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Campus rideshare programs

(Daily Orange) Syracuse University recently started participating in a national car-sharing program called Zipcar, which allows students to borrow environmentally friendly hybrid cars when they need them for a $42 annual membership fee and $10 per hour of vehicle use. The program aims to cut down on traffic congestion and reduce energy. Many universities in Canada and the U.S. are implementing or thinking of introducing different transportation alternatives so students can cut back their travel costs and also help the environment.

1.

How to implement a campus rideshare program

Carpool.com
Carpool.com has released a thorough guide offering suggestions for students or staff who are interested in creating a rideshare program at their own campus. The guide covers everything from promotion of the program to coming up with a parking management strategy. Resources are provided to assist students with planning, promotion and support of programs. It is also suggested that planners consider supplementary support programs such as emergency rides home and occasional parking passes for people who need to park on campus a few times a month.

2.

Car-Free Day video

You Tube
Champlain College in Vermont shows a video of their first Car-Free Day in January, as part of their “Focus the Nation” week. All students and faculty were asked to choose alternate methods of transportation for one day, such as carpooling or public transportation. The video demonstrates that cars are not always necessary, and that with a little effort students and staff can find more environmentally friendly ways to get to class.

3.

Ontario rideshare program cancelled

Save Pick Up Pal
This is a blog that targets the Ontario government for their strict laws that prevent people from participating in carpooling and reasonable rideshare programs. The blog was created when one rideshare program, Pick Up Pal, was cancelled in Ontario for being illegal. The blog keeps readers up to date on the ongoing struggle to force the provincial government to relax their regulations, which currently state that carpoolers must travel only from home to work, cannot cross municipal boundaries and must ride with the same driver every day. Readers are encouraged to voice their concerns to the province and fight to have more lenient laws for rideshare programs.

4.

University of Hawaii rideshare program across state

University of Hawaii
This is a link to the University of Hawaii’s rideshare program, which was recently expanded to include all 10 of its campuses. The page encourages all students and faculty at any UH campus to become involved in the program. It also offers some useful links, such as the benefits of carpooling, tips for successful carpooling and dos and don’ts

5.

Campus edition of rideshare program

Campus edition of Rideshark
This page is Rideshark’s campus section to assist educational institutions that want to offer a rideshare system exclusively for staff and students. This is a U.S. organization that offers many transportation alternatives, and helps people meet carpool, walking, biking and transit buddies in their area. The campus edition offers a technology network that allows people to be matched with others at their school looking to use the same environmentally sound methods of transportation as themselves.