AUGUSTA – Maine workers and businesses are stuck in a commuting rut, and it’s costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, according to Carey Kish of GO Maine, a new statewide commuter program.

Kish is recruiting businesses and individuals across the state to participate in the 8th Annual Commute Another Way Day, Wednesday, June 12, and is urging them to save money by carpooling, vanpooling, biking, walking or taking the bus to work.

Kish said long, solo commutes eat away at the bottom line of the typical Maine business. Those costs come in the form of increased facility expenses for parking as well as additional recruiting and health insurance costs.

Kish expects as many as 500 Maine businesses and 5,000 commuters to participate in the event this year. Collectively, event participants will help eliminate some 10,000 individual vehicle trips, 100,000 vehicle miles driven and several tons of harmful pollutants.

“Our goal is to reduce traffic congestion on Maine highways, and to educate commuters about healthy, economical and more environmentally friendly alternatives to driving alone,” said Kish. “This gets people thinking about doing it more often throughout the year.”

For more information on how commuters and employers can sign up to “commute another way,” contact GO Maine at 1-800-280-RIDE or go to www.gomaine/cawday on the Web. Commute Another Way Day 2002 is coordinated by GO Maine, a program of the Greater Portland Council of Governments. The event is sponsored by the Maine Department of Transportation and the Maine Turnpike Authority.