Does driving to campus stress you out? Have you searched the couch cushions for spare change just to fill your gas tank? Let’s not even talk about trying to find a parking spot.
What if you could grab your travel mug of coffee, walk out the door, hop in a car, and commute to campus, without having to worry about any of that?
West Chester University (WCU) is offering students, faculty, and staff a chance to find commuting partners with the WCU Share-A-Ride (SAR) program. Use the trip planner to find rides for your daily commute, to an event, or go on a shopping excursion. Just need a ride home for the holidays, or the weekend? Check it out! The trip planner can also show you transit, biking, and other options.
What is it, and how does it work?
“The new WCU Share-A-Ride landing page gives our community confidence to explore new ways of commuting —carpooling, transit, biking, and walking. Along with our Bicycle Lending Library and campus shuttle buses to Exton and West Chester, this is another valuable resource we offer students, faculty, and staff. This comprehensive approach makes the commute easier, less expensive, healthier, and less stressful for our community and helps WCU achieve our carbon neutrality commitment,” said Bradley Flamm Director, Office of Sustainability, West Chester University.
It’s FREE: Through sponsorship from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the WCU Share-A-Ride (SAR) program is FREE.
“Although DVRPC’s Share-A-Ride program is designed to serve employers within and those employees who travel to work sites in the full five-county southeastern Pennsylvania region, it’s very helpful for larger employers, as well as municipalities and universities, to develop their own portal to the service. This personalizes the service and makes it more comfortable for commuters to be matched with colleagues and neighbors. Any effort to make ride matching and ridesharing more attractive enables more people to share their trips and help alleviate congestion and pollution,” stated Stacy Bartels, Manager, Office of TDM Strategy and Marketing Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
It’s EASY: Agile Mile, in partner with the Transportation Management Association of Chester County (TMACC), has created an easy-to-use landing page. After setting up an account, you simply input your home and campus address, your email, a few personal preferences, and, within two business days, you are ready to roll. SAR matches you with commuters who have similar schedules, which means you won’t be late for class! *
It’s SUSTAINABLE: Using the SAR program means there are fewer cars on the road, which means less traffic, which means less air pollution. So, breathe easy knowing you are helping improve air quality for everyone!
“We’re excited to help connect WCU students, faculty, and staff to all their sustainable travel options through the new WCU-branded Share-A-Ride platform, and to see the software used as one of many tools to advance the University’s sustainability goals,” said Kelly Fetterman, TDM-CP. Sr. Account Manager Agile Mile, Inc.
It’s REWARDING: As if improving air quality isn’t reward enough, you can earn rewards for great stuff, like a chance to win a gift card. Intrigued? Learn how to rack up those reward points!
The Transportation Management Association of Chester County, TMACC, partnered with Agile Mile to bring the updated, easy-to-use, WCU Share-A-Ride landing page, and is looking forward to working with other businesses and organizations in Chester County to create similar landing pages.
Tim Phelps, Executive Director of TMACC stated that “TMACC is excited to bring another transportation solution to Chester County that could reduce congestion and improve air quality.”
What are you waiting for? Let’s get started! WCU Share-A-Ride
*Disclaimer: SAR and its partners cannot be responsible for any consequences should you actually be late to class.
