DriveLessLiveMore Launches Ridesharing Challenge for Earth Day

March 21, 2013

The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Active Transportation Alliance will launch the Earth Day Rideshare Challenge next month to increase awareness and appreciation by encouraging commuters to consider an alternative form of transit.

The new challenge encourages companies and their staff to participate in a free, team-based carpooling and vanpooling competition for Chicago-area employers by logging on to www.drivelesslivemore.com and tracking their trips. The website features a unique, interactive trip-tracking calendar, which can rank competitors and display statistics, such as greenhouse gases prevented, fuel and money saved, and calories burned. The Earth Day Rideshare Challenge begins April 8 and runs through Earth Day, April 22.

“Ridesharing is a great option for commuters who don’t have easy access to transit or safe cycling routes to their job,” said Richard Kwasneski, Chairman of the Pace Board of Directors. “Getting involved in ridesharing saves commuters money and is easy to do using our free, online matching service at www.PaceRideShare.com.”

The Earth Day RideShare challenge will offer employers the tools to organize their workforce and participate in a fun competition that can encourage environmental and social change.

“Drive Less Live More has proven to be a groundbreaking program for the Chicago region,” said Joe Costello, RTA Executive Director. “We’re very excited how this contest has engaged our transit riders, companies and their employees to leave their cars at home and choose an alternative form of transportation.”

Challenge participants must register at drivelesslivemore.com, and then either create a team or join an existing team for their employer. Each team competes for the highest percentage of carpoolers and vanpoolers among similarly-sized organizations.

Teams will find everything they need at the website to prepare their teams including: easy sign-up process, automated trip logging and team ranking, posters, and online resources. Team members can also choose to sign up as an individual participant, track their trips and be eligible to win prizes.

The companies with the highest percentage of employees who log rideshare trips at the website during the challenge win—and all teams will be publicly recognized!

A company wins if it has the highest percentage of employees logging an eligible commute to work in its category during the challenge time-frame. The winning team receives public recognition, a virtual winner’s certificate, and the satisfaction of being the healthiest and greenest workplace in northeastern Illinois.

The RTA’s transit system makes a significant impact on the region’s environment by saving approximately 150 million gallons of gas annually. And as saving money continues to be on everyone’s mind in this economic climate, the drive less live more challenge is another means to encourage travelers to see the value in public transportation and other alternative methods of greener travel.

Learn more by visiting www.drivelesslivemore.com.