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The closer the price of gas gets to $3 a gallon, the more people are contacting Metro about their commute options.

Since May, transit ridership has increased every month when compared to the same time last year. The number of cars at Metro’s 123 park-and-ride lots has been steadily climbing since spring. And during the month of August, there were more than 10,000 people in Metro’s Ridematch database – the highest it has ever been since RideshareOnline.com started service in 2001.

RideshareOnline matches people looking to commute by carpool or a Metro-sponsored Vanpool; or those just looking to share a ride to a special event like a symphony concert or baseball game.

“Our Ridematch numbers are continuing to climb at an unprecedented rate,” says Cathy Blumenthal, Metro’s chief of Rideshare Operations. “A recent motivation survey showed about 29 percent use RideshareOnline.com because of cost of driving and gas.”

Metro operates one of the largest public Vanpool programs in the nation. There are more than 700 commuter vans operating on weekdays, some traveling into King County from as far away as Cle Elum or Burlington. Blumenthal says Vanpool ridership has grown by 4 percent through July of this year, compared to the same period in 2004.

People, who work in downtown Seattle and now drive alone, may want to investigate Metro’s many commute programs before Sept. 24. That’s when the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel closes for up to two years, and new traffic restrictions go into effect in the Central Business District. Check out the “Tools to Keep You Moving” webpage to see all the different programs and products targeted at downtown employers and commuters during the tunnel closure.

Whether it’s on a bus or in a van, sharing the commute brings people together. Blumenthal frequently hears stories about Vanpoolers who have become friends – hosting parties, promoting vanpooling with other co-workers, or volunteering together outside work hours.
Some have found unique ways to make commuting fun, like this Vanpool group from REI headquarters in Kent:

“Hello Metro!

I wanted to extend a big THANK YOU for our new van! We've been enjoying it for a month now, and have had a few celebrations I thought you should know about and a few pictures too.

We were so excited to make our very first trip in the new van. To celebrate on the ride home, a van member made ‘hats’ for us to wear. She designed these herself with a little picture of a vanpool which we all colored on during the ride home. We wore the hats the whole trip home, and had fun pulling up next to another REI vanpool at a stoplight to show off our hats. The hats now decorate the van and truth be told, we wear the hats now and then.

Within the first week of having our new van, we had a tail gate party - we threw open the back doors of the van, blasted van tunes, and had a party during the noon hour in the REI parking lot! We picnicked on a table just outside the back of the van, and grilled steak kabobs on a little grill. We also had a piñata! We hung the piñata off the bike rack & blindfolded one of our riders; it took a whole lotta swings to break the piñata (which was an REI shopping bag full of candy & REI stickers & a few City of Kent vanpool prizes) because the stick was dried wood, really lightweight so not to damage the van of course.

We even put up signs on the van "I love Vanpooling" and "Way-Cool Vanpool". We drew lots of attention, and therefore publicity, for vanpooling. We hope to do this again before the summer is over, and might even have the Vanpool parked next to us join us.

Here's to a great Metro program and a big thank you from your #1 REI Vanpool!”

 

Updated:  August 29, 2005

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