Clean-Tech applications: ride share, carpooling and green jobs

October 8, 7:19 PMBay Area Green Careers ExaminerMichal Lenchner

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Remember how hitchhiking was an accepted mode of transit in America years ago? Well, now we have ride sharing. With approximately ¾ of commuters driving alone to work in the U.S. every weekday, alternative transportation modes bring many benefits.

Ride sharing is a simple way to save money, reduce one’s carbon footprint, provide opportunities to network and expand one’s contacts, reduce driving stress, as well as pleasant.

Find friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are traveling the same way you are – for school, work, events or leisure – and share a ride.

There are several variations of sharing transit: carpooling, where pool members use their own private cars. Ride-share also refers to members jointly share the costs of a rented car; or sharing a ride in a hired vehicle with a hired driver, like a shared taxi, shuttle, vanpools, etc.

 The concept is quite clear and the benefits are vast: reduces the costs involved in frequent commute or long distance driving by sharing cars, helps with traffic congestion by reducing the number of cars on the road, therefore decreases greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. It also maximizes effective use of limited parking resources (and saves drivers’ time looking for available parking-space), as well as saves on gasoline (and re-charge costs for hybrids and other plug-in vehicles). Shared driving can also reduce driving stress, promotes teamwork, and increases fun socializing, making the practice worthwhile.

Some corporations and local authorities have introduced programs to encourage workers to share rides. Whether companies want to improve employees’ daily commute, to effectively use scant parking space or support their sustainability initiatives by reducing solo-driver commutes, carpooling is an added benefit to all.
In addition, employers reduce their expenditure for public transit passes, when compared with achieving the same results with ride share programs.

The arrangements involve varying degrees of formality and regularity, and may include: central listings, defined pick-up points, geographical mapping, preferred parking space, and overall support by using wireless connectivity, such as mobile phones, laptops, and the Internet. Return on investment (ROI) tools are available to track usage, energy savings, cost-effectiveness, commute miles saved, the reduction in carbon emissions, and other parameters. Some programs provide commute incentives, promotions, and prizes (donated by participating and non-participating employers, and other organizations).

What type of green jobs do these clean-tech opportunities present? The software-based ride-share systems need professionals from many industries, such as technology, software developers, user-interface specialists, design, marketing, communications, sales, project management, finance, and more.

There are several cost-effective solutions in the Bay Area for companies and organizations deploying or enhancing an alternate commute program for their employees.

 1. Ridespring, Santa Cruz, CA

Ridespring, a 5-year-old company, tailors its web-based program to each customer. A customized Ridespring web site is provided for the company, exclusively for its employees use. Ridespring also provides, what they call, a complete solution: Biking, carpooling, transit use, walking to work, are all equally promoted and measured. Their interface is easy to use and gives employees the control over their own commute. Ridespring was featured in several books, including ‘101 Ways to Turn Your Business Green: The Business Guide to Eco-Friendly Profits’ and competed for several clean-tech awards.
For more information check Ridespring.com

2. ZimRide, Palo Alto, CA

Zimride ride-share solutions was launched in 2007 and has a dynamic model allowing individuals to match and collaborate on transportation opportunities. It offers an intuitive software system with Google Maps and the familiar social networking components (such as Facebook).

Zimride software provides a custom, user-friendly and flexible interface. It supports one-time rides as well as regular commutes and it also integrates shuttles, vanpools, etc. Usage and savings are tracked in real-time.

 John Zimmer, a co-founder of Zimride, moved from New York City to Palo Alto last summer by carpooling across the U.S.

 In April 2009, Zimride and Zipcar have joined forces to provide colleges and universities with an integrated transportation solution. Individuals can utilize a Zipcar or their personal vehicle and share the car ride among a network of acquaintances.
For more information check Zimride.com.

For more information about Zipcar, click here.

Crossroad image from green.sympatico.msn.ca    

JOB LEADS

1. Openings at Zimride.

2. Openings at  Zipcar

3. Check Net Impact organization's job board:

Net Impact is an international nonprofit organization with a mission is to inspire, educate, and equip individuals to use the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.

Click on Net Impact job board for seekers and employers.

Send me your Green career tips, training suggestions or job opening and I will share them.

Tags:  carbon emissions, environmentally conscious, alternative transit, transportation,carpool, ride share, vanpool, shuttles, taxi share, greenhouse gas emissions, GHG,  automobiles, pollution, greenhouse, CO2, emissions, carbon dioxide, carbon footprint, global concern, employers, benefits, parking space, employee moral, human resources, environmental initiative, biking, walking, transit use, commute miles, daily commute, solo driver, car