MAYOR BILL WHITE JOINS HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE ED EMMETT IN TEN MILLION MILE RIDESHARE CHALLENGE
January 23, 2008 -- Houston Mayor Bill White joined Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and the Houston-Galveston Area Council to kick-off the "Houston-Galveston Area 10,000,000 Mile Rideshare Challenge," a regional initiative that challenges commuters to share rides that will result in 10 million fewer miles driven on area roads throughout the eight-county Houston-Galveston region.
The Houston-Galveston Area Challenge is the largest event of its type and will involve an estimated 10,000 commuters, hundreds of area employers, and dozens of sponsors over a ten to twelve month period. During the event, participating commuters will share over 275,000 rides resulting in 10 million fewer miles driven, the reduction of 4,000 tons of vehicle emissions, and the conservation of over 415,000 gallons of gas.
"Transportation is a region-wide issue and that's why regional events such as this rideshare challenge are so important. They bring commuters and businesses together to enrich the quality of life for all residents," stated Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.
"We encourage commuters, businesses, and sponsors to join this important effort," said Houston Mayor Bill White. "Houston is growing fast and people all want to get to the same places at the same time. Sharing a ride more often is one of the easiest things we can do to help improve mobility and air quality for everyone, not to mention saving money on rising gasoline prices."
"Ridesharing helps bring immediate increases in the efficiency of our roadways," noted Alan Clark, Director of Transportation for the Houston-Galveston Area Council, "and this challenge event is an exciting way to expose thousands of commuters to the benefits of ridesharing, while having a measurable impact on regional mobility and air quality."
Commuters can participate in the Houston-Galveston Area 10,000,000 Mile Rideshare Challenge by using the NuRide online ridesharing service to arrange rides and earn rewards provided by regional sponsors, such as Pappas Restaurants, Kolache Factory, Bike Barn, Theatre Under the Stars, Reliant Energy and others. Every shared ride will contribute to the 10 million mile goal and will be entered into prize drawings.
For more information about the event, or to find out how you or your company can get involved, please visit the NuRide web site at www.nuride.com.
About NuRide, Inc.
NuRide was founded on the belief that individuals who share rides provide a valuable service to their community and should be rewarded for their efforts. With NuRide, individuals can easily arrange ridesharing trips and earn rewards for every confirmed trip they take. Members accumulate points that can be used toward a variety of rewards that are made possible by sponsors. For more information, please visit www.nuride.com.
