Abstract
 The Rapid Uses ArcWeb Services to Implement Ride Sharing Program Track: Transportation Author(s): Mary Ann Ferris-Young, Derek Amerlinck In response to increasing oil prices, congestion, parking, commuter stress, and increased emissions from motor vehicles, The Rapid Transit Agency, Michigan, developed and implemented a regional carpool and vanpool application. This easy-to-use program, called GreenRide, is offered free of charge to more than one million people in the Grand Rapids area. By encouraging people to leave their cars at home, The Rapid's GreenRide helps commuters and the region to improve air quality, decrease traffic congestion, conserve fuel, and promote better health. The Rapid's GreenRide helps commuters find carpool and vanpool partners by searching for other people who live nearby and have similar travel schedules and needs. This Web-based program utilizes the latest in ArcWeb Services technology to locate a commuter's start and destination locations. Finally, a sophisticated algorithm combines location with user preferences to instantly match up potential carpooling partners and vanpools for the user to contact. Mary Ann Ferris-Young The Rapid 300 Ellsworth Street SW Grand Rapids , MI 49503 US Phone: 616-774-1167 E-mail: mferris-young@ridetherapid.org Derek Amerlinck Ecology And Environment Inc. 368 Pleasant View Ave. Lancaster , NY 14086 US Phone: 716-684-8060 E-mail: damerlinck@ene.com |
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