PB Assumes Management Of DART First State's Rideshare Delaware.

WILMINGTON, Del. -- DART First State has awarded management of Rideshare Delaware, the transportation agency's transportation demand management program, to Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), a private consulting firm that manages similar regional programs in San Francisco, South Florida, Houston and Central Indiana.

Stephen Kingsberry, DART First State Executive Director, said that PB was selected following a competitive procurement process. "PB was selected from three firms that presented proposals to DART First State," Kingsberry said. "It was the recommendation of the evaluation committee that PB offered DART First State nationwide experience in successfully managing similar transportation demand management programs and that PB would be able to increase the use of car and van pools throughout Delaware. Rideshare Delaware will offer residents of the State of Delaware services that will reduce traffic congestion, mitigate the impacts of highway construction and make commuting less stressful. In addition, Rideshare Delaware plays an important role in coordinating Access to Jobs and other work related transportation that help the under and unemployed gain access to jobs."

Transportation demand management is the use of services, such as car pooling and van pooling and tactics such as variable work hours and telecommuting with the aim of reducing traffic congestion. Regions of the United States, such as the Delaware Valley that have been designated non-attainment areas for air quality by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are required to offer transportation demand management programs that reduce vehicle miles traveled with the intended result of improving air quality.

PB's Project Manager is Tammy Ford, a Delaware resident and a regional director of the Association for Commuter Transportation, the trade organization for transportation demand management (TDM). She spent the last nine years as an employee of TMA Delaware, the non-profit organization that previously managed Rideshare Delaware.

"The potential for shared ride activities in Delaware continues to grow and PB brings new TDM services to Delaware such as an online matching service that will allow the public to match themselves in car pools with other commuters on the Internet. It's expected that this new feature, when launched, will increase interest and use of Rideshare Delaware services," said Ford.

Rideshare Delaware has offices at 911 Market Street, Suite 411 in downtown Wilmington. Rideshare Delaware's phone number is 1-888-RIDE-MATCH (743-3628).

Founded in 1885, PB provides strategic consulting, program management, planning, engineering and construction management services for transportation, power, environmental, water, and buildings projects. PB employs approximately 10,000 professionals and support staff in more than 150 offices worldwide. (www.pbworld.com)