RIDESHARING: MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE '80S

Ridesharing is one alternative to our traditional approach to transportation that has proved its ability to increase highway capcity while reducing fuel consumption, traffic congestion, and air pollution. The National Task Force on Ridesharing, formed in 1979, was charged with the following objectives: to promote ridesharing among business and government leaders, to assist in removing institutional barriers to ridesharing, to provide a continuing dialog between private and public sectors, and to make specific recommendations to increase the use and effectiveness of ridesharing. The Task Force concentrated on one aspect of automobile transportation--the daily commuter trip--focusing on four areas: policy and planning, incentives and obstacles, marketing and promotion, and capital facilities that encourage ridesharing. The Task Force developed major recommendations in all four areas, and these are summarized for federal, state, and local organizations and for employers. The Task Force emphasizes five ideas: (1) Ridesharing offers multiple benefits for individuals, organizations, and society. (2) Ridesharing is essentail to a comprehensive transportation system that complements public transit services. (3) Ridesharing is gaining acceptance in both private and public sectors as a strategy that makes economic sense. (4) An effective partnership between public and private sectors is essential to developing a successful ridesharing effort. (5) Eliminating obstacles to ridesharing in regulation, insurance, and fuel allocation is of major importance. The benefits and accomplishments of ridesharing are reviewed, with emphasis on employer participation and Transportation System Management, a concept that seeks to maximize the use of private as well as public resources to increase the efficiency of existing transportation facilities. The consensus of the Task Force is that the benefits of the programs needed to expand ridesharing will far outweight their costs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in Urban Transportation Perspectives and Prospects.
• Corporate Authors:

  Newcastle University, Australia

  Department of Community Programmes
  Newcastle, New South Wales 2308,   Australia 

  Eno Transportation Foundation

  P.O. Box 2055, Saugatuck Station
  Westport, CT  United States  06880-0055
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Features: Tables;
• Pagination: p. 194-202
• Serial:
  • Publication of: Newcastle University, Australia
  • Publisher: Newcastle University, Australia

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cost effectiveness; Governments; Hazards; Marketing; Obstructions (Navigation); Paratransit services; Planning; Private enterprise; Publicity; Ridesharing; Work trips
• Uncontrolled Terms: Informed consent
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00399706
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-037 987
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 31 1985 12:00AM