California's annual statewide ridesharing promotion reaches morepeople and attracts more participants each year because increasing resources are committed by the state department of transportation and local agencies. Private-sector contributions of money, products, and services are leveraged by public funding. The promotion is coordinated by a statewide coordinating committee, and local ridesharing agencies are responsible for adapting the promotion to their own region. Commuter participants in the promotion pledge to use a commute alternative for one day. Surveys of participants indicate that therehas been some long-term change in commute mode, particularly occasional carpool use. At one agency, commuters who requested ridematching assistance through pledge cards were more likely to be placed in carpools, but less likely to be placed in vanpools, than commuters who requested assistance through other means. Commute characteristics and motivation of pledge card applicants suggest that the promotion attracts applicants who may not otherwise utilize ridematching services. The promotion has had a significant effect on local ridesharingagencies, and has generated a sudden increase in demand that could lower the quality of service provided. (A)
Abstract