Twenty-five years ago, when RIDES for Bay Area Commuters was formed, most of the residents of the Bay Area lived around the edges of the Bay, an "in-commuter" was someone who traveled from beyond the Caldecott Tunnel, and the original BART system had just been completed. This was not the good old days, however. Traffic congestion was already a problem, and air pollution was at unacceptable levels on hot summer days.
Twenty-five years later, the Bay Area has weathered transit strikes, a major earthquake, and the boomtown impacts of Silicon Valley. Early in March, at an anniversary open house, regional agency leaders and others gathered to celebrate the difference RIDES has made in the region in the past quarter-century. Congestion is still a major problem, although it would probably be much worse without the vanpools, carpools, and other ridesharing promoted by RIDES. Air quality is improved. Many commuters, some of whom found RIDES during the post-earthquake period or during BART strikes, now regularly use ridesharing services instead of driving alone to work every day. Others, thanks to an early RIDES campaign, are now able to use preferred parking at BART stations because they carpool there.
The mission statement for RIDES is extremely short but very inclusive: To promote transportation that protects the environment and improves the quality of life. As the Bay Area's transportation network continues to struggle to accommodate its users, RIDES will continue to play a critical role in solving the day-to-day needs of the individual traveler and the quality-of-life needs of the region. Here's to twenty- five more years!
Leslie Stewart