In 'Commuter Challenge,' Everyone Wins

For some of the competitors, their only fuel was the strong, flavorful coffee found at Drip in Madison.

As the whistle blew from the incoming 8:05 a.m. NJ Transit train bound for Morristown from Madison, Matthew Vance, a Kinnelon native and an attorney in Morristown, prepared to board, Dahon-brand folding bicycle in hand.

Meanwhile, Backyard Bike Tours owner Bill Ruddick, atop his fancy Specialized Roubaix road bicycle, clicked into his pedals and headed out. David Baranauskas, of Wigder Chevrolet in Livingston, stepped into the dealership's Chevrolet Volt electric car, turned on the vehicle and silently drove away.

 organized by  and TransOptions, was set up to examine alternative means of transportation besides the usual car commutes. The plan: See who gets there first, the man taking public transit and riding his bike to work; the man completely traveling by bike; or the electric-powered car?

A fourth competitor, riding an electric-assisted bicycle, was unable to compete.

On the beautiful, sun-drenched day, it was Vance who stood victorious outside Hyatt Morristown, the final destination. Time from end-to-end: 12 minutes. The Volt arrived a few minutes later, followed by Ruddick. Everyone came in within a few minutes of each other.

And while the train/bike was the winner of what he said he hopes would be an annual event, Marty Epstein, owner of Marty's Reliable Cycle, said everyone was a winner when it came to finding alternative ways to commute.

Plans for next year's "Commuter Challenge" were already being cooked up outside the Hyatt while everyone enjoyed coffee and breakfast pastries supplied by the hotel. Ideas included the addition of addition modes of transportation, including the missing electric-assisted bike, walkers and ... a riding lawn mower.

Check back with Patch for a full video of the journey in the Chevrolet Volt!