California Rideshare Week Begins Monday, Oct. 4.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 1999--

Traffic-weary Southland commuters will have a chance to try a new way to get to work by sharing the ride during Rideshare Week, Oct. 4-8.

Thousands are making the pledge to give carpooling or transit a try at least one day during the week, including "Rideshare Thursday" on Oct. 7.

"While Southern California leads the nation in carpooling -- one in four commuters carpools at least once a week -- we still have a long road to travel," said Jim Sims, director of Southern California Rideshare, one of the event's sponsors. "Rideshare Week is a chance for people to discover how much better commuting can be when you are not driving alone."

Throughout Southern California, commuters will be participating in numerous events, including:

--   Rideshare 25th Anniversary Diamond Awards, honoring businesses
     with outstanding rideshare programs, Sept. 30 at the downtown Los
     Angeles Public Library.

--   Rideshare Fairs in downtown Los Angeles: Oct. 5 at DWP, 11 a.m.
     to 1 p.m.; Oct. 7 at the Library Tower Building, 11:30 a.m. to
     1:30 p.m.; and Oct. 9 at California Plaza, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

--   Rideshare Fair in Santa Monica: Oct. 7, at MGM Plaza, 11 a.m. to
     2 p.m.

--   "Friends Ride Free," on Metrolink on Oct. 10.

This year's Rideshare Week campaign coincides with the 25th anniversary of Southern California Rideshare, the nation's first rideshare agency, founded in 1974 to help commuters cope with gas shortages.

During its first year, Southern California Rideshare helped 30,000 people find carpool partners. The organization now helps 400,000 commuters each year find alternatives to driving alone, including carpools, transit options, bicycling partners, and more.

Since its inception, Southern California Rideshare has helped commuters:

--   Travel well over 2 billion fewer miles to and from work;

--   Reduce nearly 66 million vehicle trips through ridesharing;

--   Save 77 million gallons of gas;

--   Prevent 34,539 tons of emissions from polluting the air; and

--   Save more than $807 million in commuting costs.

According to the 1998 State of the Commute report, eight in 10 Southland commuters usually drive alone to work. Yet a report issued by the Southern California Association of Governments shows that this region's population is expected to increase by more than 6 million residents in the next 20 years. If major changes are not made, traffic speeds will drop in half, from 35 mph now, to less than 17 mph in the next 10 years.

"There are far more commuting alternatives than there were when our organization opened its doors 25 years ago," added Sims. "Now we have Metrolink and Metro Rail, the largest carpool-lane system in the nation, and even instant transit assistance on the Internet. There's no reason any longer to sit alone in traffic."

Rideshare Week '99 is sponsored in part by Southern California Rideshare/Southern California Association of Governments, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, San Bernardino Associated Governments, Ventura County Transportation Commission, Metrolink, Universal Studios Hollywood, California Touch of Class and South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Commuters interested in participating in Rideshare Week can get free pledge cards and ridesharing information by calling 800/COMMUTE, and choosing the "rideshare" option, or pledge online at www.socalcommute.org.