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Car-pool program comes with a twist: Riders can
earn gift certificates
By Mark Ginocchio
Staff Writer
Published November 17 2005
STAMFORD -- Barbara Barclay said she wasn't very interested in hearing
about another car-pooling program.
But one that allows commuters to share rides at their convenience,
and earn retail gift certificates to boot, was right up her alley,
said Barclay, manager of sales and marketing at Merritt Staffing
in Stamford.
"This is completely different than car-pooling and I think
that's great," Barclay said after watching a presentation yesterday
for NuRide, a "ride sharing" network introduced earlier
this year by MetroPool Inc. of Stamford. "They make it so convenient
to use, and I don't just have to use it to get to work. I can use
it to go shopping or for anything else."
Officials from MetroPool and NuRide showed Barclay, and about 30
other business officials, a short movie at the Stamford Crown Majestic
theater to pitch their concept.
With NuRide, introduced in Washington, D.C., more than a year ago,
commuters log on to a Web site and type in their starting point
and destination, time of departure and return, and whether they
are willing to drive or ride in another car.
NuRide's search engine then looks for compatible travel companions,
listing them by the percentage of miles they share to their destinations.
Participants then click on someone they'd like to carpool with and
set up a meeting time and place. They could opt to return with a
different person if the timing is convenient.
The more commuters share rides, the more incentive points they
earn, which could be exchanged for coupons at retailers such as
Target and TGI Friday's.
NuRide is free. It is financed by the retailers, corporations looking
to get their employees out of traffic and the state Department of
Transportation.
The program was introduced in Connecticut earlier this year. About
1,500 people have signed up.
MetroPool and NuRide hoped to sign up a few more riders yesterday,
setting up laptops inside the theater so people could try the system.
Rick Steele, chief executive officer of NuRide, compared the Web
service to sites such as eBay and Expedia, which ask for little
commitment from users.
"When you buy airline tickets online, you only have to buy
them from somebody once," Steele said.
The same is true for NuRide, he said. Those who sign up provide
a ride only if they want to. That's different from car-pooling,
which requires a commitment, Steele said.
Kevin Kelleher, chairman of the state's Transportation Strategy
Board and chief executive officer of Cendant Mobility Services Corp.
in Danbury, a business that has many employees using NuRide, said
the program works.
"It provides flexibility and you receive value for doing the
right thing," Kelleher said.
About 11 percent of the 2,100 Cendant employees use NuRide. The
goal is to get 25 percent online, Kelleher said.
Kristine Henricksen, who works in the human resources department
at Fairfield University, was among those at yesterday's event who
were evaluating NuRide for their employees.
"I'll definitely pitch to our directors," Henricksen
said. "It sounds like a really great program with great incentives."
Copyright © 2005, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
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