vRide Challenges Companies And Commuters To Take One Million Cars Off The Road

TROY, Mich., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- vRide, the nation's largest corporate vanpooling  service, challenged American commuters today to take one million cars off the road each day by the end of 2013.  vRide is targeting single occupant vehicles (S.O.V.) and turning the spotlight on these drivers with its "Don't be an S.O.V." campaign which aims to move the nation forward with sustainable and efficient commuter options. 

The "Don't be an S.O.V." campaign highlights the stress and headaches created by the unnecessary road congestion of more than 15 million commuters in the U.S. who drive as S.O.V.s.  As a solution, vRide introduces alternate corporate commuting options and savings information. vRide will encourage commuters everywhere to use alternate transportation such as carpooling and vanpooling, which will drastically decrease the number of cars on the road, and in turn CO2 emissions, creating a happier commuter culture and a cleaner environment. 

"Traffic congestion in America's major cities affects millions of commuters every day," said John Garcia, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of vRide. "Plus, rising gas costs and stand-still traffic are wreaking havoc on people's budgets.   If we can increase the use of public transportation and specifically van and car-pooling by 26 percent in the next two years, we will take a million cars off the road every day during drive-time traffic hours."

Vanpooling is similar to carpooling, but offers greater savings and comfort for corporate commuters with the increased number of participants and bigger vehicles.  It is cost effective, saving drivers an average of $5,140 on gas costs each year and is also the most efficient mode of public transportation in terms of reducing 360,000 tons of CO2.  vRide also reduces 37 million gallons of gas consumption each year.   

"vRide offers a solution to help ease the issue of traffic congestion, while also allowing our employees to share the ride and have a stress-free commute," said  Kristina Valenzuela, Caltech Transportation Manager.  "vRide is a great benefit to our employees but it also has a tremendous impact on our environment."

vRide offers vanpooling services to more than hundreds of companies nationwide.  With pooling options such as vRide, drivers get a stress-free ride to work – with the opportunity to text, read, work or sleep - while also saving thousands of dollars in auto costs. By visiting www.vRide.com, riders can simply select their origin point and destination, and the vRide team identifies vanpooling options in their area.

vRide will announce the "Don't be an S.O.V." beginning May 30.

Anjelah N. Johnson, a nationally recognized actress and comedian known for her role on MADtv as a series regular and the unforgettable character "Bon Qui Qui," will serve as the spokesperson for "Don't be an S.O.V." campaign.  She will appear in several humorous online videos, encouraging commuters in the movement to take one million cars off the road, and also participate in vRide events in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Atlanta.   The videos will be available for viewing in June, at www.vride.com or www.DontBeAnSOV.com.  vRide will also run several radio promotions throughout the summer in key vanpooling markets including Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  

About vRide

For more than 30 years vRide (www.vRide.com) has been providing cost-efficient and stress-free commuter solutions through vanpooling.  Started by Jeff Henning in the 1977 vRide was originally the Chrysler Employee Vanpool Program and was created as a way to responsibly conserve fuel and reduce vehicle emissions. When the concept of vanpooling was embraced by employees, Chrysler organized a subsidiary company with the mission to provide innovative transportation solutions.  Today, vRide is the nation's largest vanpooling business, operating nearly 6,000 vans nationwide, and moving a nation forward with sustainable and efficient commuter options.

SOURCE vRide