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

Pump the brakes on commuter headaches! The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and San Bernardino County Transportation Authority’s (SBCTA) rideshare program, IE Commuter, has teamed up with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, and Ventura County Transportation Commission to present a regional database expected to enhance commute options for registered users.

This multi-agency partnership provides employers with carpool/vanpool matches stretching across almost all of southern California, with a uniform set of core ride-matching services across five counties. The new database will allow vanpools and carpools to fill empty seats with greater ease, while unlocking a more convenient and efficient method of planning additional commute solutions for riders.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) estimates that there are more than 12 million licensed drivers in Southern California, and the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) reports that Southern California drivers average more than 21 miles driven each day, often alone. Opting for transit via buses, trains, vanpooling, and carpooling can contribute to beneficial solutions to help mitigate the stress of commuting, reducing vehicle wear and tear, and generating significant savings from reduced fuel consumption. The five partner agencies are working together to help reduce vehicle miles traveled and traffic congestion, with a goal of improving air quality in Southern California.

These enhancements will improve convenience and efficiency of travel throughout Southern California, and is expected to generate an increase in ridership, reductions in single-occupancy vehicles on the road, and a decrease in CO2 emissions.

Discover a new, enhanced commute after the regional database merge completion. Access more ridesharing, transit, and incentives options by visiting IECommuter.org for Riverside and San Bernardino counties, or ridematch.info for Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties.

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!

What is ridesharing? It’s any method you use to get to work, other than driving solo. This includes, but isn’t limited to:

• Carpooling – Round up some coworkers or be matched with people who work nearby to share rides to and from work in one vehicle.
• Vanpooling – Set up a formal vanpool through your employer or sign up for a VanClub. Learn more at VanClub.net.
• Riding the Bus – Hop aboard RTA, SunLine, or other transit providers in our region to ride to and from work.
• Taking the Train – Riding Metrolink to Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties. Several trains were recently added.
• Walking (or Running) – Put on your tennis shoes and go. Enough said.
• Cycling – Sneak in a workout and earn ridesharing trips at the same time.

If you rideshare at least five workdays per month, you can earn $5 in gift cards for each day you rideshare in a 90-day period – up to $125. Gift card options include Amazon, Stater Bros., Target, or Walmart and are selected by the employer. To be eligible, both the employer and the employee must register at IECommuter.org. Employees then log their ridesharing trips through the website.

For more information, visit IECommuter.org/5day to reach an IE Commuter representative on LiveChat or call 1-866-RIDESHARE (866-743-3742).

The Point: Three new lots open in Beaumont, San Jacinto, and Temecula

Busy morning? After taking the kiddos to school, dropping off Fido at doggy daycare, and grabbing a cup of coffee, you could use a convenient spot to park your car and continue your commute to work. With more and more employees returning to the office as COVID-19 restrictions ease, and with rising prices at the gas pump, it’s a great time to check out ridesharing options.

Park & Ride Lots are the perfect spot to meet your carpool and vanpool partners or to connect to train and bus routes. The lots offer safe, well-lit places to park and help reduce highway congestion by promoting carpooling and transit use. Ridesharing also decreases pollution and helps you save money by driving less.

The Riverside County Transportation Commission, working with public and private entities, manages 32 Park & Ride Lots in western Riverside County, as part of its overall goal of providing alternative transportation solutions. Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax in Riverside County, provides funding for commuter assistance programs, like ridesharing, teleworking, and Park & Ride Lots, helping to reduce traffic congestion and offer incentives to those who drive less.

In the last few months, three new lots opened in Beaumont, San Jacinto and Temecula. Drivers will need to park in marked stalls and follow posted signs:

1. City of Beaumont – 600 E. 6^th, Beaumont

Next to the Beaumont Civic Center, this lot features three electric vehicle charging stations. Bus stops that serve RTA CommuterLink Routes 120 and 125 as well as Beaumont Transit Routes 3 and 4 are just across the street

2. City of San Jacinto – 501 S. San Jacinto Ave., San Jacinto

This lot is adjacent to San Jacinto City Hall and is just one block (Route 79 & 6^th Street) from RTA bus stops that serve Routes 42, 74 and 79 and one block (Route 79 & Main Street) from the RTA Route 32 stop.

3. Grace Presbyterian Church – 31143 Nicolas Rd., Temecula

This lot is open Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. (no parking on the weekends) and provides easy access to I-15 from Winchester Road

For a listing of all of the Park and Ride Lots in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, click here. And to learn more about ridesharing, including commute options, teleworking, incentives, vanpool subsidies, and support for employers, go to iecommuter.org.

The Point: Applications due February 17 to help seniors, others with local transportation needs   

Riding a shuttle to attend Boys & Girls Club programs before and after school. Getting a ride to cancer treatment appointments. Travel training for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Specialized transit services like these are lifelines for many western Riverside County residents, helping them to be more mobile and independent.

The Riverside County Transportation Commission is seeking grant applications from agencies and organizations that offer transportation programs for older adults, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals in western Riverside County where public transportation services are unavailable or insufficient.

Eligible applicants include public agencies, human and social service agencies, tribal governments, and private non-profits.

Funding is largely provided by Measure A, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements in Riverside County.

Applications are due February 17 at 4 p.m. More information and application forms are available on the RCTC website. During the last grant award process in 2018, RCTC allocated $8.2 million to 18 organizations and agencies.

The Commission will rate the applications and award up to $8.76 million to groups that are able to provide transportation programs from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2024.

Programs can include bus or shuttle operations, distribution of transit passes, vehicle purchases or capital leases, or training to help riders navigate the transit system.

“These specialized transportation services are truly a lifeline for our residents in western Riverside County. Without transportation options like Operation Safehouse, which helps homeless and at-risk youth, or Friends of Moreno Valley Senior Center, many people would be unable to go to school, to work, to the grocery store, or to doctor’s appointments,” said RCTC Chair and Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Jan Harnik. “We strongly encourage groups to apply for these funds, which are available only every three years.”

For questions, please contact RCTC staff at specializedtransit@rctc.org or at (951) 787-7141.