Carpool lane direct connector now open. VISTA bus schedule and service updates Guess what celeb wants you to go car-free?

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1 PARK(ing) Day is Sept. 20 International Car-Free Day is Sept. 22 Drive less. Smile more. That's what your employees will soon be doing, thanks to an exciting Rideshare Thursday marketing effort that will run for 10 weeks in Southern California starting Sept. 9. Full story» ACT Boot Camp is Oct. 17 More Events» California Rideshare Week is coming up soon, and it's a great opportunity to inspire your commuters to share the ride. Based on where you're located, your county rideshare agency has the tools you need to promote Rideshare Week at your worksite. Here's what's happening... Full story» 7 reasons you don't want to let California Rideshare Week 2013 pass you by... Full story» Your employees that want to participate in Rideshare Week may need carpool partners, transit routes and vanpool information help hook them up at ridematch.info. Carpool lane direct connector now open VISTA bus schedule and service updates Guess what celeb wants you to go car-free? "I'm Stuck" app takes your traffic complaint to the top Happy 40th SANBAG looking good! Free Metro bike traffic skills classes... plus guided rides Get news geared to commuters that you c an forward to employees or incorporate into your own rideshare newsletter. Full Story»

2 Drive less. Smile more. That's what your employees will soon be doing, thanks to an exciting Rideshare Thursday marketing effort that will run for 10 weeks in Southern California starting Sept. 9. Via radio, social media, online advertising and other outreach, Rideshare Thursday ads will urge commuters to carpool, take transit or bike to work at least once a week to save money and ease stress. "The term 'Rideshare Thursday' was first introduced in the '90s to let commuters know they didn't have to rideshare every day to reap the benefits," says Greg Pettis, Chair of the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee, which is funding the campaign. "It was such a success in terms of raising awareness and changing driving behavior that we wanted to bring it to a new generation of commuters." During the campaign, the Rideshare Thursday message will reach people "at home, at work and on the go," according to Pettis. Here's how: Radio Southland radio listeners will tune in to hear upbeat radio ads that underscore the benefits of ridesharing. Estimated to reach 98% of adults an average of 11 times (nearly 130 million impressions), the ads will play on topranked stations, online radio, Hispanic Radio Traffic and in-language Asian Radio. On-air traffic reporters will also give Rideshare Thursday a boost, including a "shout out" as part of their daily reports helping commuters avoid traffic tie-ups. Online Resources Motorists who visit RideshareThursday.com will find links to 511 online resources, such as traffic conditions, carpool matching and transit routing. Social Media and Sweepstakes People that "like" Rideshare Thursday's Facebook page (and what's not to like?) will get daily updates on rideshare and contest news in an interactive and fun format. While they're there, they can take a 30-second quiz to enter a weekly prize drawing. Prizes include an ipad, bicycle and gift cards for itunes, ebooks and the Apple app store along with a grand prize weekend getaway at Terranea Oceanfront Resort in Palos Verdes. Sports Promotions Los Angeles Kings and Ontario Reign hockey fans will hear about Rideshare Thursday through in-stadium promotions plus straight from some of their favorite players in PSAs that will play on the scoreboards. Employer Involvement Most commuters find their Ways to Promote Rideshare Thursday at Your Worksite Encourage employees to visit RideshareThursday.com to get more info on rideshare options Like the Facebook page then forward the link to employees and let them know they can "like" it too to win great prizes. Play the Rideshare Thursday songs at rideshare gatherings or meetings Promote Rideshare Thursday at in-house events and as part of newsletters, flyers, bulletin boards, web pages, contests and announcements. rideshare arrangements at the worksite, so employers are key to helping spread the word. See inset box (right) for ways you can promote Rideshare Thursday to your employees.

3 Based on where you're located, your county rideshare agency has the tools you need to promote Rideshare Week at your worksite. Here's what's happening: Los Angeles County "Rideshare Thursday Drive Less. Smile More" Los Angeles Metro is celebrating the relaunch of Rideshare Thursday by reminding commuters to "drive less, smile more" during Rideshare Week...of course, especially on Thursday. During Rideshare Week, commuters can pledge online to share the ride at least one day during the week. When they do, they'll qualify to win great prizes. You can download a flyer plus get tips for running a campaign at your worksite at metro.net. Orange County "101 Reasons to Rideshare Discover Yours" Orange County commuters will discover the many benefits of leaving the solo drive behind during Rideshare Week. When they pledge to share the ride, they can win prizes including Apple ipad Minis, movie tickets, gift cards and more. Employers that attended a kickoff event received posters, flyers and giveaway items. To see if more are available, or to download print materials, go to octasharetheride.com or contact Judy Leon at , sharetheride@octa.net. To encourage participation, Orange County Transportation Authority is also offering prizes to ETCs that get the most pledges from employees, including the grand prize of a food truck party at your worksite. Inland Empire "Step Right Up and Rideshare" It's a carnival of rideshare fun in the Inland Empire, where commuters who pledge to share the ride can qualify for any of 100 prizes, such as an Apple ipad Mini, gift cards and getaways to Palm Springs and other great destinations. Pledge cards and promotional materials have been sent only to those employers that have requested to participate. There is a choice of paper, PDF or an online link to a pledge card. (If you didn't request materials, you can still do so by calling ) Forms will also be available on IE511.org later this month. Get marketing tips plus stock up on giveaway items and prizes at a kickoff event on Sept. 11. For more information, call IECS4HELP. Ventura County "Every Day Is a Great Day to Rideshare..."...But Oct is special! What makes it so special: Commuters who pledge to share the ride at least one day during the week could win prizes including Apple ipads and VISA gift cards. Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) handed out campaign marketing kits at a kickoff last month. They'll mail kits to employers that weren't able to attend. If you haven't received one, materials are available online. Distribute and collect pledge cards included in the kit to qualify your employees for prizes. If you're one of the first five companies to turn pledge cards in to VCTC, you'll also win a special prize. For more information, go to goventura.org or call Alan Holmes at , ext. 119.

4 Carpool lane direct connector now open Caltrans recently opened an elevated carpool lane connector, just south of Santa Clarita. People who travel the carpool lanes can now merge between I- 5 and SR-14 without having to cross into regular traffic. Roughly 350,000 motorists use the interchange daily. For details, as well as more information on proposed and completed carpool lanes throughout Southern California, check out Caltrans' 2011 HOV Annual Report at dot.ca.gov. VISTA bus schedule and service updates New schedules are now available for VISTA buses in Ventura County; visit goventura.org to download or call for schedule information. What else is new at VISTA: it now offers SmartRide, an iphone app that uses GPS technology to tell riders when the next bus arrives. Find it on itunes. Guess what celeb wants you to go car-free? Stana Katic, co-star of ABC-TV's Castle and the upcoming film CBGB, is lending her star-power to the Alternative Travel Project (ATP), an initiative that asks people to try going car-free. "The basic message is to go car-free for just one day," she said in a recent interview with LAist. "When I go about doing it... I give it up for seven days in a month and encourage other people to go car-free as well." To find out more about ATP, visit alternativetravelproject.com. "I'm Stuck" app takes your traffic complaint to the top Ever been stuck on the freeway or an overcrowded bus and wish you could do something to change the situation? The new "I m Stuck" app, created by a coalition of elected officials including former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, lets you your elected officials from the (dis)comfort of your own traffic jam. Download the app from the Google Play Store or itunes. The app uses GPS technology to connect you to the Congressional representatives in your area to tell them how you re stuck (traffic jam, metro/subway delay, etc.) and to urge them to make transportation funding a priority. Happy 40th SANBAG looking good! This year marks San Bernardino Associated Governments' 40th anniversary. To celebrate four decades of transportation planning, the agency created a special brochure that features milestones from 1973 to now. Free Metro bike traffic skills classes...plus guided rides It can be a challenge for cyclists to share the road with cars, so Metro is offering traffic skills classes at various Los Angeles County locations through September (ages 18 and up). Class members receive a free helmet, bike lights and safety manual. For a schedule, go to metro.net. Once you've got the skills, join free, guided rides led by CICLE held Sept. 21 at the Los Angeles River Center, Oct. 20 in Pomona and Nov. 16 in Northridge.

5 California Rideshare Week when commuters throughout the state pledge to share the ride to work instead of driving alone is Oct Here, we offer 7 good reasons to participate Much of the work is done for you. Your county rideshare agencies supply you with free posters, "pledge cards" and other promotional materials. All you need to do is distribute them and voila instant campaign. Feeling creative? By all means, add flair of your own whether by throwing a party, holding a contest, or designing bulletin boards. 2. It turns "someday" into "today." To participate in Rideshare Week, employees make a pledge to carpool, vanpool, ride bus/rail, bike or walk to work at least once during the week. The pledge creates a deadline so employees who've been thinking about finding an alternative to driving alone actually have to do something about it. Even better: A study showed that, of those who tried ridesharing for the first time during Rideshare Week, 60% continued to rideshare at least on an occasional basis. 3. Free prizes. Depending on where your worksite is located, your employees can qualify for prizes such as Apple ipads, getaways, gift cards and more. All they need to do is pledge online or in some areas there's an option for you to distribute and collect pledge cards, to be turned in to your county rideshare agency. If you can add a prize drawing of your own at your worksite, you'll generate even more excitement. Prizes don't need to be expensive. See if a local deli or gift shop will offer free food or product in exchange for promoting their business on any Rideshare Week outreach you do. 4. There's media support. You might sometimes feel as if you're the only person out there banging the rideshare drum, but during Rideshare Week, you'll have backup. Southern California's media and traffic reporters get into the spirit of the event, giving on-air reminders throughout the week for commuters to share the ride. Transit agencies also advertise Rideshare Week on their buses and websites. 5. It's a chance to reward your loyal ridesharers. Rideshare Week is about converting drive-alone commuters, but it's also about celebrating the contributions of those who already share the ride. Make sure your regular ridesharers pledge so they'll have a chance to win prizes for their efforts. Many employers also choose Rideshare Week as a time to hand out awards, highlight "carpooler of the year," or hold a party specifically for rideshare program participants. 6. Rideshare Week draws attention to your commute program. If it's been a while since you've offered a new incentive, promoting Rideshare Week is a great excuse to remind employees about the benefits you do offer, such as subsidies, preferential parking or ridematching help. 7. Because it's not too late. In fact, now is the perfect time to brainstorm creative ways to promote Rideshare Week at your worksite. If possible, start distributing marketing materials at least a week prior to when the campaign rolls out on Oct. 7. Contact your county rideshare agency for more information.

6 EVENTS Inland Empire Commuter Services' Rideshare Week kickoff for employers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties is Sept. 11 at Dave & Busters in Ontario; to RSVP, call IECS4HELP. PARK(ing) Day is Sept. 20; transform land for autos into a place for people for a day, International Car-Free Day is Sept. 22, worldcarfree.net. California Rideshare Weekis Oct California Walk to School Day in Ventura County is Oct. 9, goventura.org. Association for Commuter Transportation ETC Boot Camp is Oct 17, socalact.org. NETWORK MEETINGS Coachella Valley ETC Network meets bi-annually; call IECS4HELP. Glendale TMA meets regularly; call Orange County Network meets regularly; call or sharetheride@octa.net NETWORK MEETINGS (cont'd.) Pasadena TMA meets every other month; call John Miranda at or Judi Masuda at Riverside County ETC Network meets biannually; call IECS4HELP. San Bernardino County ETC Network meets tri-annually; call IECS4HELP. Santa Monica ETC Network meets regularly; call South Bay/Westside TMA meets monthly; contact Christina Corrales at , christina_corrales@equityoffice.com Torrance Transportation Network meets regularly; call Kim Fuentes at Warner Center TMO meets monthly; call TRAINING Metro Commute Services upcoming briefings where Los Angeles area employers can learn about the transportation survey process and services Metro has to offer are Sept. 18, 9:30 11:30 a.m. and Oct. 16, 1 3 p.m. For more information or to reserve a space, garciama@metro.net. See the full 2013 Briefings Schedule here South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) offers one-day ETC training for $ Upcoming sessions are Sept. 12, Oct. 9 and Nov. 20 at AQMD offices in Diamond Bar, Sept. 25 in Torrance and Nov. 6 in Culver City. Contact the AQMD's training program at etctraining@aqmd.gov or visit aqmd.gov. COMMUTESMART NEWS Editor/Writer: Jill Smolinski Art Director: Harlan West For subscription information or to change your COMMUTESMART NEWS address, contact your representative at the rideshare office nearest you. Metro Commute Services One Gateway Plaza MS Los Angeles, CA Business: OCTA Share the Ride Programs 550 S. Main St., Orange, CA Mailing address: PO Box Orange, CA Business: Ventura County Transportation Commission 950 County Square Dr., Ste. 207 Ventura, CA Business: , ext. 119 CommuterServices@goventura.org Inland Empire Commuter Services 7355 Magnolia Ave. Riverside, CA Business: IECS4HELP ( ) Commuter Information 511 Go511.com IE511.org CommuteSmart.info HWDS-8/13