Energy efficiency doesn’t just start once you arrive at the office in the morning. Energy efficiency can begin with your morning commute which is exactly what some local governments are doing right now!
For example, the state of New Hampshire started a ride sharing program offering special incentive prizes for groups of people that racked up the most avoided miles traveled and the most avoided pounds of emissions. This program was driven by TripSpark, a mobile application that helps individuals find rideshare buddies based upon common destinations and work hours.
There were a total of 26 groups that logged more than 2,200 trips using the mobile application. These 2,200 trips equaled to nearly 30,000 individual trip miles saved, 23,000 pounds of emissions, and more than $17,000. The program was so successful, New Hampshire is going to relaunch it in the spring of 2020.
Keep in mind that a ride sharing program such as this may not make sense for everyone. Here are some situations in which a ride sharing program would be the most successful:
Regions with Carpool Lanes
Employers with Limited Parking
Employers with Large Numbers of Employees
Employers in Urban Settings
Although our Central Valley partners are not known for being particularly large, there are a lot of things we can learn from how other cities are able to implement these types of programs. Ultimately, the goal here is to encourage carpooling and active transportation to do our part to help improve air quality.
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Sources:
https://www.energy.gov/eere/success-stories/articles/new-hampshire-challenging-commuters-rideshare
https://www.transportation.gov/mission/health/ride-sharing-programs