Celebrate Rideshare Month in October
What is rideshare month?
Ridesharing is exactly what it sounds like --sharing the ride. You can share with a co-worker, a friend, a family member, or someone you identify through a specific program designed to match people with similar commutes. Commonly referred to as carpooling or vanpooling, the term has come to encompass any form of transportation that moves more than one person at a time such as biking groups, public transit, or riding on private shuttles. Rideshare month celebrates those who rideshare because the choice to use a mode that isn’t a single-occupant vehicle is better for the environment.
Why rideshare?
The benefits of choosing alternatives to driving solo are numerous. Commuters who rideshare save money. According to AAA, the average cost of driving per mile ranges from $0.53 to $0.79 (“AAA’s Your Driving Costs” AAA Exchange, exchange.aaa.com/automotive/driving-costs). Multiply that seemingly small expense by the number of miles driven per year and the hidden cost of driving alone adds up quickly. To calculate your drive alone cost, try our Commute Cost Calculator.
How does ridesharing help businesses?
How we get to the workplace affects our overall job satisfaction, mood, and productivity. The Watertown TMA provides strategic consulting services focused on transportation solutions that reduce the number of cars on the road for Watertown, MA and the surrounding communities. Explore how our Transportation Demand Management (TDM) expertise could benefit your location.
Celebrating National Rideshare Month
Usually observed in the colder months after the peak of the bike to work season is over, Rideshare Month is celebrated in October. To get the most participants a commuter services program
should highlight the benefits of a sharing the ride and raise awareness of the available transportation options. A dedicated commute management professional or Transportation Coordinator should use a variety of rideshare tools and programs complimented by promotional marketing designed to encourage participation and long-term behavior-change.
The Watertown TMA provides comprehensive commuter services programs for Rideshare Month and beyond that deliver low-cost, high-impact results.
- Commuter Origin Analysis. Mapping where commuters begin their trips can illustrate hotspots for potential carpool and vanpool groups, locations for off-site parking, and private shuttle routes. Our commute data experts overlay public transit routes and existing park and ride lots with your zip code data for even deeper analysis.
- Commuter Surveys. Gather data to plan for parking demands and gauge commuter interest. Surveying commuters before a program launch is critical to success. Customized to your specific needs, our surveys are secure and anonymous.
- Shuttle Options & Off-Site Parking. Private shuttles can connect your commuters to public transit and extend its reach to your location. If you need additional parking capacity, seek a shuttle vendor who can assist with locating and procuring the best off-site parking solutions.
- Online Ridematching. Finding someone to ride with is what ridesharing is all about. To find the best list of partners, you’ll need to base the results on multiple commute factors such as the origin, destination, work hours, and preferences. Our private member-based platform, eCommuter, provides an all-in-one resource for matching to potential carpool, vanpool, and biking partners, exploring transportation options, and much more.
- Emergency Ride Home (ERH). One of the biggest barriers to ridesharing is the “what if I need my car?” An ERH program gives commuters the peace of mind to share the ride by providing those who do not have their car due to ridesharing a backup transportation option. Managed and administered through our eCommuter platform, our dispatch team provides our commuters emergency rides home through Lyft, taxi, or Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
- Commute Challenges and Incentives. Sometimes you need that extra something to get you started. Designed to encourage and reward those who choose alternatives to driving alone, the Watertown TMA manages and administers customizable and scalable promotions focused on sustainability through commuting. See what the current Commuter Challenge is here.
- Marketing & Promotions. The best commuter programs are only effective for those who know about them. In partnership with our clients, we design program materials that embrace your corporate culture and communications style. The Watertown TMA works with a full-time in-house creative marketing team dedicated to the success of your commuter services program.
Get your Rideshare Month rolling with the Watertown TMA. Discover how we can add to your commuter benefits package, email Director@WatertownTMA.org or call 781-404-5008 today!
This blog post originally appeared on the TransAction Associates
blog, Driven. This content has been customized for Watertown TMA and is redistributed here with permission [source: https://www.transactionassoc.com/celebrate-rideshare-month-in-october].
If your daily commute feels repetitive, expensive, or just harder than it needs to be, you are not alone. Many Watertown commuters are looking for easier, more flexible ways to get to work without relying on driving alone every day. That is where GoMassCommute comes in. Watertown TMA is introducing a new app designed to bring your commuting options, rewards, and support programs into one easy-to-use platform. By joining GoMassCommute, Watertown TMA is working alongside other TMAs across the region to make commuting more accessible, connected, and rewarding. As more people and businesses think seriously about sustainability, this platform offers a practical way to explore options like transit, biking, walking, and carpooling—while choosing what works best for your schedule and lifestyle. Q: What can GoMassCommute actually help me do? A: GoMassCommute brings your commuting options into one place. You can explore different ways to get to work, log your trips, earn rewards, and even connect with other commuters nearby. It is designed to make trying new commute options feel simple and manageable. One of the biggest benefits of GoMassCommute is the confidence it can give commuters as they plan how to get to and from work. You may not always know what options are available, even if commuting greener is something that interests you. In many cases, there are more possibilities than people realize, and GoMassCommute helps bring them into view. This is also why Watertown TMA has made the switch from eCommuter. With its more accessible, user-friendly design and stronger features for connecting people to commute options and helpful resources, GoMassCommute offers a more engaging and practical experience for today’s commuters. One especially helpful feature is the app’s ability to automatically track trips from your phone, saving time compared to manual logging. Whether you are looking for a rideshare option, thinking about trying transit, or simply curious about what is available to you, the platform helps simplify the process and make those options easier to access. Q: Why should I switch from driving alone? A: Even small changes to your commute can make a big difference. Using transit, carpooling, biking, or walking just a few days a week can help reduce costs, lower stress, and support more sustainable travel. GoMassCommute helps you try these options in a way that feels realistic and supported. One of the most valuable features is the ability to connect with other commuters based on where you are traveling from. After creating a profile, you can see whether others nearby have similar commute patterns. With privacy safeguards in place, you can choose to connect by email and explore whether sharing a ride could work for you. Q: What kinds of rewards or programs are available? A: Watertown TMA offers several programs that make it easier—and more rewarding in terms of prizes and incentives—to try new ways of commuting. One featured incentive is the T for 2 Transit Program , which gives eligible commuters the opportunity to try public transportation at no cost. Participants who currently commute by driving alone can receive a free MBTA pass for two months by committing to take transit at least two days per week and logging their trips in GoMassCommute. There is also the FlexRide Carpool Program , which helps match commuters for shared rides, making commuting more affordable and convenient. For added peace of mind, the Emergency Ride Home program provides a reliable backup option if unexpected situations come up during the workday. In addition, commuters can participate in the Go Green Reward , where logging 20 trips over three months earns a $25 gift card. It is a simple way to build more sustainable habits while being rewarded for the trips you are already taking. Q: Do I have to change my whole commute to use this? A: Not at all. Many commuters start small—trying transit once or twice a week or carpooling occasionally. GoMassCommute is designed to support gradual changes, so you can find what works best for your schedule and comfort level. At its core, GoMassCommute is about more than individual trips. It is about bringing commuters, employers, and communities together to make commuting easier, more connected, and more sustainable across the region. Q: How do I get started? A: Getting started is easy. You can download the GoMassCommute app on Android or Apple , or visit www.gomasscommute.com/watertowntma to access the platform online. Once you create your profile, you can begin exploring commute options, logging trips, connecting with other commuters, and taking advantage of available rewards and benefits.
Your Car-Free Choices Made a Difference!
Get Ready to Ride: Bike Month is Here! Spring is in full bloom! The days are longer, tulips are popping up, and if you have allergies, you might be sneezing a bit more. But there's good news for cyclists: the warmer weather means it's time to get back on the road. May is National Bike Month , and there's plenty to be excited about for bike enthusiasts in Massachusetts. What is Bike Month? National Bike Month , established in 1956, is all about celebrating the joy of cycling, promoting its health benefits, and encouraging more people to give it a try. A key part of this celebration is Bike to Work Week, which falls in the third week of May, with Bike to Work Day on the Friday of that week. This year, Bike to Work Week is from May 13 to 19, with Bike to Work Day on May 17. What's Happening in Massachusetts for Bike Month? Massachusetts is a great place to be if you love biking, and Bay State Bike Month , hosted by MassBike , has a full schedule of events to keep you moving. If you're looking for group rides or ways to get involved, this is your go-to resource. Here are some of the events that took place in celebration of Bike Month:
It's officially winter! Are you ready for the snow and ice? Is your car ready? Join Luis Mejia, Fleet Mechanic at TransAction Associates & Corporate Shuttles, as he shares some winter car maintenance and safety tips.
World Car-Free Day 2023 was a huge success! Organized in a variety of ways around the globe, every event shared the unifying goal of reducing the number of cars on the road. The Watertown TMA participated in MassCommute 's 2023 Car-Free Day, the Commonwealth’s Coalition of 15 TMAs to promote and celebrate Car-Free Day in Massachusetts. Commuters who participated helped to make a positive impact on the environment and contributed to a greener Bay State!
The WatConnector launched on September 7, 2021, with hourly service between Watertown Mews on Pleasant Street and Harvard Square. Starting February 13, 2023, the WatConnector will go electric and will run every half hour. Thanks to a grant from MassDOT, along with other public and private funds, two new electric shuttle buses were purchased and will replace the existing gas shuttles.
This past November, Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) commuters were challenged to express their gratitude for the commutes that bring them safely to-and-from the workplace.
Also known as the WATConnector, passengers along Pleasant Street can now get to and from Watertown Square as well as Harvard Square during the AM and PM commutes. The WATConnector Pleasant Street shuttle services are available to participating corporate and residential partners and the public.
As a green commuter, you’ve done your part to help the environment. You found a carpool partner, coordinated schedules, made the trip in together. But what if you arrive at work and find that all of the good parking spots are taken? Many organizations have good intentions when they designate special preferred carpool parking spots in a prime location near an entrance. One carpool space reduces the need for at least one other parking spot. Promoting carpooling is a great way to reduce your parking demand and encourage commuters to share the ride. However, without the proper enforcement and program management in place, the positive impact of the preferential parking incentive can lose its effectiveness. That’s where having a partner like the Watertown Transportation Management Association (WTMA) to manage the program can help.
Everyone knows biking is good for you and good for the planet. Incorporating biking to work and during the workday has its advantages on the business side of things too. Studies have repeatedly shown people who bike are healthier (and therefore take fewer sick days), arrive to work less stressed, and are more productive. Need even more reasons? Below are just a few more of the benefits of biking for your commute: Avoids unhealthy traffic congestion Helps to improve air quality Saves on gas Avoids parking costs Increases your physical activity Reduces your stress Be a member of the bike commuting community Feel the thrill you get from bike riding