ASU online voters select school's Super Commuter

After a months-long search for a new Super Commuter star, Parking and Transit Services (PTS) announced their 2013-2014 star, ASU student Victoria Macaluso.

Macaluso was voted by more than 100 participants on Facebook to be the Super Commuter, a representative of sustainable Sun Devils who choose to get to and from ASU by some other means than riding in a car alone.

Macaluso is a U-Pass holder and an avid user of the Valley Metro bus system. Her daily commute to the ASU Tempe campus starts in Chandler. Though the trip takes about 45 minutes, Macaluso says that she’s come to enjoy the trip.

“Thanks to making use of the light rail and bus, I feel I have inadvertently become a part of the Valley Metro family,” Macaluso said.

As the winner, she will star in upcoming ads and commercials. Runners-up in the Super Commuter campaign also will star in upcoming commercials.

The Super Commuter campaign started in September. All students, faculty and staff were encouraged to post their videos, photos and stories about their commute to ASU, as long as it didn’t simply involve riding in a car alone. Through the Super Commuter campaign, PTS sought to start a conversation and strengthen the community of Sun Devils who use sustainable transportation.

The winner was announced Dec. 5 at the PTS Super Commuter Awards event held at the Memorial Union on Tempe campus. Friends, fellow commuters and staff gathered to enjoy cookies, cocoa, cider and other treats as everyone met the Super Commuter finalists.

During the awards, Macaluso was accompanied by her family and friends, the same voters that helped her win the Super Commuter vote. To check out Macaluso’s submission, watch her video on the Parking and Transit Services YouTube channel “ASU Transit,” or click here.

Macaluso has been utilizing the public transit system for three years and says it has been an adventure the entire time, as she has met many interesting people and gained tons of memories. She said the main benefits of her daily route involve “saving money, viewing the beautiful world, and being able to sleep or do homework on the 45-minute ride.”

“The best part of riding the bus is that even though I feel that I am benefiting immensely from this opportunity, the world is benefitting from the decrease in my carbon footprint,” she said.

Macaluso is a perfect example of how every student and faculty staff member can use sustainable modes of transportation to work, school and everyday activities.