RIDESHARING MARKETING: THE PORTLAND EXPERIENCE

The history, the present and the future directions of the Portland area (Tri-Met) rideshare project are described. The oil embargo of 1983-1974 was the catalyst for the promotion of the carpool efforts of the Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon. The carpool matching program had two components: reaching the general public through the electronic media, and informing large employers in the area of the matching program. Initial research techniques included the definition of carpool, and decisions regarding population research. Strategies adopted after the lifting of the oil embargo and a return to pre-crisis conditions are discussed. The current commuter market in Portland is described. The emphasis of Tri-Met's rideshare project is focused on raising the level of public awareness and education regarding the benefits of ridesharing. To accomplish this, the mass media are still the most effective. Assistance for van owners, and technical assistance for employers in developing in-house ridesharing programs are offered by Tri-Met. Tri-Met has, in recent years, been devoting increased attention to the influence of incentives and services on commuters decisions to rideshare. Tri-Met's projects that test ridesharing concepts are listed. Tri-Met plans to test assumptions, refine marketing techniques, use ridesharing as a planning tool, and promote the message that ridesharing is profitable to the private sector.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr193/sr193-008.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0360859X
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. This paper appeared in Transportation Research Special Report No. 193, Ridesharing Needs and Requirements: The Role of the Private and Public Sectors.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • York, Byron
  • Bloomfield, Pamela
• Conference:
  • National Strategies Workshop on Ridesharing Needs and Requirements: The Role of the Private and Public Sectors
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1981-5-16 to 1981-5-18
• Publication Date: 1981

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: pp 46-50
• Monograph Title: RIDESHARING NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS: THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 193
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0360-859X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carpools; Commuting; Employers; Energy resources; Grant aid; Incentives; Marketing; Mass media; Private enterprise; Publicity; Research; Ridesharing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis
• Geographic Terms: Portland (Oregon)
• Old TRIS Terms: Assistance programs
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Research; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00361084
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 30 1982 12:00AM