Rideshare Is the Easy Way.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Rideshare Is the Easy Way."

Amy Washington
6 years ago
Views:

Rideshare Is the Easy Way. That's the message that's going out to Southand commuters on their favorite radio stations as part of an exciting new miion-doar ad campaign.

The campaign aunching Jan. 24 and running throughout 2005 is designed to give a needed push to motorists who want to enjoy the benefits of ridesharing but aren't ready to make a big commitment.

CommuteSmart News! Formery Crossroads newsetter, CommuteSmart News brings you the same great news and information ony with a fresh ook and a more fexibe format.

1 Rideshare Is the Easy Way. That's the message that's going out to Southand commuters on their favorite radio stations as part of an exciting new miion-doar ad campaign. Deveoped with funds from the Mobie Source Air Poution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), the drive-time commercias and traffic spots are urging peope to "pick a day, any day" to share the ride. The campaign aunching Jan. 24 and running throughout 2005 is designed to give a needed push to motorists who want to enjoy the benefits of ridesharing but aren't ready to make a big commitment. Fu story January 24 "Pick a Day, Any Day" rideshare radio campaign starts today February 14 It's Vaentine's Day share the ride with someone you ove More events Wecome to premiere issue of CommuteSmart News! Formery Crossroads newsetter, CommuteSmart News brings you the same great news and information ony with a fresh ook and a more fexibe format. You' receive a new issue of CommuteSmart News each month. It's aso one of the many toos you' discover posted on CommuteSmart.info, the new on-ine resource for rideshare hep in Southern Caifornia. Fu story Our marketing experts offer advice for creating a better empoyee rideshare newsetter pus get program ideas from Southand empoyers just ike you. Fu story IRS ups tax-free imits for vanpoo/transit costs Don't hit the carpoo ane soo in your hybrid yet Catrans breaks ground for ongest carpoo ane Metro aunches Metro Rewards program Ventura County showcases student art in caendar Empoyers save time buying transit passes on-ine Astounding Stats. How much time do peope spend commuting? How far do they trave? We've got your number, Southern Caifornia! Fu story Get news geared to commuters that you can forward to empoyees or incorporate into your own rideshare newsetter

Quotabe Moments Rideshare Is the Easy Way. That's the message that's going out to Southand commuters on their favorite radio stations as part of an exciting new miion-doar ad campaign.

2 Quotabe Moments Rideshare Is the Easy Way. That's the message that's going out to Southand commuters on their favorite radio stations as part of an exciting new miion-doar ad campaign. Deveoped with funds from the Mobie Source Air Poution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), the drive-time commercias and traffic spots are urging peope to "pick a day, any day" to share the ride. The campaign aunching Jan. 24 and running throughout 2005 is designed to give a needed push to motorists who want to enjoy the benefits of ridesharing but aren't ready to make a big commitment. Of course, peope who rideshare reguary aready know its rewards, incuding saving money, getting to work faster in time-saving carpoo anes, and easing the stress of traffic. Soon part-time ridesharers wi earn that they can enjoy these perks as we. Oh What a Difference a Day Can Make Currenty three out of four commuters drive aone to work. It has been estimated that, if each of them were to share the ride one day a week, overa traffic congestion woud drop 11 to 16%. That's an impact that's sure to be noticed and it might even be enough to achieve those free-fowing freeways we a dream about. Ads wi run on Engish, Spanish and Chinese-anguage stations. Commuters wi be referred to COMMUTE or the new rideshare web site, CommuteSmart.info, for hep in finding carpoo partners, transit options and other assistance. Can't Get Enough of that Catchy "Pick a Day" Jinge? You can downoad MP3 fies of the "Pick a Day' song and radio commercias at the MSRC web site, msrc-ceanair.org. Forward them to friends or coworkers, pay them at your next staff meeting or even oad them on your cd payer (maybe you' be inspired to jog to work!). The "Pick a Day" campaign mixes humor with "what's in it for me" benefits to se the rideshare message. Foowing are a few ines you' hear on your radio this year. Why not ride the radio ad wave and incorporate them into your in-house rideshare efforts as we? "Your waet might send you a thank you note, since you and your rideshare partner woud spit the cost of gas." "Now any day can be Rideshare Thursday. Why? Because bad traffic knows no caendar." "Carpoo ane envy a probem? Here's a cure for it. Rideshare Thursday or any day this week."

Wecome to the premiere issue of CommuteSmart News! Formery Crossroads newsetter, CommuteSmart News brings you the same great news and information ony with a fresh ook and a more fexibe format.

3 Wecome to the premiere issue of CommuteSmart News! Formery Crossroads newsetter, CommuteSmart News brings you the same great news and information ony with a fresh ook and a more fexibe format. You' receive a new issue of CommuteSmart News each month. It's aso one of the many toos you' discover posted on CommuteSmart.info, the new onine resource for rideshare hep in Southern Caifornia. Fast, Easy Commute Hep on the Web If you haven't checked out CommuteSmart.info yet, we urge you to do so! Southern Caifornia's newest rideshare web site ets you and your empoyees enjoy "onestop shopping" for everything from a ist of carpoo partners...to transit routes... to carpoo ane ocations near you and much more. Its user-friendy format means you can get free, customized commute information without the hasse of hopping from site to site. CommuteSmart.info aso features a section for empoyers where you' get the toos you need to run a rideshare program at the work site. Services for commuters incude: For empoyers, CommuteSmart.info offers: CommuteSmart News for Empoyees Want to pass aong stories from our newsetter to your empoyees? Now you can! As part of every issue of CommuteSmart News, we' feature a specia page just for commuters. They' get the atest on contests, events and services pus rideshare tips and information in a friendy, easy-to-read format. Just visit CommuteSmart News on the web and cick on the "Empoyee Newsetter" button. You can downoad a PDF to print and distribute, forward via emai, or cut and paste into your own newsetter. On-ine ridematching for carpoos Vanpoo seats avaiabe Instant transit routing, pus inks to oca transit providers Carpoo ane map Park & Ride ot ocation information Rea-time traffic conditions Commute cost cacuator Rideshare FAQs Detais on specia contests, incentives, rebates and more Access to empoyee ridematching data Detais on specia promotions and incentives Tips for marketing your rideshare program Free cip art to downoad Links to money-saving programs, such as Guaranteed Ride Home Current and archived issues of CommuteSmart News (see sidebar) News and information on events such as Rideshare Week, Bike to Work Week and other CommuteSmart.info is a partnership of Los Angees County Metropoitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, San Bernardino Associated Governments and Ventura County Transportation Commission.

IRS Ups Tax-Free Limits for Vanpoo and Transit Costs The IRS for 2005 wi aow commuters to set aside up to $105 per month pre-tax for vanpoo and transit costs up from $100 in 2004.

info, and cick on "Incentives" in the Empoyer Hep section. Don't Hit the Carpoo Lane Soo in Your Hybrid Yet Caifornia's governor signed a bi aowing hybrid vehices to use carpoo anes as of Jan.

4 IRS Ups Tax-Free Limits for Vanpoo and Transit Costs The IRS for 2005 wi aow commuters to set aside up to $105 per month pre-tax for vanpoo and transit costs up from $100 in For detais, visit the IRS at irs.gov and refer to Section 132 (f) (2) (A). To earn how you can offer tax-free benefits to your empoyees, go to CommuteSmart.info, and cick on "Incentives" in the Empoyer Hep section. Don't Hit the Carpoo Lane Soo in Your Hybrid Yet Caifornia's governor signed a bi aowing hybrid vehices to use carpoo anes as of Jan. 1, 2005, but be warned: the aw's not officia yet. If you're going soo even whie driving a hybrid you coud be sapped with a $271 fine. Federa approva is needed before the aw can take effect. It is not known when (or even if) that wi happen. Catrans Breaks Ground for Southand's Longest Carpoo Lane Construction is underway for carpoo anes on the 405 Freeway between I-10 and the Marina Freeway, a stretch of road considered one of the busiest in Caifornia. The carpoo anes wi ink to those aready on the 405, aowing ridesharers to trave uninterrupted between West Los Angees and Irvine. Work is expected to be compete by Metro Launches Metro Rewards Program Peope who work in Los Angees County can earn $15 gift cards at major retaiers pus enter prize drawings throughout the year when they share the ride, as part of the new Metro Rewards program. To quaify, they must work at a participating work site and rideshare for at east three months. Gift cards are good at Target, Best Buy, Raph's and Starbucks. For detais, ca Ventura County Showcases Student Art in Caendar Is there an art to ridesharing? Kids in Ventura County sure think so! Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) sponsored a poster contest for students grades K-12. With dozens of prizes, incuding a grand-prize aptop computer, the contest drew thousands of entries. Winners are featured in VCTC's award-winning wa caendar, avaiabe whie suppies ast at goventura.org (cick on "free stuff") or by caing Empoyers Save Time Buying Transit Passes On-Line Now you can buy passes on-ine for many transit providers in Southern Caifornia. For Metro bus and rai avaiabe at metro.net use a credit card to purchase monthy and EZ transit passes. (Order by the 15th of the previous month to ensure on-time deivery.) For Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) passes, go to octa.net and seect the "onine store." On-ine ordering is aso avaiabe for Riverside Transit (RTA) at riversidetransit.com and Omnitrans at omnitrans.org

Creating a Better Rideshare Newsetter A newsetter is a great way to reach empoyees on a reguar basis with the rideshare message. You don't need a big budget to create a newsetter with impact.

5 Creating a Better Rideshare Newsetter A newsetter is a great way to reach empoyees on a reguar basis with the rideshare message. You don't need a big budget to create a newsetter with impact. These tips can hep you make the most of your in-house rideshare news: Keep it brief. Peope are busy and attention spans are short. Make it newsy. A newsetter, as the name suggests, shoud contain news. Give your readers bits and pieces about your program, updates on events, information about rideshare prize winners, etc. Be a name dropper. Peope ove to read about themseves and their friends. Jazz it up. A page fied with nothing but words can be overwheming. Add interest with photos and cip art. For free cip art, go to CommuteSmart.info and cick on "Empoyer Services." Focus on oca. Take a trick from newspapers and ook for the oca ange. If you're writing a story about Earth Day, for exampe, ook for events nearby or profie a "cean air hero" at your work site. Check out CommuteSmart News for empoyees. Each month, CommuteSmart News features a one-page newsetter/fyer for empoyees. You can forward it via emai, print and photocopy or incorporate stories into your newsetter. Don't reinvent the whee. Many organizations woud be happy to et you copy word-for-word their brochures, fyers or take stories off their web sites to pass on to your readers. If your source doesn't state that you can copy the information, ca to verify whether it's free to use. Idea Exchange Looking for fresh ideas for your rideshare program? Here, feow rideshare pros share what works for them: There's no stuffy business attire at rideshare events at WaMart in Coton. When Dawn Erskine throws a party, she makes it a costume affair. At a recent fair where the theme was "Surf the Rideshare Wave," she offered prizes to empoyees who dressed in beachwear. Not ony did attendees have fun, but they aso served as waking biboards advertising the party to other staffers. Have an idea to share with other empoyers? Pease et us know! Emai your name, company, city and detais to jsmo@earthink.net The od excuse for driving aone "I need my car at work" doesn't hod water at Liebert Corp. in Irvine, where ridesharers have access to a company car for unch, business meetings or emergencies. Nadine Edwards with Apria Heathcare makes sure her message gets noticed: Rideshare posters, fyers and other buetins are aways posted at every buiding entrance.

carpoo anes report an average time savings of 36 minutes a day neary a third of their tota commute time.

6 How much time do peope spend commuting? How far do they trave? We've got your number, Southern Caifornia! Commuting Average commute distance: 32 mies (round trip) Trave time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Drive aone: 75% Carpoo: 13% Ride transit: 5% Rideshare at east once a week: 26% Carpoo Lanes Peope who use carpoo anes report an average time savings of 36 minutes a day neary a third of their tota commute time. Tota freeway ane mies in Southern Caifornia: 9,400 Of those, mies of carpoo anes (incuding to anes): 700 Longest stretch of carpoo ane: 60 mies on the I-405 and I-5 Freeways, from LAX to San Juan Capistrano Traffic No surprise: Los Angees was again named the city with the worst traffic in the nation in an annua study by the Texas Transportation Institute Hours Los Angees motorists ose to traffic deays each year: 93 Hours Inand Empire motorists ose: 57 Hours Ventura County motorists ose: 31 Hours the average American oses: 46 Southern Caifornia is home to five of the nation's top 20 most-congested freeway interchanges, according to the American Highway Users Aiance, incuding: #1 in the nation: 101 Freeway/I-405 interchange #5: (San Diego Freeway)/I-10 interchange #8: I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway)/I-5 interchange #9: I-405 (San Diego Freeway)/I-605 interchange #13: I-5 (Santa Ana Freeway)/SR-22/SR-55 interchange, aso known as the Orange Crush Extra gaons of gas burned by Southand motorists in a year due to traffic tie-ups: 73 Gaons of gas used in a year: 740 Making the Switch # 1 reason peope choose the mode they do, according to Southern Caifornia's State of the Commute report: convenience/fexibiity ("I want to come and go as I pease") with 28% of commuters citing that reason #2 is "trave time" (14%) #1 reason they switch to carpooing:to save money (A statistics for Southern Caifornia uness indicated otherwise.)

7 January 24 "Pick a Day, Any Day" rideshare radio campaign starts today February 14 It's Vaentine's Day share the ride with someone you ove October 3-7 Mark your caendar now for the year's biggest rideshare event: Rideshare Week 2005 Network Meetings Coachea Vaey ETC Network meets quartery; ca IECS4HELP. Orange County Network meets March 10, from 9-11 a.m. at the OCTA offices in Orange. Ca or emai commuterconnection@octa.net. Pasadena TMA meets Feb. 8; ca John Miranda at Riverside County ETC Network meets quartery; ca IECS4HELP. San Bernardino County ETC Network meets quartery; ca IECS4HELP. Santa Monica ETC Network meets reguary; ca South Bay/Westside TMA meets Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.; contact Christina Gaegos at , emai CGae@ardenreaty.com Torrance Transportation Network meets reguary; ca Kim Fuentes at Warner Center TMO meets Jan. 26 and Feb. 24, 9:30-10:30 a.m.; ca Training Metro Commute Services now requires empoyers to attend a briefing 60 days prior to their AQMD submitta date. Upcoming briefing dates are Jan. 26, Feb. 23, March 23 and Apri 27. Ca for more information or to reserve a space. South Coast Air Quaity Management District (AQMD) offers one-day ETC training for $ Upcoming sessions are Feb. 9 in Riverside; Feb. 23 or 24 at the Metroink offices in downtown Los Angees; and March 9 at OCTA offices in Orange. Contact Lisa Patterson, , patterson@aqmd.gov Deadines Nomination forms for the 2005 Rideshare Diamond Awards for outstanding rideshare programs in Los Angees and Ventura counties are avaiabe. Ca for a copy. Forms wi be avaiabe in eary February. Nominations are due March 28. COMMUTE SMART NEWS Editor/Writer: Ji Smoinski Art Director: Haran West For subscription information or to change your COMMUTE SMART NEWS e-mai address, contact your representative at the rideshare office nearest you. Metro Commute Services One Gateway Paza MS Los Angees, CA Business: OCTA s Commuter Connection 550 S. Main St., Orange, CA Maiing address: PO Box Orange, CA Business: Ventura County Transportation Commission 950 County Square Dr., Ste. 101, Ventura, CA Business: , ext. 119 Inand Empire Commuter Services Office ocation: 7355 Magnoia Ave. Riverside, CA Maiing address: PO Box Riverside, CA Business: IECS4HELP ( ) Commuter Information: COMMUTE ( ) ridematch.info PHOTO CREDITS: Pick A Day, Any Day artice vanpoo-courtesy of Riverside County Transportation Authority (RCTC); In the News Carpoo riders photo-courtesy of RCTC; Program Tips-bus photo courtesy of RCTC; HWDS1415-1/05

Your tailpipe is polluting the ocean as well as the air Hybrid carpool lane passes are nearly all allotted "Test drive" a Metro Annual Pass

Your tailpipe is polluting the ocean as well as the air Hybrid carpool lane passes are nearly all allotted Test drive a Metro Annual Pass Commuters throughout Southern California will make the pledge to leave the solo commute behind at least one day to carpool, vanpool, ride transit, bike or walk to work or telecommute in celebration of