October
16,
2003
CONTACT:
Dave Sotero/Marc Littman
MTA MEDIA RELATIONS
(213) 922-3007/922-2700 www.metro.net/press/pressroom
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ridematch.Info Web Site
Logs Record Number of Visits as L.A. Commuters Explore Ridesharing Options in
Midst of Countywide Transit Strike
13,652 web site visits
recorded since strike began as more commuters seek transportation
alternatives
As the transit strike enters
its third day, more Los Angeles area commuters are turning to www.ridematch.info
to find ridesharing partners to reach work, school, and other destinations.
Since the strike began
Tuesday, Oct. 14, the web site has logged a record 13,652 visits. Also during
that time, MTA's 1-800-COMMUTE line has registered another 895 rideshare
requests. The phone line has been inundated since the strike began, and
rideshare callers experiencing a busy signal are urged to visit the web site
instead.
"MTA encourages all
commuters who have been affected by this strike to explore ridesharing options
via the Ridematch.info web site," said David Sutton, MTA Employer Programs
Executive Manager. "In this difficult time, ridesharing is an excellent way
for people to get where they need to go in Los Angeles and throughout Southern
California."
The web site is a joint
partnership among all five county transportation agencies: MTA, Orange County
Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, San
Bernardino Associated Governments and Ventura County Transportation Commission.
All of these agencies share and maintain the online rideshare database, which
provides Southern California contacts, maps and other resources needed for
commuters to initiate rideshare relationships. Currently, there are more than
300,000 commuters registered in the database, with more added every day.
Commuters interested in
ridesharing can register online by submitting their contact information and
their home and work locations. They can specify nearby intersections, their work
start and end times, carpool and/or vanpool preferences and schedule
flexibility.
The
site will then provide choices to find carpool, vanpool or park and ride matches
within a three-mile radius of their home and work. Next, the database will list
all fellow commuters who match the selected criteria, listing the person's
name and residing city, his/her employers' name and address, working hours and
flexibility. To ensure confidentiality, the database does not list a person's
home street address in its results.
Commuters
can then view a map showing their home location in proximity to those of other
ridesharers, work locations, park & ride lots, and pickup and drop off
points. The map can be zoomed in or out depending on the view requested.
Commuters
may change their profile at any time to reflect changing commuting requirements.
For additional information,
visit the MTA web site at www.mta.net.
MTA-160