Ridesharing in the Cold

With Fall officially kicked off, the leaves and temperature are starting to fall. What better time than now to dive into ways you can commute in the cold? This blog will be about how you can rideshare in the cold! 

Tips for the winter: Being on the road as it rains and gets colder can be difficult. Here are some tips for drivers of carpools and vanpools for when roadways are affected by winter or rainy conditions:

• Drive slowly
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly
• Increase your following distance to five or six seconds
• Give yourself more time and space to stop
• Have essentials packed in case of snow
  • Check out WSDOT's list of what to carry
• Be wary of travelers who are harder to see on the roads at night
  • This could include individuals walking and biking
• Remember that four-wheel and all-wheel vehicles do not stop or steer better on ice
• Do not use cruise control

How to get started: Choose Your Way Bellevue has the resources you need for starting and/or joining a carpool or vanpool. You can go here to get started. You can also check out this infographic to understand how to find a ridematch through Choose Your Way Bellevue's RideshareOnline portal.

CARPOOL

• Traditional Carpooling - Ever notice the same cars next you on your commutes? There's a good chance someone near you shares a similar commute. Find them by setting up a free account within our Choose Your Way Bellevue portal to the RideshareOnline regional ridematching service. Or, talk to your worksite transportation coordinator; they might also be able to help match you with potential carpool mates.

VANPOOL

• You, plus two can start a vanpool! 3-15 people decide on a schedule and share an agency-provided van
• Fuel, maintenance, insurance, tolls, and some emergency rides home are all covered
• Pay a shared monthly fare for the van, determined by the length of your trip, number of people in the van and number of commutes per week. Many employers fully or partially subsidize the fare.
• To start or join a vanpool, find a ridematch by setting up a free account within our Choose Your Way Bellevue portal to the RideshareOnline regional ridematching service. Learn how to create a ridematch in RideshareOnline with this handy infographic. Or, learn more about vanpooling at King County Metro.
• Looking to use a King County vanpool for free, for up to three trips? Fill out this form for the Ticket-2-Ride promotion! 

Now that you've been informed on tips for commuting in the cold, you're more prepared to take to the streets in your carpool or vanpool! Don't forget to check out the Choose Your Way Bellevue Rewards program to find out what incentives you could win for logging your non-drive-alone trips!

-Choose Your Way Bellevue staffer Jake