September 28, 2013 - 3:32 PM
Commuters are encouraged to give carpooling a try during the Okanagan’s seventh Annual Carpool event in October.
Okanagan residents could win one of five $100 fuel cards by visiting carpool.ca and joining in activities such as signing up for the first time, finding carpool partners, submitting carpool stories and more.
The carpool program is part of the Central Okanagan’s smartTRIPS program, which encourages residents to use alternative forms of transportation.
“Apart from lessening our impact on the environment, carpooling makes good economic sense for motorists,” says Active Transportation Coordinator Mike Kittmer. “At a time when people are really trying to watch their pennies, carpooling is an easy way to reduce costs on fuel, parking and vehicle maintenance.”
Kelowna Mayor Walter Gray has proclaimed October 2013, Carpool Month and Okanagan communities from Vernon to Oliver participate in the event. The program is not just for people who live within city limits; in fact, approximately 20 per cent of commuters drive in from communities outside of major centres. In areas where public transit might not be readily available, carpooling makes even better sense.
There are nearly 900 registered users of carpool.ca in the Okanagan. The user-friendly system is secure and free. As more and more people register, carpooling becomes a viable transportation alternative for commuters.
“It’s important to note that carpooling doesn’t require a large commitment,” says Anne Marie Thornton, Manager of Carpool.ca. “Our desire to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions tends to be secondary to our need for convenience, so consider carpooling once or twice a week to start.”
For more information on carpooling and reducing your vehicle use, please visit smartTRIPS.ca.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013