Commuters who drive, bike or take the bus to work can find a partner to carpool or share a ride by using the new RideshareKC app.
The ride-matching service makes it easier to find alternatives to driving or commuting alone with an updated website and smartphone app. It also includes commuter resources for individuals and employers in the Kansas City region.
Carpooling, riding the bus and biking are some of the many ways to reduce air pollution, especially during ozone season, which runs from March 1 to October 31 when warmer temperatures increase the risk of ozone formation.
At RideshareKC.org, commuters can register for alternative transportation options and use a commute calculator to determine cost and greenhouse gas emission savings.
Users who register with RideshareKC create a trip profile for a specific trip taken on a regular basis. The system matches each user with potential commute partners who have similar schedules and routes. Users can contact those who match and inquire about the possibility of carpooling, riding the bus or biking together. The system has more than 1,000 commuters actively seeking potential matches. The smartphone app allows users to find commute partners, identify bike and bus routes and log trips using alternative transportation on the go.
“Studies show that commuters who use alternative transportation tend to be less stressed and more productive at work,” said Amanda Graor, principal planner and air quality program manager at Mid-America Regional Council. “These new tools make it easier for people to connect and share the ride, de-stressing their daily commute while taking cars off the road and reducing emissions.”
During ozone season, MARC’s AirQKC program provides SkyCast, a daily air-quality forecast, on its website and on Twitter.
RideshareKC is a publicly funded program that has been providing commuter resources to individuals and employers in the Kansas City region since 1980.