CataCommute_Newsletter_Article.pdf

Over the last year, working families have seen their savings shrink. Finding ways to save money and still meet daily living expenses is a hallmark of these times. Not having the ability to drive, or not being able to afford to own a vehicle, limits employment and educational opportunities available in surrounding communities.

Whether via vanpool or carpool, ridesharing can offset fluctuating gasoline costs and growing traffic congestion. Ridesharing also reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as saves wear and tear on vehicles. Ridesharing can make a long commute interesting, enjoyable and affordable—- all while helping commuters arrive at work relaxed and ready to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

Employers benefit when their employees are able to access rideshare options. Their workers are likely to be more productive, miss fewer hours at work, and stay on the job longer when they have a predictable, cost-effective means for traveling to work. Having fewer employees drive to work also frees up parking spaces for customers or other visitors.

CATACOMMUTE is a family of services that offers:

• RideShare, a free ridematching program that will find carpool partners or vanpool groups instantly in a personalized match list;

• a Vanpool Program for groups of 7-15 in which CATA provides the van, insurance, maintenance and gas card; and

• a Guaranteed Ride Home program that takes the fear out of being stuck by providing rides home in the event of an emergency or mandatory overtime.

During Fiscal Year 2009/2010, we estimated that participants in the CATACOMMUTE program took 124,680 vehicles off of our highways, saved 192,800 gallons of gasoline, and eliminated 3.7 million pounds of CO2 from the environment. There were 398 active rideshare participants in 68 carpools and 16 vanpool groups, servicing a 10-county wide area.

As of January 2012, the CATACOMMUTE program is servicing over 1650 participants, with 568 active in 72 registered carpools and 27 vanpools.

Commuters are often looking for alternatives to their long distance ride to work. If you are thinking about carpooling or joining a vanpool, contact Terri Quici at 814-238-2282 ext. 134 or visit www.catabus.com for more information.

CATACOMMUTE ACTIVITIES UPDATE: February 2012

27 active vanpools in service:

Altoona 2 Tyrone 5

Philipsburg 6 Snow Shoe 1

Mill Hall 3 Penns Valley 2

Lewistown 8

7 groups service SCI Rockview employees.

1 group services Olympus/General Dynamics [near the Mall]

19 groups service combination of PSU/Hospital/Other Employers

• 1 group on Waiting List for van (from Beech Creek/Howard area) servicing Mall area employers.

• 9 new vans ordered: 4 to be delivered in April, 5 to be delivered in July (replacing vans that have met the end of useful life)

• Recent Marketing activities: radio, billboards, placemats, newspaper banner ads and full-color inserts, on-line banners (Lewistown Sentinel, Lock Haven Express, Altoona Mirror websites), Radio Roundtable Talk Show (WKOK in Sunbury along with PennDOT, SEDA-COG, and USTA).

• PPTA RideShare Committee [Chair]: Goal is to pursue state-wide ridematching program availability so that every commuter in PA has access to rideshare options.