There are many conversations and discussions in the community about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and one way to do that is provide alternatives to driving alone. One available tool for those who may want to change their behavior is managed locally by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, a regional planning body.
“Rideshare is a transportation or travel—those words can be used interchangeably—demand management program that is through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation,” said Sara Pennington, the Rideshare coordinator.
The Rideshare program straddles Afton Mountain and also includes the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, which covers Waynesboro and Staunton. Every year the TJPDC has to apply for a Commuter Assistance Program grant from the DRPT to cover their costs.
“It is a use of strategies to inform and encourage travelers to maximize the efficiency of our transportation system, leading to improved mobility, reduced congestion, and lower vehicle emissions,” Pennington said.
Rideshare provides access to resources offered by the DRPT including matching with carpools and van pools, all managed by an app called ConnectingVA.
“We also work with employers in the area to help them with programs,” Pennington said. “Many have parking struggles or want to be more green.”
That might involve working with employers to develop a traffic reduction program. Just before the pandemic, Pennington began working on ways to encourage telecommuting. People who participate in the app can also participate in competitions of sorts.
“As you find an alternative form of transportation that works for you, you can use this system to log those trip and earn those rewards,” Pennington said. “So it kind of gives you a little carrot or a reward for doing that. Telework trips count, too.”
Those rewards can eventually be exchanged for gift cards and other items.
Rideshare also manages 27 privately owned park-and-ride lots throughout the area. And if someone has a ride that doesn’t work out, there’s a program to guarantee a ride home via a taxi or an Uber or a Lyft.
“They don’t have their car, what do they do?” Pennington asked. “They call us and we make sure that we get them back to where their car is located.”
Other Rideshare initiatives include participation in Bike to Work Week and assistance with marketing the Afton Express between Staunton and Charlottesville.
The TJPDC Board of Commissioners approved the resolution to ask for funding in FY25.
RideShare is not the only TJPDC program intended to help people get around without a car. There’s a new program to assist those people with particular needs to find access to rides. Lucinda Shannon is a transportation planner with the TJPDC.
“As people age and they can no longer drive they depend on others for transportation, especially in rural areas,” Shannon said. “The state, the Blue Ridge Health District, and health service providers like Sentara and [the University of Virginia] have all identified a need for additional transportation for services for older adults and people with disabilities.
To help address the issue, TJPDC has obtained funding to start a program called Mobility Management. For the first year, the service will start as a partnership with the Jefferson Area Board for Aging and others.
“We started a center that people can call in, there’s a website and a phone number, and you can call in and get a transportation counselor,” Shannon said. “So it’s not just a referral. It’s working with the person to help schedule a ride and find solutions to help them meet their transportation needs.”
A press release announcing the service dated January 11, 2024 has the number at 888-879-7379. The TJPDC website does not list the phone and reads “content coming soon.” The project is in a soft launch according to TJPDC executive director Christine Jacobs.
“We didn’t want to overwhelm the system without the resources we need,” Jacobs said.
A wider roll-out is expected as a marketing campaign is developed with a consultant.
Shannon said based on input to the program so far, a lot of the needs are medically based such as people needing rides from their homes to get to physical therapy appointments. A grant application for additional funding was submitted on February 1. If awarded, there would be a second staff person added.
“We’ll work more with Jaunt and CAT to advertise and improve their services, we’ll foster and support volunteer driver programs, we’ll work with partners like UVa and the Blue Ridge Health District to improve transportation for students with disabilities and non-emergency medical transportation, especially for people living in rural areas,” Shannon said.
Shannon said one program in the future could be to train people how to use the existing bus systems.
Jacobs said the intent is to avoid duplication of services.
“Our goal is to do better coordination and better information and data-sharing,” Jacobs said. “Where are the gaps that exist and how can we try to close those gaps with our providers?”
The TJPDC Board agreed to support that grant application as well.
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