It's summer, and although peoples' minds may be on where they'll spend their vacation, it's a great time to also remind them of the real World Environment Day is traveling they do—the commute. Fact is, each June 5. Visit the United Nations year Southern Californians spend more than two Environment Program at unep.org full work weeks stuck in traffic tie-ups. And who wouldn’t like a vacation from all that? Flag Day is June 14. Show your Your local rideshare agencies now offer three stripes by sharing the ride to ways you can guide your employees to find a conserve fuel. better commute: 1) on-line at More events CommuteSmart.info, 2) by phone at 1.800.COMMUTE, and 3) with a RideGuide. Full story

Thinking of conducting a How much do you really know about survey for AVR Southern California traffic? Take the Traffic or to get Challenge and put your knowledge to the RideGuides for test! your employees? Make the most of 1. What day of the week has the most the process with these commuter traffic? Dos & Don'ts a. Monday Full story b. Thursday c. Friday Full story

The Bus/Rail Trip Planner at CommuteSmart.info offers customized routes to anywhere you want to go in Southern California Full story l LA traffic getting better, Inland getting worse l Actor Corbin Bernsen and economic "guru" Jack Kyser speak at Rideshare Diamond Awards l Carpool lane connector opens in Orange County l Metrolink to increase fares as of July 1 l Register now for the fall season of "School Pool" Get news geared to commuters that you can forward to employees or incorporate into your own rideshare newsletter 2) 1.800.COMMUTE Ideal for: People who prefer the "personal touch" and want to talk to a real person to get their commute information What they get: One-on-one help in finding carpool, vanpool and transit options, as well as having questions answered about Park & Ride lots and carpool lanes Hours: Operator-assistance is available 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday-Friday Flexibility Factor: If you’ve never carpooled or taken transit before, calling can be a more comfortable way to find the answers to such questions as, "who pays for gas?" or "do I have to pay bus fare in cash?"

3) RideGuides Ideal for: Everyone! A RideGuide pulls together everything a commuter needs in one handy guide—and many people report they’re amazed to discover just how many alternatives they have to driving alone What it is: The most comprehensive commute guide available—custom-made to include carpool matches, It's summer, and although peoples’ minds may be vapool options, bus/rail information and more on where they'll spend their vacation, it’s a great time How to get it: Employers who conduct a simple to also remind them of the real traveling they do—the transportation survey (usually done annually) can get free commute. Fact is, each year Southern Californians RideGuide commute planners for each of their spend more than two full work weeks stuck in traffic employees—but only if their employees request tie-ups. "carpool/vanpool" information when they fill out their And who wouldn’t like a vacation from that? form. [Note: Home address information is kept Your local rideshare agencies now offer three ways confidential and is never included on other commuters' you can guide your employees to find a better RideGuides] commute: 1) on-line at CommuteSmart.info, 2) by What it includes: phone at 1.800.COMMUTE, and 3) with a RideGuide. Here, while people have "getting away from it all" l Customized information on their current on the brain, we offer the low-down on Southern commute—distance, what it costs, and how much California's most important travel information. pollution it generates l A list of potential carpool partners 1) CommuteSmart.info l Vanpools servicing their route Ideal for: People with Internet access who want l Contact information for local bus and rail providers instant, customized information any time: 24-hours a l News on special incentive programs and rebates day, seven days a week for ridesharers What they get: On-line carpool and vanpool l A list of rideshare benefits offered at the work site matching, bus/rail routing, Park & Ride lot and carpool l In addition, depending on where your work site is lane information located, RideGuides can include detailed Park & Marketing tips: It’s not just for ridesharers Ride lot information, maps, tips for starting only—drive-alone commuters will appreciate the web ridesharing, bicycle commuter "ridematching" and site’s real-time traffic information—and while they’re much more there, maybe they’ll be inspired to check out some ways to avoid all that traffic they see The "lite" version: Employees who don’t want carpool or Employer advantage: Employers can log on any vanpool matches because they prefer not to be included in time, too, to generate instant rideshare information for the rideshare data base can still get a RideGuide—just your employees without having to wait for an annual without the personalized information (in Los Angeles, update Riverside and San Bernardino counties)—ask your rideshare representative for details

How much do you really know about Southern California 5. On the drive to traffic? Take the Traffic Challenge and put your and from work, knowledge to the test! how much time does the average 1. What day of the week has the most commuter carpool lane driver traffic? save? a. Monday a. 12 min. b. Thursday b. 25 min. c. Friday c. 36 min.

6. In which 2. Which Metro area has the worst traffic Southern California congestion in the nation? area do motorists a. Los Angeles spend the most time stuck in traffic tie-ups? b. Houston a. Los Angeles c. New York b. Inland Empire c. Ventura County 3. How long on average does it take Southland workers to commute round-trip each day? 7. What’s the #1 alternative to driving alone in a. 45 min. Southern California? b. 75 min. a. Bus c. 90 min. b. Carpooling 4. The busiest freeway interchange in the nation is c. Vanpooling in Southern California—which one is it? a. The 405-10 Freeway interchange 8. Where can commuters get real-time traffic b. The junction of the 101 and 405 Freeways information on the Internet? c. Where the I-5, SR-22 and SR-55 meet (also known as a. CommuteSmart.com the "Orange Crush") b. CommuteSmart.gov c. CommuteSmart.info

Answers

1. b. The fact that Thursday has the most peak-hour traffic was the impetus behind the original "Rideshare Thursday"campaign. Friday, on the other hand, has the most traffic in a 24-hour period, but it's spread out over the day so the commute hours can often be quite light. 2. a. Year after year, Los Angeles ranks the "best of the worst,"according to an annual study by the Texas Transportation Institute. 3. b. In a year's time, that hour and fifteen minutes on the road adds up to 13 full days spent commuting. 4. b. In fact, the Southern California area is home to five of the 15 most congested freeway interchanges in the nation. 5. c. For the typical carpool lane user, that means cutting their total commute time by a third, according to the State of the Commute report. 6. a. Los Angeles commuters waste 93 hours a year stuck in traffic tie-ups. While Inland Empire commuters spend less time—57 hours—they showed the biggest increase, jumping 500% from a mere nine hours in 1992. 7. b. Nearly one in four commuters carpools at least occasionally, and 13% do so on a regular basis. In fact, Southern California has more carpoolers than any other major metro area in the US. 8. c. CommuteSmart.info has all the info you need to get started on a better commute.

•LA Traffic Getting Better, Inland Getting Worse Believe it or not—traffic in the Los Angeles/Orange County area has eased up a bit, according to a report recently released by the Texas Transportation Institute. People wasted 93 hours in rush-hour commuter traffic in 2003—admittedly the worst in the nation, but five fewer hours than the year before and 10 fewer than in 2000. The same report showed that Inland Empire commuters idled in traffic 55 hours in 2003. Twenty years earlier, the total was just nine hours a year—an increase that makes Riverside/San Bernardino the fourth-fasting growing area in the US in terms of hours spent in traffic. The full report is at http://mobility.tamu.edu

• Actor Corbin Bernsen and Economic "Guru" Jack Kyser Speak at Rideshare Diamond Awards Employers enjoyed a star-studded affair at the recent Rideshare Diamond Awards when actor Corbin Bernsen of General Hospital and LA Law fame took to the stage. He joined the event to help honor outstanding rideshare programs in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and also talk about his upcoming film, Carpool Guy. Noted economist Jack Kyser, whom the Los Angeles Business Journal dubbed "the guru of the Los Angeles economy" shared his views on transportation and Southern California's economic future. Of course, the other stars were the hard-working employers who were there to receive honors for their rideshare programs. They were: The Aerospace Corp., Art Center College of Design, Boeing Satellite Systems, Hilton Universal Hotel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Angeles World Airports, Macy’s West, Raytheon, Robbins Auto Top Company, Shell Solar Industries, Spatz Laboratories, Specialty Laboratories, County of Ventura and Waterway Plastics. The City of Pasadena was awarded the 2005 Corporate Diamond Award.

• Carpool Lane Connector Opens in Orange County Ridesharers can now link directly between the San Diego (I-405) and Costa Mesa (SR-55) freeways—one of the busiest interchanges in the nation. A new carpool bridge connects the southbound 405 with the northbound 55 and the southbound 55 with the northbound 405. For details, go to octa.net or call 1.800.724.0353.

• Metrolink Proposes a Hike in Fares Metrolink fares will go up 4.5% as of July 1—a bit higher than the 3.5% annual increase already slated due to the need for extra revenue to offset unexpectedly high fuel prices. In addition, Metrolink will no longer offer its discounted off-peak fares. For more information, call 1.800.371.LINK or go to metrolinktrains.com

• Register Now for the Fall Season of School Pool School Pool matches up parents in Los Angeles County to carpool the kids to school—and it's currently signing on new schools. "Participating parents get a 'matchlist' similar to what they might get for carpooling to work—only this has the name of other parents at their child's school who'd be interesting in sharing drop-off and pick-up duties," says Paula Carvajal with Metro. Interested parents should call 213.922.2811 or check with their school to see if they’re currently offering School Pool. "If not, Metro will set up a meeting with school administrators to go over the benefits of the program, which is offered at no charge," adds Carvajal.

Transportation Survey Dos & Don’ts

Thinking of conducting a survey for AVR or to get RideGuides for your employees? Whether you’re sending out a survey by email or paper, make the most of the process with these Dos & Don’ts.

DO let employees know that everyone is expected to fill out an AVR/Transportation Survey.

DON’T set your sites low. If you make it your goal to have only the required number of surveys returned, for example, chances are you won't get any more than that—and you may even fall short. Always aim for 100%.

DO be clear about when and how employees should return surveys.

DON’T expect that employees will understand the importance of the survey process unless you tell them. After all, they’ve got plenty of other things in their inboxes, so you need to make sure your survey doesn’t get buried.

DO offer incentives for returning the completed survey. Even a small prize such as a candy bar or admission to an ice cream party can make a difference. Or make the returned survey form a ticket for a raffle for a bigger prize.

DON’T feel that because your budget is small that you're out of luck—you'd be amazed just how many local restaurants or businesses will give you "freebies" to use as prizes for employees who return survey forms.

DO bang the drum...make announcements...send emails. Draw attention to the fact that the survey is underway.

DON’T be surprised if some employees fear that if they fill out the form, they’ll have to rideshare. Make it clear that this will simply give them alternatives that they may choose to try—and they may even be surprised to find time- and money- saving options they didn’t even know they had.

DO encourage people to check "carpool/vanpool" interest for a customized RideGuide that offers the greatest variety of alternatives.

DON’T underestimate the importance of one-on-one communication. If you possibly can, carve out a few hours to make phone calls reminding people to fill out and turn in their forms.

DO distribute the survey with a letter or email from the CEO.

DON’T feel as if you have to go it alone. Your rideshare representative is happy to work with you, offer suggestions and answer any questions you may have about conducting an AVR/Transportation Survey. Get fast, on-line bus or rail routing information—including times, transfers and fares—to anywhere you want to go in Southern California with the Trip Planner at CommuteSmart.info

Using the Bus/Rail Trip Planner is as easy as 1-2-3

1. Go to CommuteSmart.info and click on the Bus/Rail Trip Planner icon. 2. Type in your start and end locations. 3. Indicate the time you’d like to leave or—if you prefer—the time you’d like to arrive.

That's it! The Trip Planner automatically provides a step-by-step itinerary, accessing the fastest, most direct route from among more than 50 transit providers in Southern California. Whether you want to find a bus route for your daily commute, or just need to find out how to get to work if your car’s in the shop, the Trip Planner makes it hassle-free. There’s no longer any need to call several different transit carriers or bother with complicated maps or schedules. You’ll get an itinerary customized for you in seconds.

As Simple...or as Flexible...as You Want

Choose the recommended itinerary, or select from You can also opt to choose your start and end locations several options to get a customized route that best from a pull-down menu of major destinations in Southern suits your needs, including: California, including:

l transit stations l libraries l If you prefer to travel by bus and/or rail only l theme parks l medical centers l If you qualify for special fares, such as student l beaches l shopping centers or senior discounts l airports l colleges/universities l How far you’re willing to walk l museums l Park & Ride lots l hotels

For details, call your rideshare representative or—better yet—try the Trip Planner for yourself at CommuteSmart.info

COMMUTE SMART NEWS Editor/Writer: Jill Smolinski Art Director: Harlan West San Bernardino County ETC Network meets June 21, 8-10:30 a.m. at the For subscription information or to change your COMMUTE SMART NEWS e-mail Riverside Marriott Hotel; call address, contact your representative at the 1.866.IECS4HELP. rideshare office nearest you. Santa Monica ETC Network meets regularly; call 310.458.8956. Metro Commute Services World Environment Day is June 5. South Bay/Westside TMA meets June One Gateway Plaza Visit the United Nations Environment MS 99-19-05 22, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.; contact Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952 Program at unep.org Christina Gallegos at 310.940.2106, Business: 213.922.2811 email [email protected] Torrance Transportation Network OCTA’s Commuter Connection meets regularly; call Kim Fuentes at 550 S. Main St., Orange, CA 92868 310.784.7902. Mailing address: Warner Center TMO meets monthly; PO Box 14184 call 818.716.5520. Orange, CA 92863 Business: 714.560.5588 Flag Day is June 14. Show your stripes Ventura County Transportation by sharing the ride to conserve fuel. Commission 950 County Square Dr., Ste. 101, Warner Center Lunchtime Concert & Ventura, CA 93003 Ridefest is June 9, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Business: 805.642.1591, ext. 119 at the Warner Center Transit Hub (on Owensmourth St. between Oxnard and Inland Empire Erwin). Join more than 4,000 Commuter Services Office location: commuters for booths, prizes and 7355 Magnolia Ave. entertainment—plus get a sneak peek at Riverside, CA 92504 the eye-catching Metro Liner bus that Mailing address: will grace the Metro Orange Line bus PO Box 51540 way beginning this fall. Riverside, CA 92517-2540 Business: 1.866.IECS4HELP (1.866.432.7443) Network Meetings Training The Coachella Valley ETC Network meets Metro Share the Ride Workshop quarterly; call 1.866.IECS4HELP. is June 15 and will feature a bus and rail trip to Long Beach. RSVP to Commuter Downtown Los Angeles Network meets every other month; for details or [email protected] or fax a Information: to RSVP call confirmation to 213.922.5640. 1.800.COMMUTE (266.6883) commutesmart.info 213.922.5669. requires Orange County Network meets June Metro Commute Services 21; call 714.560.5588 or email employers to attend a briefing 60 days PHOTO CREDITS: Tips for Travelers article: [email protected]. prior to their AQMD submittal date. The Carpool photo; Steve Burns; next briefing is June 22. For more The Traffic Quiz article: HOV lane photo; Pasadena TMA meets June 14; call Steve Burns. In the News article: Metrolink John Miranda at 818.354.7433. information or to reserve a space, email [email protected] train and ticket vending machine: photos Riverside County ETC Network meets courtesty of Metrolink, Photo of Metrolink June 21, 8-10:30 a.m. at the Riverside train: Jeff Cutting. Marriott Hotel; call 1.866.IECS4HELP. South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) offers one-day ETC training for $54.37. Upcoming sessions are June 8 in HWDS1431-5/05 Anaheim and June 22 in Woodland Hills. Contact Lisa Patterson,