RE: [GreenYes] Cars

[Sharon_Gates@no.address]

While changes in the law undoubtedly decreased many employers' enthusiasm 
for ride sharing, Heidi's comment that "all ridesharing disappeared" is 
completely unjustified.  The Southern California Association of 
Governments coordinates a large rideshare database, through which I found 
my rideshare partner.  My employer, the City of Long Beach, has a very 
active rideshare program.  We have frequent "thank you" lunches for 
rideshare participants and lots of prizes are raffled off with the number 
of entries for each person based on the number of days you shared a ride. 
The city also promotes, arranges, and provides vehicles for vanpools.  I'm 
sure plenty of other cities and employers do similar things.  If the City 
of Los Angeles chose to eliminate their rideshare program because of a 
change in state law, they made an unfortunate, short-sighted decision. 
Wouldn't be the first time. 

Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694





Heide Feldman <hfeldman@no.address>
02/07/2003 01:44 PM

 
        To:     'Wayne Turner' <WAYNET@no.address>, RJayW2@no.address, Greenyes@no.address
        cc: 
        Subject:        RE: [GreenYes] Cars


More about the car issue...interesting that no one has mentioned
ride-sharing, the transportation equivalent to recycling, in that a 
personal
contribution can make a major difference. Ridesharing programs also 
require
an on-going public education campaign, as well as appropriate incentives,
much like recycling.  In California, legislation was enacted in the 80s 
that
required any company with more than 100 employees to have a rideshare plan
and trained rideshare coordinators in place.  This law created a
well-functioning infrastructure of rideshare trainers, vanpool and carpool
subsidies, preferred parking, rideshare lanes, and specialists in the 
public
sector.  In Los Angeles, where I worked with these programs, participation
was high in the large employment sectors and beneficial traffic impacts 
were
considerable.  Gov. Wilson and the legislature killed the law in the 90s 
and
overnight, all ridesharing disappeared.  Today, the freeways and surface
streets in that city, and in other urban areas in California, are 
strangled
with traffic.
Heidi Feldman, Monterey, CA