Whether you drive, ride, or roll – Riverside County offers flexible travel options to fit your lifestyle. From buses and trains to carpools and vanpools, it’s never been easier to explore more convenient and efficient ways to commute. This October, take part in two national campaigns that encourage the use of public transit, ridesharing, and alternative modes of travel.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, celebrate the 8^th annual California Clean Air Day by riding the train or bus! Public transit operators across Riverside County will be offering free rides on this day, including Metrolink, Riverside Transit Agency (including CommuterLink and GoMicro), and many others! If you’ve never ridden the bus or train before, now is the perfect time to get started.

Rideshare Week (October 6 – 10) encourages travelers to explore new ways to commute other than driving alone – such as carpooling, vanpooling, walking, biking, or public transit – and IE Commuter provides incentives for doing so. IE Commuter, the popular commuter program led by RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, provides ride-matching services, trip planning tools, and exciting prizes just for participating. Discover a smarter, more affordable way to commute by visiting IECommuter.org.

Funding for bus and passenger rail services, motorist assistance, and ridesharing programs used by Riverside County residents is thanks in part to Measure A; the twice voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. By expanding travel options throughout the region, RCTC continues to improve mobility for the people of Riverside County. Learn more about Measure A by visiting: rctc.org/measure-a

IE Commuter, the popular commuter program led by RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA), was recently honored with the prestigious Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Industry Impact Award during the 39th Annual Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) International Conference. This national award recognizes outstanding programs that measurably improve mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance air quality.

The program was recognized for its leadership in shifting solo drivers towards shared commute modes through a coordinated blend of employer partnerships, incentive programs, education, and ridematching technology.

“Using carpools, vanpools, and public transportation significantly eases regional transportation congestion,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County Board of Supervisor Karen Spiegel. “I am proud of the national recognition our IE Commuter program has in collaboration with our valued partners at SBCTA. Together, we are demonstrating our commitment to improving mobility for Inland Empire residents.”

The Inland Empire is home to more than 4.6 million residents who face some of the longest commutes in the country. The program facilitates carpooling, vanpooling, and the use of public transit as alternatives to driving alone. These initiatives enable residents to reduce commuting costs and travel time, while enhancing the overall quality of their daily commutes.

IE Commuter, RCTC, and SBCTA continue to pave the way for improved travel, cleaner air, and healthier communities. To learn more about the program and to start your smarter commute, please visit: iecommuter.org

Thanks to the recent expansion of RCTC’s VanClub program into the Coachella Valley and eastern Riverside County, more commuters are now saving time and commuting costs by starting and joining vanpools. The popular program recently welcomed four new vanpools – serving employees of the Ironwood State Prison in Blythe. VanClub is one of many ways RCTC and commuters are working to relieve traffic and help the environment. Currently, there are 49 vanpools being subsidized by VanClub.

Last year, SunLine Transit transferred its existing SolVan program to RCTC’s VanClub program. The consolidation helped streamline services and enhance the efficiency of vanpool operations across Riverside County – providing commuters with a larger pool of potential ridesharing buddies.

“Since joining RCTC’s VanClub, our vanpooling employees have experienced a significant reduction in stress and anxiety that comes with extreme commutes, many exceeding an hour each way. For those working long or even double shifts, vanpools are an absolute lifesaver – providing much-needed time to relax or rest on the way home. Plus, they’re saving a lot of money on fuel and maintenance for their personal vehicles,” said Sonia Andrade, employer transportation coordinator at Ironwood State Prison.

VanClub covers 50% of eligible Riverside County vanpools vehicle lease rates – up to $600 per month, which includes vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance, and insurance. This financial assistance helps vanpool members reduce cost and wear and tear on their personal vehicles while also reducing the number of cars on the road. VanClub members are also eligible to earn incentives through the IE Commuter program.

Since the program’s inception in 2018, VanClub members have helped reduce more than 523,888 drive-alone vehicle trips, 19.6 million vehicle miles traveled, and 7,404 tons of vehicle emissions.

VanClub is partially funded by Measure A, the twice-voter approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements and services in Riverside County. Additional funding is provided by local Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction) and federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement grant funds.

For more information about joining or starting a VanClub, visit: vanclub.net

No car? No problem. There’s more than one way to get around Riverside County. The region’s bus, passenger rail, and ridesharing programs are available for residents to get to their destinations without the use of a car. The Clean Air Day and Rideshare Week campaigns hope to encourage increased engagement with public transit services and ridesharing programs by inviting residents to reduce their carbon footprint through alternative travel modes.

Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County, provides funding to expand travel options throughout the region. Some of these funds used for bus and passenger rail services, motorist assistance, and ridesharing programs that residents use every day to get to and from work or around their community.

Here’s how residents can get involved:

The Coalition for Clean Air’s 7th annual California Clean Air Day raises awareness about air pollution and promotes actions – such as taking public transit, bringing lunch to work, or even shopping locally – to improve air quality and protect public health. Riverside County transit service providers will make it easy to take action by offering free rides on Clean Air Day. Metrolink will be providing free rides on all trains and Riverside Transit Agency will be offering free rides on all local, CommuterLink, and GoMicro buses. To get started, take the Clean Air Day pledge and enjoy a free bus or train ride on October 2.

Rideshare Week (Oct. 7 – 11) encourages commuters – whose main mode of transportation to work features driving a car – to explore new modes of travel with an emphasis on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as biking, walking, vanpools, riding the bus or taking the train. IE Commuter, a collaboration between RCTC and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, is a popular ridesharing program that assists commuters by providing incentives for ridesharing, personal ride matching services (including carpools and vanpools), Park & Ride lot information, and transit trip planning services. In 2023, IE Commuter supported more than 1,100 regional employers and reduced 10.7 million pounds in vehicle emissions through ridesharing programs and RCTC’s VanClub service.

This October, ditch the car keys and hop on the bus or train, join a carpool, or ride your bike to work and enjoy an improved, stress-free commute.

Members of RCTC’s popular vanpool program, VanClub, now have more reasons to celebrate. In addition to the reduced stress, travel time, and commuting cost benefits associated with joining a vanpool with their favorite coworkers, members are now eligible for vanpool subsidies when commuting to worksites in the eastern part of the county, such as the Coachella Valley and Palo Verde Valley. The program’s expansion into eastern Riverside County is a result of the recent transition of SunLine Transit Agency’s vanpools. The agency sunset its SolVan program and transferred existing vanpools to RCTC’s VanClub program. The consolidation will streamline services and enhance the efficiency of vanpool operations across the county, allowing commuters interested in vanpooling to have a large pool of potential ridesharing buddies.

VanClub provides a subsidy of up to $600 per month for all eligible vanpools destined for worksites in Riverside County. The subsidy amount varies and is applied to the cost of the vanpool lease, which includes vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance, and insurance—subject to eligibility and restrictions. This significant financial assistance helps commuters save money and reduce the wear and tear on their personal vehicles.

Since its inception in 2018, RCTC’s VanClub program has been instrumental in providing cost-saving transportation options for commuters with long commutes and challenging schedules. By offering subsidies to eligible vanpools, VanClub has successfully reduced nearly 17 million vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) and 6,400 tons of pollutants, making a significant impact on the environment in our communities. Your choice to join VanClub is not just about saving money; it’s about making a difference by reducing your carbon footprint, getting cars off the road, and enhancing your quality of life through less stressful and more sustainable commuting options.

RCTC’s VanClub is committed to providing safe and reliable vanpools for all, including agricultural workers. Through its partnership with the California Vanpool Authority, a public transit agency, VanClub ensures that a wider range of commuters, regardless of their industry, have equitable access to cost-effective and environmentally friendly transportation options.

“Vanpooling has made my 100-mile daily commute manageable. Sharing the commute with others provides camaraderie. It also reduces my carbon emissions and saves money. Driving alone no longer makes sense,” said VanClub member James E.

VanClub exemplifies RCTC’s commitment to providing innovative and cost-effective transportation solutions for commuters in Riverside County. The program is partially funded by Riverside County’s Measure A, a half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements and services. Additional funding is provided by local Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction (MSRC) and U.S. Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant funds. To sign up for VanClub, visit vanclub.net.

VanClub members and anyone looking for a better commute have more reasons to celebrate! The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) recently approved an increase to the monthly subsidy vanpool program. The increased subsidy covers 50% of vehicle lease rates – up to $600 per month. Previously, the subsidy covered up to $400. An additional $100 is also available for zero-emission vehicle vanpool leases.

VanClub, a service of RCTC, subsidizes eligible vanpools up to $600 per month towards the cost of a vanpool lease, which includes vehicle maintenance, roadside assistance, and insurance. This means if the monthly vehicle lease rate is $1,050, the subsidy amount paid toward the lease will be $525. If the monthly vehicle lease is $1,200 or more, the subsidy amount will not exceed $600.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, private transportation costs increased by 15.5% between 2021 and 2022, raising solo driving costs to all-time highs. By making the switch to vanpool, riders can enjoy reduced transportation costs on gas, tolls, and parking. Riders also get to minimize wear and mileage on their own vehicles and reclaim time in their day.

Communities benefit from vanpools through reduced greenhouse gas emissions from less cars on the road. Since the program’s inception in 2018, RCTC’s VanClub members have helped reduce more than 397,000 drive-alone vehicle trips, 14.5 million vehicle miles traveled, and 5.5 tons in vehicle emissions.

VanClub is partially funded by Riverside County’s Measure A, a half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements and services. Additional funding is provided by local Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction (MSRC) and federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) grant funds. VanClub is one of the ways RCTC and commuters can work together for transportation solutions that better the environment and roadway congestion.

For more information about joining or starting a VanClub, visit vanclub.net.

Earth Day is a day of celebration, action, and reflection. RCTC and agency partners are helping our planet by providing and advocating for sustainable solutions in transportation and land conservation. Here’s how to get involved:

RCTC has taken the pledge – the Clean Air Pledge – to join a robust statewide campaign to support air quality improvements. Clean Air Day is October 5, and when it comes to providing environmentally sound solutions, RCTC is leading the way.

“For years, RCTC has prioritized projects and programs that benefit the environment. California’s Clean Air Day offers multiple opportunities for residents, businesses, employees, and community members to collectively participate in activities that will have a big impact on the air we breathe in Riverside and San Bernardino counties,” said RCTC Chair and Riverside County 4^th District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, who also is serving as the 2022 Inland Empire Clean Air Day Co-Chair.

RCTC continues to support multiple modes of transportation that improve air quality. The agency makes ongoing investments in Metrolink commuter rail including nine stations in western Riverside County and provides funding for public transit countywide. Another high priority is the development of Coachella Valley Rail, a planned new daily passenger rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. RCTC also allocates grant funding to local active transportation projects, such as bike lanes and sidewalks, to promote cycling and walking options.

Capital projects like new interchanges and highway lanes reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gases. RCTC also has helped fund the construction of underpasses and overpasses to safely separate cars and trains and eliminate idling vehicles at railroad crossings.

Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County, supports ridesharing programs. Through IE Commuter, a partnership with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority, rideshare commuters reduced more than 10 million vehicle miles and 6,000 tons of emissions last year, all while saving money on a more relaxing commute.

RCTC also is helping preserve open space though the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), the largest such plan in the nation. Adopted in 2004, the MSHCP is a comprehensive plan to preserve 500,000 acres and protect 146 species, of which 33 are endangered or threatened in Western Riverside County.

Preserving open space, reducing idling vehicles, and increasing multimodal transportation options are ways that RCTC is addressing the region’s air quality and meeting the Clean Air Pledge. As individuals, we can make changes to our daily routines by driving less, exploring ridesharing, and taking the Clear Air Pledge. Thank you for doing your part to clean the air in Riverside County!

Put a smile on your face by stepping away from the steering wheel and sliding into a carpool, vanpool, a seat on the train or bus, or even into your comfy walking shoes during Rideshare Week. RCTC is joining SoCal organizations, employers, and transit enthusiasts to Drive Less and Smile More this week.

By ridesharing, you are helping improve our region’s air quality and your health while reducing stress and saving money. That would make anyone smile!

Did we mention the prizes? Riverside County commuters who register with IE Commuter and log their rideshare and/or telework activity throughout October will be entered into a drawing for prizes including a new Apple Watch, iPad mini, commuter bike courtesy of Cyclery USA, and a whale watching trip from Dana Wharf. Visit IECommuter.org/rideshareweek to see the complete list of prizes and sponsors.

Why stop there? We’ve got additional incentives to keep you ridesharing beyond October. Register with IE Commuter to get access to programs that will have you grinning ear-to-ear like:

• Our popular $5/Day Program: Rideshare to work and earn up to $125 in gift cards. Residents of Riverside and San Bernardino counties who log at least five rideshare trips (riding the bus or train, taking a vanpool or carpool, biking or walking) to work for three consecutive months may be eligible for this fantastic incentive.
• Ready for the spotlight? Ride the bus, train, vanpool, carpool, bike, or walk to work, and you could win a prize valued at up to $100 and a chance to be in the Monthly Rideshare Spotlight.
• Telework is a win-win! Join the Monthly Telework Spotlight, log your telework days, and earn entries towards the monthly prize drawing valued at up to $100!

Don’t let a last-minute schedule change keep you from ridesharing. If you have an emergency at home or unexpected overtime, you’ll be reimbursed the cost of a Lyft/Uber or other transportation network company ride, rental car, taxi, or transit option to return home twice each year. IE Commuter’s Guaranteed Ride Home program has you covered.

Let IE Commuter help you discover your best commute by calling 1-866-RIDESHARE (866-743-3742) or using the Live Chat at IECommuter.org.  Enjoy the rideshare miles and smiles ahead!