Beginning Monday, July 15th, Redmond-area commuters will have
even more options when it comes to buddying up to beat the traffic.
On Monday, the Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association (GRTMA)
will move its Internet ridematching service known as RideQuest.com to the
regional RideshareOnline.com service, which is hosted by King County
Metro Transit.
"This is being done as a way to eliminate duplication of services and better
utilize existing resources," said John Resha, GRTMA’s executive director.
RideshareOnline.com is a self-serve, online ridematching system that
instantly matches motorists commuting to specific areas with others traveling
to and from the same area. Currently, RideshareOnline.com accounts for
approximately 70 percent of all ridematch requests in the Puget Sound Region.
Started in 1999 by the GRTMA, RideQuest.com became the nation’s first
self-serve Internet matching service to provide real-time matches for
commuters. Shortly after its successful launch, King County Metro began work
with RideQuest’s software developer to adapt RideQuest for regional use, adding
enhanced mapping technology to serve a larger commuting population.
The new regional service, RideshareOnline.com, started providing online
ridematching service in March 2001. This was in addition to already existing
telephone and mail services provided by King County Metro, Community Transit,
Pierce Transit, Intercity Transit, Kitsap Transit and Island Transit.
Cathy Blumenthal with King County Metro sees the move to one matching
service "as an opportunity for more collaborative efforts to increase carpool
and vanpool participation in Redmond and the surrounding areas."
Both the GRTMA and county say there are many benefits of an Internet
ridematching program:
- Commuters can instantly find rideshare partners anytime, anywhere they
have access to the Internet;
- Commuters can update or delete their records, change work schedules,
pick-up and drop-off locations, and find new matches whenever they want;
- Maps show the general area where their matches live so users can choose
for themselves whether or not someone lives close enough to share a ride;
- More than 1,200 public vanpool groups are available in the database to
match with others with a similar commute;
- Users can email any or all of their matches directly from within
RideshareOnline making it easy and quick to turn a matchlist into a carpool
or vanpool; and
- Automated database maintenance programs insure all matchlists are current
and accurate.
Commuters who do not have Internet access, can call (800) 427-8249 to reach
a Commuter Services Specialist who will take commute information on the phone,
enter it into RideshareOnline and help locate potential ridematch partners. TTY
users can use (206) 684-1855.
The Greater Redmond Transportation Management Association is a private
non-profit Washington corporation with a mission to increase commuter mobility
and efficient use of the transportation system through services, incentives,
education, and the promotion of single occupancy vehicle alternatives to our
members. Current membership represents over 300 major area businesses and more
than 50,000 commuters across all sectors including large, small, public,
private, business and residential.
