver
79. Tom Lancaster, division manager, Planning and Analytics, MetroVancouver
80. Derek Adams, consulting-analyst, Statistics Canada
81. Clear House, data dissemination officer, Statistical Information Service Branch, Statistics Canada
82. Eric Cormier, assistant teaching professor, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Victoria
83. Lindsay Wiginton, Transportation and Urban Solutions, The Pembina Institute
84. Dianne Zimmerman, policy director, Transportation and Urban Solutions, The Pembina Institute
85. Rick Kool, associate professor, Environment and Sustainability, Royal Roads University
86. Chris Ling, assistant professor and director of the School of Environment and Sustainability, Royal Roads University
87. Guy Dauncey, ecofuturist and bestselling author, earthfuture.com
88. Marsha Batchelor, graphic designer, Agio Publishing House
89. Deborah Stewart, director of employee relations, BCPSEA
90. Hilary Brown, executive director, Finance and Strategic Planning, BCPSEA
91. Liz Ferris, climate action analyst, Capital Regional District
92. Marion Pape, past chair, BC Sustainable Energy Association
93. Suzanne Barois, director, Be The Change Earth Alliance
94. Rod Allen, superintendent of learning, BC Ministry of Education
95. Mike Pocock, inventor
96. Suzanne McAllister, director, High Value Performance Coaching, CIBC
97. Jill Bauer, owner, Jill Bauer Design
98. Kendra Jalifi, design associate, Jill Bauer Design
99. Jeff Batchelor, owner, Everyday Better YouTube channel
100. Erica Bauer, associate strategy director at PHD Media, and associate director of strategy at OMD Worldwide
101. Dan Batchelor, owner and DOP, profilecreative.ca
102. Samarth Mod, founder & CEO, AirSenze Solutions and FreshWorks.io
103. Rohit Boolchandani, founder & COO, Airsenze Solutions and FreshWorks.io
104. Cheryl Coull, editor, therapist
105. John Lutz, history professor, UVic
106. Larry Kuehn, Director of Research and Technology, BC Teachers' Federation
107. Sherri Brown, researcher, BC Teachers' Federation
108. Anne Hales, researcher, BC Teachers' Federation
109. Doug Ozeroff, senior manager, communications, Royal Roads University
110. Saira Walters, regional vice-president associate, South Vancouver Island, Royal Bank of Canada
111. Sarah Webb, active transportation project management specialist, City of Victoria, BC
112. Erika Sandow, professor, Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research CEDAR, Umea Universty, Sweden
113. Joan Tionko, Google
114. Michael O. Russell, community engagement specialist, Edmonton Police
115. Alvin Klippenstein, inventor and teacher, Abbotsford, BC
116. Robin Gold, Coordinator: Alternative Fuels & Technology, Western Washington Clean Cities, a program of Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Seattle
117. Beate Weber-Schuerholz, former mayor of Heidelberg, member of European Parliament, winner of Gottenburg Sustainability Award
118. Dr. Goetz Schuerholz, president at Cowichan Estuary Restoration and Conservation Alliance
119. Amy Peebles, senior advisor, Mobility Management, Planning & Development, Metrolinx
120. Fraser Work, city manager, City of Victoria
121. Laurie Desautels, PwC
122. Dr. Mark Hallenbeck, senior data science fellow, director of Washington State Transportation Center
123. Arnd Batzner, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
124. Andrew MacLeod, journalist, thetyee.ca
125. Dr. Christian King, corporate entrepreneur, Robert Bosch GmbH
126. Uwe Pelger, corporate entrepreneur, Robert Bosch GmbH
127. Marc Lee, Policy Alternatives
128. Adam Olsen, MLA Saanich & the Islands, Green Party critic for transportation
129. Ryan Clayton, constituency assistant for Adam Olsen
130. Bowinn Ma, MLA for North Shore - Lonsdale, parliamentary secretary for TransLink
131. Mack McCorkindale, constituency assistance for Bowinn Ma
132. Michael Buda, executive director, Mayors' Council on Transportation
133. Keith Godin, ADM Governance & Analytics, BC Ministry of Education
134. Chris Gilmore, executive director, Climate Action Secretariat, BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
135. Ben Finkelstein, manager, communities and built environment, Climate Action Secretariat, BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
136. Harry Bains, MLA, Minister of Labour
137. Wayne Moriarty, columnist, The Province (Vancouver)
138. Jeff Bell, reporter, Times Colonist (Victoria)
139. Kayleen VanderRee, social media influencer
140. Annamaria Nemeth, vice president, TD Bank
141. Claire Trevena, MLA, Minister of Transportation & Infrastructure
142. Roger Painter, artisan, contractor
143. Dorothy Field, artist, poet, activist
144. Don Wright, DM to the Premier
145. Paul DeMuth, CEO, ITS Video Marketing
146. Dave Lewin, TDM head, TransLink
147. James Ranson, TDM consultant, TransLink
148. Erinn Pinkerton, president & CEO, BC Transit
149. Peter Brand, retired teacher and developer, FirstVoices
150. Dr. Vivien Muir, health professional
151. Dr. Trevor Watson, MD, medical columnist, author
152. Stafford "Doc" Williamson, daochienergy.com
153. Leanne Jones, private investigator, author, composer
154. Edson Hendricks, computer scientist
155. Mohamad Shawki Amine, PEng, NCTI, transportation specialist
156. Dr. Dee Hoyano, medical health officer, Island Health
157. Andrew Brooke, executive director, programs and corporate initiatives, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
158. Alan Callander, manager, active transportation and climate action policy, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
159. Niall Paltiel, councillor Central Saanich
160. Ned Taylor, CRD director, Saanich councillor
161. Scott Colbourne, trustee, Islands Trust
162. David Greer, executive lead, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
163. Amy Steggles, project manager, BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
164. Trevor Hancock, MD, public health physician, retired professor at UVic, columnist at Time Colonist
165. Patrick Stafford-Smith, CEO, North Vancouver Chamber
166. Eric Doherty, transportation planning consultant
167. Gonzalo Alaña Torca, commuting activist, Spain
168. Alice Klassen, educator, San Diego
169. Paul Manly, MP
170. Maureen Jack-LaCroix, founder, Be The Change Earth Alliance
171. Deborah Curran, law professor, director of UVic Environmental Law Centre
172. Richard Wagner, law student, UVic
173. Eric Schreffler, editor, Journal of Transportation Demand Management Research
174. Phil Winters, professor, Center for Urban Transportation Research, University of Southern Florida
175. Doug Routley, MLA
176. Michael Pratt, BComm student, UBC
177. James Pratt, CEO of Rhema Health Products, director at Canadian Food Innovators
178. Barb Lawrie, adjunct professor at UBC, former VP of Clinical Practice & Chief Clinical Information Officer at Vancouver Coastal Health; health sector management consultant
179. Celeste Bolduc, TomTom.com
180. Devon DeLarge, policy analyst, BC Green Party
181. Markus Moos, director school of planning, University of Waterloo
182. Annie Barreck, PhD candidate, Industrial Relations School, University of Montréal
183. Calvin Sandborn, QC, law professor, University of Victoria
184. Charlie Mace (Draycott), transportation planner, City of Vancouver
185. Alex Doran, planner, Steer & reporter for PriceTags.ca
186. Sara Duncan, councillor, Town of Sidney
187. Mathew Bond, councillor, District of North Vancouver
188. Philippe Barois, retired educator, curriculum developer and International Baccalaureate examiner
189. Cam Brewer, lawyer, accountant, entrepreneur
190. Kim Darwin, former head Sunshine Coast Chamber of Commerce
191. Bob Lorriman, CEO of lorros.com
192. Scott Stanley, executive director of HR, North Vancouver School District 44
193. Mark Pearman, superintendent/CEO, North Vancouver School District 44
194. Kim Martin, associate superintendent, West Vancouver School District 45
195. Chris Kennedy, superintendent/CEO, West Vancouver School District 45
196. David Dunkin, director of instruction: HR, Sea to Sky School District 48
197. Lilian Chau, community investment portfolio manager, Vancity Credit Union
198. Erin LaRoque, environmental sustainability consultant, Vancity Credit Union
199. Holly Pattison, director of operations and communications, Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria, Faculty of Law
200. Ruben Tillman, articled student, Environmental Law Centre, University of Victoria, Faculty of Law
201. Alexa Powell, student, University of Victoria, Faculty of Law
202. Patricia Cochran, Associate Professor, UVic Law - ELC report reviewer
203. Supriya Routh, Assistant Professor, UVic Law - ELC report reviewer
204. Mujahid Sarsur, author, formerly Middle East representative for Google.com
205. Andrea Winkler, planner and engagement lead for City of Vancouver's Climate Emergency Action Plan
206. Murray Rankin, QC, Lawyer, Arvay Finlay
207. and continuing... if you want a briefing or wish to inform our work, please let us know.

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