CONNECTICUT COMMUTERS ENCOURAGED TO SHARE A RIDE DURING CTrides WEEK - MAY 14-18

Statewide Initiative Launched to Promote Alternative Methods of Travel to Driving Alone

      Connecticut residents are invited to participate in a week-long challenge to try alternative methods of travel for their daily commutes. For at least one day during a special CTrides Week from May 14 to 18, drivers are asked to take advantage of various ride-sharing options instead of driving alone. The initiative is sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which through its CTrides program provides information and services that give a variety of “greener” ways to travel including express and local buses, two rail lines, a statewide vanpool system, access to carpool-matching services, and telecommuting assistance.

      By visiting www.CTrides.com/week, commuters can sign up to participate and join others who have vowed to share a ride during CTrides Week. In a proclamation officially designating CTrides Week as May 14-18, 2012, Governor Dannel P. Malloy cited the state’s efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality as a main reason for encouraging commuters to break the drive-to-work-alone habit.

      “CTrides Week provides the opportunity to take advantage of the various public transportation options throughout the state and save time and money by using a bus or train or by joining a carpool or vanpool,” said Governor Malloy. “By participating and finding alternative commuting options, we can make Connecticut a better place to live and work.”

      Sharing a ride can have a huge impact on Connecticut’s air quality. An individual switching a 20-mile roundtrip commute to public transportation can decrease annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year. Additionally, sharing a ride can afford a variety of benefits to commuters including saving money on the cost of maintaining personal vehicles and the cost of parking, providing some protection from the rising cost of fuel and a less stressful commute.

      Employers can also benefit from having their employees share a ride or telecommute - improved productivity and morale, reduced absenteeism and late arrivals, easier recruiting and retention of good talent, potential tax savings and an emphasized commitment to good corporate citizenship. Best of all, CTrides works with Connecticut companies for free to help employees find better ways to get to work.

      Companies across the state have already committed their support for CTrides Week and are promoting alternative methods of transportation and, in some instances, offering incentives to employees who participate. 

      CTrides can help residents find schedules, fares, locations, and a better way to work or travel. For more information, visit CTrides.com/week and stay up-to-date on CTrides Week at Facebook.com/CTrides or through Twitter @CTrides.

      About CTrides

      CTrides is a program of the Connecticut Department of Transportation designed to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by providing information and services for alternatives to driving alone. Commuting alternatives include carpooling, vanpooling, public transit including bus and rail lines, and telecommuting.