Capital Metro’s RideShare program achieved an important milestone in February: accomplishing a record-breaking 200 vanpools — the highest number of participating employer groups in the agency’s history. In the last two years, membership has doubled since the program’s expansion allowing out-of-service-area commuters to participate. The most recent vanpool group member is made up of employees from Intel Corporation.
“Our MetroRideShare program is a great option for riders who want a ‘stress-free’ way to commute in Central Texas,” said Capital Metro President and CEO Linda Watson. “The program is growing rapidly because it allows us to offer new choices to riders not traditionally served by transit, and those who live or work outside our service area.”
MetroRideShare, sponsored by Capital Metro and operated by vRide, provides eligible groups of 5-12 riders with month-to-month vanpool lease agreements that include insurance, maintenance, 24-hour roadside assistance, a choice between five different types of vehicles and an optional fuel purchasing program. The RideShare program is open to commuters that work or live within Capital Metro’s service area.
In addition to being the 200th vanpool group member, Intel has the greatest level of involvement, with 16 different vanpool groups and 102 employees taking part in MetroRideShare. The employer recently commemorated their achievements with an event at their Austin headquarters. Intel has benefitted from participating in the program by saving employees nearly $144,500 in fuel costs and 1.9 million would-be-driven miles. Their participation in MetroRideShare has also prevented an estimated 728 tons of harmful carbon dioxide emissions from being expelled into the air.
In 2015, vRide helped take nearly 12 million vehicles off the road, reducing travel by more than 98 million monthly miles, conserving more than 47 million gallons of gas, and withholding 480,000 tons of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide from the air.
Next year, Capital Metro’s RideShare members will have another reason to celebrate—when registered vanpools have access to managed lanes on MoPac, allowing them to cut through congested traffic on the popular north-south Austin roadway.
