RIDESHARE CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF
(Diamond Bar, CA. September 16, 2003) As gasoline prices continue to hover at record-high levels, one of the Southland's leading smog-fighting organizations is reminding people of a cost-saving alternative. The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) is launching a regional public awareness program promoting the benefits of ridesharing. While many people feel helpless to fight higher prices at the pump, ridesharing can cut commute costs in half ( or less ) and save time by using High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. With the growing number of cars on the roads and continuing challenges in reaching health-based air quality standards, the rideshare campaign, with the support of local transportation agencies, is encouraging commuters to rideshare, not just on Thursdays, but any weekday. "The MSRC has been a strong supporter of ridesharing as an effective way to reduce congestion and air pollution. This campaign is intended to give that regional effort a big boost," said MSRC Chairman Will Kleindienst, Mayor of Palm Springs and current member and past Chair of the Riverside County Transportation Commission. Pick A Day Any Day is the theme of the campaign launched today at the annual Southern California Traffic Reporter's luncheon. The major advertising campaign includes radio spots, traffic radio sponsorships, print advertising and donated transit advertising on MTA, OCTA and OMNITRANS buses. The campaign culminates with California Rideshare Week (October 6-10) where employees are asked to sign a pledge card to rideshare one day during Rideshare Week. "We're excited about the campaign as a way to re-energize ridesharing activities," said Kleindienst. He added, "Caltrans studies have shown that 60 percent of the people who try ridesharing tend to stick with it." The "Rideshare Thursday" program was launched in 1993, when the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) introduced Team Rideshare to encourage commuters to use an alternative commute mode at least one day a week. The purpose was not only to reduce the overall number of cars on the road, but also to relieve major points of traffic congestion while eliminating tons of air pollution from the environment. The campaign focuses on the benefits of shorter commute times and lower expenses, as well as reducing driving-related stress. Commuters are directed to call 1-800-COMMUTE, which will route calls directly to regional ridesharing organizations, or visit the new regional ridesharing web site at www.ridematch.info for instant online matching with people with similar commuting routes and times. The Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC) was formed in 1990 when Assembly Bill AB 2766 was signed into law authorizing a $4 motor vehicle registration fee in the four-county South Coast Air Basin. Thirty percent of the $4 fee or approximately $12 million annually is used for programs administered by the MSRC. All of the programs eligible for funding must reduce air pollution from mobile sources. Membership of the MSRC is made up of representatives from the transportation agencies of Riverside, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange County, as well as the Southern California Association of Governments, Southern California Rideshare, California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District. NOTE: Electronic copies of the radio spots and bus ads are available on the MSRC web site at http://cleantransportationfunding.org