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Create Incentives for Carpooling to the Big Game

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With football season in full swing, fans are descending on stadiums by the thousands and transportation managers across the country are trying to figure out where on Earth to park all the cars. One less obvious but extremely effective solution is to reduce the number of cars that need to be parked in the first place. (Without reducing the number of fans at the game!)

The key is to offer incentives to fans who carpool or leave their vehicles at a park-and-ride transit lot. Beyond freeing up parking space and easing traffic congestion around the stadium, you’ll also be making more room for tailgating. In addition, you’ll promote public safety by reducing the chances of an intoxicated driver getting behind the wheel after the game.

Here’s a blueprint for running a smart-transportation incentive program for your next game:

  1. Choose prizes. You’re more likely to connect with your audience if you offer a prize related to the event they’re attending. So, for a football game, try game jerseys, team memorabilia, or free tickets to an upcoming game.
  2. Promote the program. Advertising is essential to the success of your program. Can you get the PA announcer to let fans know about the promotion in advance of the next game? Can you flash your message on the scoreboard? Plaster parking areas with posters, and use social media to get the word out.
  3. Track participation. Use on-site or online tools (like RideAmigos!) to figure out who is participating and who is eligible to win prizes.
  4. Enjoy the game!
  5. Follow up. Allow users to log trips after game day to encourage higher participation rates. Just make sure your cut-off date for prize eligibility is clear.
  6. Draw for winners. To select winners from your pool of qualified entrants, random draws are a great way to go. Especially if you’re offering an impressive grand prize. Inform the lucky winning participants and publicize stats showing how many car trips your promotion saved.

The RideAmigos software platform is the ideal tool for creating and managing transportation incentive programs, logging trips, and promoting event ridesharing initiatives. Whether you’re managing traffic on game day or looking after a company of commuters, RideAmigos delivers the power to transform the way people use transportation.

Visit our Academy to see how easy it is to incentivize events using RideAmigos

RideAmigos Featured with Transportation Techies

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Here at RideAmigos we’re not just interested in selling our software – we’re excited to be part of a global movement that is transforming the way people think about and use transportation.

A recent example of how RideAmigos works alongside other forward-thinking leaders in our industry was featured by The Washington Post:

A digitally promoted slug line could whisk commuters from Woodbridge to Tysons by making use of high-occupancy vehicle lanes. D.C. commuters headed in similar directions could save time and money by piling into the same car. And car owners could rent out their vehicles to make a little extra money when they weren’t using them.

These were some of the ideas pitched at “Playing with Traffic,” a meetup of coders, entrepreneurs, urban planners and transit professionals and enthusiasts collectively known as “Transportation Techies.”

Members of the 1,700-participant group meet monthly at gatherings sponsored by Mobility Lab, the research arm of Arlington County’s commuter services program. The most recent meetup focused on how the sharing economy could improve commuting.

Unlike the door-to-door model popularized by Uber and Lyft, the giants of the industry, true ride sharing “is to try to encourage people to share” …

Read the full article to learn about the cutting-edge ideas that were part of this meet-up, including a presentation by our own Prachi Vakharia, RideAmigos Engagement Director. Prachi shared our expertise and experience with promoting ridesharing during special events and through challenges like bike to work week, both of which are proven methods for increasing long-term rideshare usage and participation.

RideAmigos at ACT 2016

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ACT International Conference 2016Come visit us at the ACT International Conference 2016

Between July 30th and August 3rd RideAmigos will be in Portland, OR as a sponsor and exhibitor at the annual Association for Commuter Transportation International Conference. If you’re coming, here’s where to find us. Be sure to stay a little late for our special events Tuesday night!

Booth #2 in the Exhibit Hall

Drop by all conference long to learn more about RideAmigos.

Session: Smarter TDM – Ideas from the Smart City Challenge

Tuesday, 8/2, 10:15am – 11:45am, Broadway III & IV

Hear Jeffrey Chernick, RideAmigos CEO, as part of a panel discussion with other representatives from cities that were finalists in the USDOT Smart City Challenge. Together they will discuss how their proposals for Smarter TDM fit within the larger context of the Smart City of the future.

Special Event: RideAmigos Academy Playground

Tuesday, 8/2, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

This Academy-exclusive meet-up and workshop event is great opportunity to socialize and strategize with other RideAmigos users and administrators (registration required.)

Location: Trio Club, 909 E Burnside St,Portland, Oregon 97214
VIP area of the Black Room

Closing Night Karaoke Party!

Tuesday, 8/2, 8:00pm – Midnight

Don’t leave early! Mark your calendars for this awesome after party, co-sponsored by our friends at Esri.

On the final night of the conference, unwind with new and old amigos alike with our open bar, singing, dancing, and fun. Rumor has it that RideAmigos COO Evan Meyer has prepared a special rendition of one of his favorites songs, along with some transportation jokes of questionable quality. 🙂

Location: Trio Club, 909 E Burnside St,Portland, Oregon 97214
White Room

Want to make sure we cross paths at ACT 2016?
Drop us a line and let us know!