• Take the Clean Commute Pledge!
• Interested in Joining a Vanpool from Richmond to Charlottesville?
• RideShare in the Community
• Google Transit Comes to Charlottesville
• Bike Expo at Ivy Creek School
• New Transportation Options to DC and the Shenandoah Valley

Each day many of you take a step in keeping Virginia’s air clean by carpooling, taking transit, walking or biking to work.  On Friday, May 1st, RideShare and the Commuter Information Team are celebrating the 19th Annual Clean Commute Day on the east end of Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall and outside of Clark Hall at the University of Virginia.  Stop by between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM to learn about different commuting options while enjoying free food from Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, entertainment from 106.1 The Corner (at the downtown location) and entering to win great prizes.

To kick off Clean Commute Day, you are invited to take the Clean Commute Pledge at CommuterInformation.com.  The Pledge is simple:
I pledge to carpool, vanpool, ride Charlottesville Transit Service, ride University Transit Service, ride JAUNT, ride Greene County Transit, walk or bike to work at least one day this spring.
When you pledge on or before May 1st, you will be entered to win one of many great prizes – including concert tickets to the Charlottesville Pavilion, a local winery tour aboard the Wahooptie limousine service or gift certificates to businesses like Blue Ridge Mountain Sports and Maggie Moos!

Clean Commute Day is a great opportunity to try riding the bus or taking JAUNT.  CTS is offering free bus rides all day on Friday, May 1st.  JAUNT is offering free rides on its commuter routes on April 27 through May 1 when you board a bike. 

Regardless of how you clean commute, you will be saving money and helping reduce pollution and relieve traffic congestion.  Join the Commuter Information Team and the Charlottesville community on May 1st for Clean Commute Day! Visit CommuterInformation.com for a list of prizes, event locations and options to make your commute cleaner every day.

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RideShare is exploring adding another vanpool from Richmond to Charlottesville.  If you are interested in commuting by vanpool, RideShare and VPSI will host an information session on Tuesday, April 14, 2009, from 12:00PM until 1:00PM, at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission offices on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall.  Van options, costs and scheduling will be discussed and free lunch will be provided!  Parking will be validated for the parking garages on Water Street and Market Street, or VPSI will pick you up from your workplace.  The TJPDC offices are located at 401 East Water Street, Charlottesville, Virginia.  Please RSVP by April 10 to Will Sowers at wsowers@tjpdc.org or at (434) 295-6165. If you have dietary restrictions or need transportation to the meeting, please indicate in your RSVP.

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Come visit RideShare at a community or employer event near you!  RideShare will be attending the following events this spring and summer:

Earth Day Eco-Fair, Charlottesville Pavilion: Saturday, April 18, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Celebrating Children, Fluvanna County Middle School: Saturday, April 18, 10:00AM-12:00PM
Celebration of Community, Charlottesville Pavilion: Wednesday, April 22, 5:00PM-7:00PM
LexisNexis Earth Day: Thursday, April 23, 11:00AM-1:00PM
Clean Commute Day, Downtown Mall and UVA Clark Hall: Friday, May 1, 11:00AM-1:00PM
Louisa County Resource Building Dedication: Sunday, May 3, 11:00AM-1:00PM
Stanardsville Strawberry Festival: Saturday, May 30
Nelson County Health Fair, Nelson County High School: Thursday, July 9, 4:00PM-7:00PM

If you would like RideShare to participate in an event at work or in your community, please contact us at rideshare@tjpdc.org.

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Charlottesville Transit Service (CTS), the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and internet search engine Google have formed a partnership to provide a new generation of transit information for the traveling public.  All CTS route and schedule information is now available in an online trip planning format through Google Transit, which may be accessed from web browsers and mobile phones at google.com/transit or the CTS home page, charlottesville.org/transit. 

Google Transit offers a cost-effective, user-friendly tool that can act as a “discovery portal” for users unfamiliar with an area’s transit system.  With functions that are fully integrated with Google Maps, Google Transit provides easy navigation of CTS.  Users can plan their CTS trip from point A to point B, complete with itinerary, step-by-step transit directions and maps.  Google Transit provides trip options including fares, and notes the difference in cost to ride transit versus driving a car.  The tool also calculates walking distances and times at the beginning or conclusion of a trip as needed.

Spearheaded by DRPT, the partnership with Google Transit is a statewide initiative.  There has been no cost to CTS or DRPT to participate. Virginia will be the first state in the United States to include a vast majority of its public transit providers on Google Transit.   In addition to CTS, twenty-one systems in Virginia – including those in Blacksburg, Culpeper, Farmville, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Orange, Richmond, and Roanoke – are currently participating in Google Transit.  For more information about CTS, please contact them at (434) 970-3649 or visit charlottesville.org/transit.

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John Brunew from Bikes at Vienna will be bringing Draisin bikes and trikes for individuals with special needs to the Ivy Creek School on Wednesday, April 22, from 3:00PM until 7:00PM. These German trikes provide a cycling experience for individuals who cannot ride conventional bikes or trikes. The trikes can be outfitted with motor assists that allow for longer or more challenging rides.

Come meet John and try out his bikes in the Ivy Creek School Gymnasium at 225 Lambs Lane, behind Albemarle County High School.  Go to John’s website bikesatvienna.com for more information on his products.  Contact Helene Carlisle at hcarlisle@k12albemarle.org for more information on the Bike Expo!

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Two new options for travelers to Washington, DC and to the Shenandoah Valley could make your commute easier.  The Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission Commuter Services has partnered with Scenic America, Inc., to its expand Washington commuter bus service to Culpeper.  Riders enjoy a luxury coach that allows them to relax and avoid the stress of a long commute.  The bus provides daily service from Culpeper at 5:00AM and arrives in Washington at 7:00AM.  For scheduling information or to purchase tickets, go to Scenic-USA.com and click on Commuter Information, or contact RRRC Commuter Services at RRCommute.org or (540) 829-7451.

For travelers looking for another option in the Shenandoah Valley, Get A Lift, LLC (GAL) is a passenger van service with maximum capacity for 5 guests.  “GAL” is operated 7 days per week and on evenings, serving the populations of central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley. Get A Lift, LLC is commercially insured and licensed by the Virginia Dept. of Motor Vehicles.  Destinations include, but are not limited to, all area airports, train and bus stations.  Call “GAL” if you have any out of town appointments and you will get there on time at a reasonable cost to you.  Rates are based on mileage and are negotiable.  Go to peggygalvan.com on the web or call 434-825-2931 to reserve a ride.

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RideShare - Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission
PO Box 1505 - 401 East Water Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
www.rideshareinfo.org.
(434) 295-6165