T RA NSPO RTAT I ON
RIDESHARING
HAS LONG, STORIED HISTORY
BY ADRIENNE MORETZ, COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER, TRANSIT SERVICES OF FREDERICK COUNTY
When you think of the term, “ridesharing,” you probably
imagine the obvious: sharing a ride to conserve time and/or
resources, mostly for travel to work. But have you considered
how ridesharing came about?
In 2011, two UC Berkeley researchers wrote a paper detailing
the history of ridesharing, “Ridesharing in North America: Past,
Present & Future.” The work breaks ridesharing into five phases:
1942 – 1945
1970s
1980'S – 1997
1999 – 2004
2004 – PRESENT
WWII CAR SHARING CLUBS
MAJOR RESPONSES TO ENERGY CRISES
EARLY ORGANIZED RIDESHARE SCHEMES
RELIABLE RIDESHARING SYSTEM
STRATEGY-BASED,
TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED RIDEMATCHING
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To learn more about your ridesharing options in Frederick County,
head to: http://frederickcountymd.gov/208/Commuter-Services.
THE JOURNEY TO BETTER TRANSPORTATION
The ultimate goal of Frederick County TransIT is to create
a convenient, safe and easy-to-use system for our passengers.
The idea of having a service that is available to all residents is
especially relevant during the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The act, written into law on July 26,
1990, celebrates “removing barriers and empowering people”
and affects more than 50 million people in the US. Since its
inception, the percentage of buses that are accessible to people
with disabilities increased from 51 percent to 99.8 percent.
TransIT provides lowering features on Connector buses,
wheelchair lifts and trained staff to assist passengers. The
TransIT-plus program provides transportation for seniors and
people with disabilities in Frederick County.
Ridesharing began as a way to conserve resources for the war
effort during World War II. Many times bulletins at work
would arrange carpools and propaganda was widespread.
Posters stating “When You Ride Alone, You Ride With
Hitler,” were frequently displayed.
In the 1970s, the effort was concentrated on conserving fuel
as a response to energy crises. HOV (high-occupancy vehicle)
lanes and vanpooling became popular during this time.
Then, in the late 1990s, ridesharing became more focused on
congestion mitigation. Online ridematching services were
introduced in this phase, as was traveler information services,
such as “511.”
Currently, ridematching focuses on climate change and
reducing the dependence on foreign oil. Real-time ridematching
services are now gaining traction, as well as partnerships with
large employers.
Ridesharing now is easy. Register for free with www.
commuterconnections.org to be matched with those living and
working near you. There are numerous incentives, including
financial, for ridesharing. Plus, your employer may offer pretax deductions (ask your HR representative).
In addition to TransIT’s ADA compliant services, it is
launching the Taxi Access Program, providing TransIT-plus
customers with an additional transportation option.
Creating better service isn’t easy, but it is TransIt’s duty is
to provide a transportation system that is safe, reliable and
convenient for all who choose to use it.
This individualized approach should remain consistent across
all modes of transportation: availability for all. Alternative
transportation, in any form, provides access to vital medical
appointments, grocery trips, jobs and much more.
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To learn more about TransIT’s accessibility, visit:
http://frederickcountymd.gov/4227/ADA-Services.
WINTER 2016 | FREDERICK COUNTY GUIDE
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