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Call 1-800-685-RIDE (7433) or complete our online rideshare form to find a ride to share in your area.

The mission of Vermont Rideshare is to improve the economic well-being and the quality of life of all Vermonters by promoting mobility and the efficient, creative use of existing transportation resources; to educate Vermonters about alternatives to the single occupant vehicle and encourage them to examine their travel options; and provide services that assist Vermonters in making informed transportation choices.

Vermont Rideshare is a comprehensive transportation service encompassing carpooling, ridematch, pool-to-school, employer-based rideshare, emergency ride home, interest-free van loans and private sector van leasing.

VPTA works to enhance Vermont’s quality of life by improving mobility, reducing air pollution, fuel consumption, and traffic congestion by offering alternatives to the single occupant vehicle through its eleven Rideshare agencies. Promotional efforts and education campaigns by the VPTA members generate increased public awareness of commuter alternatives.

1-800-685-RIDE (7433)

Vermont Rideshare offers an Interest-Free Van Loan Program through the State Infrastructure Bank. The VPTA vanpool loan program is easy to use, cost effective, and flexible. This year The Route 2 Commuters applied for and received a loan through this program to assist with the purchase of a new van for their vanpool.

VPTA also offers a thirdparty lease program and serves as a referral agency for the leasing program. This publicprivate partnership offers flexible agreements and options for vanpool members. All financial and operating agreements are between the group and the vendor. The advantages of the thirdparty program include: drivers ride free, 30-day pay-as-you-go agreement, full maintenance and insurance, and backup vehicle service.

VPTA and the local Rideshare programs sponsored several statewide marketing efforts to promote carpooling on radio and television. During “Curb Your Car Day” in May, 6,823 residents participated and collectively saved 37,777 miles of driving, 2,482 pounds of pollution, 30,221 pounds of CO₂, 1,679 gallons of gas and $2,434 in gasoline costs for the day. Many participants in this event registered carpool requests too. This event was aired on the Point and WCAX.

Radio ads for carpool/vanpooling air regularly on WVPR. In addition to this regular advertising WCAX will air a Rideshare commercial during the months of September and October in an intensive effort to recruit more people into the Rideshare program.

Other marketing efforts include the production of a four season travel mug and the revision of the Park and Ride brochure. These items have been distributed to all of the local Rideshare Coordinators for use in program promotion.

During FY02 the local Rideshare Coordinators have been entering data into the new Rideshare Database Program so the numbers of rides provided during the fiscal year are not available as we go to press. In addition to the Rideshare marketing by the eleven agencies, carpool classified ads continue to be added to the Rideshare website at www.vermontrideshare.org. These ads are improving the prospects for Vermonters seeking carpool matches.

VPTA Coordinator Fay Youells has devoted most of the program year to the installation and training of the local Rideshare Coordinators in the use of the statewide database program for uniform data entry and management. The installation and training for this program was completed by December 2001 at all eleven Rideshare agencies. An updated version of the software was installed at all agencies by March. The update was an expansion of the program for Ridematch. Additional training was provided for the agencies that offer the Ridematch program. This year the Coordinators have been entering their clients’ records into the program. This has been a labor-intensive task for all agencies since the number of people served by this program is very large. The data collected for Rideshare/Ridematch will provide unduplicated information used for reports, planning, and marketing. The reports from the field are very positive. As data entry nears completion fewer than 1% of the individuals enrolled in the program by all agencies were duplicates.

The VPTA Rideshare Coordinator is writing a Training Manual to be used by the local Coordinators to reinforce the training given in the program. The design of the manual has two purposes. One is to help new users of the program learn how to enter data accurately. The second is to reinforce the training that each coordinator has been given should problems arise with the data entered. The writing of this manual will be an ongoing task for Fiscal Year 2003.

- Fay Youells