As you probably know, Rideshare Thursdays is a new region-wide campaign to encourage commuters to try a commute alternative to driving alone. We know that leaving the car at home isn't always possible every day of the week, so Rideshare Thursdays encourages people to consider transit, carpooling, vanpooling or bicycling just one day a week as an alternative to driving alone.

Free BART Ride

This Thursday, December 4, 2003, BART access will be free at all stations from 4:00 to 9:00 am. BART will be running longer trains to accommodate customers on this day. This special promotion is the perfect opportunity to fulfill the Rideshare Thursdays pledge! Since the campaign started in early October, nearly 2,000 commuters pledged to try a commute alternative, with 36% of those pledging to try transit. While there are many compelling reasons for commuters to participate in Rideshare Thursdays by pledging to use public transportation, BART has come up with an incentive that's hard to refuse!

BART Access

BART customers can enter BART fare gates from 4:00 to 9:00 am free; there is no BART ticket required. Daily parking fees at the Westbay and Lake Merritt stations will also be free that day. For details on BART's free morning commute visit www.bart.gov, or to enter the free morning commute contest visit www.bart.gov/trybart. The free morning commute is courtesy of ING DIRECT, an online savings bank. For information about ING DIRECT, visit www.ingdirect.com.

Make the Rideshare Thursday Pledge

Anyone interested in making the Rideshare Thursdays pledge can sign up at: www.rideshare.511.org/carpool/rideshare_thursday.asp. Everyone who makes a Rideshare Thursdays pledge before December 31, 2003 will be eligible to win weekly prizes, including bike messenger bags, transit passes, Commuter Check vouchers and coffee coupons. In early January, a winner will be drawn for the Grand Prize, a weekend getaway to Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in the Lake Tahoe area!

Additional Information

Rideshare Thursdays is just one of the great new programs available to commuters to provide traffic relief. For additional information on Rideshare Thursdays and other great commute programs refer to the RIDES contact information below.

Contact Information

Jackie Stiasny
RIDES
300 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 275, Oakland, California  94612
(510) 273-2070 phone     (510) 622-0201 fax
jstiasny@rides.org e-mail     www.511.org WWW

Hacienda Owners Association
4473 Willow Road, Suite 105, Pleasanton, California  94588-8570
(925) 734-6500 phone     (925) 734-6501 fax
info@hacienda.org e-mail     www.hacienda.org WWW