Lee’s Summit carpool wins day one of RideShare’s Smartest Carpool contest
Seventy-four carpools representing 185 commuters in Greater Kansas City are competing in the region’s first Smartest Carpool contest, hosted by the Mid-America Regional Council’s RideShare program. The contest runs April 19–23, challenging area carpools to tackle transportation trivia on the morning commute for a chance to be entered in daily prize drawings.
Eric Self and Kevin Durand from Lee’s Summit were named Monday’s winning
carpool, submitting correct answers to all three of the following trivia
questions. Self and Durand each won a chiropractic neck pillow to provide
comfort on their travels. Contest details are at www.marc.org/rideshare/smartestcarpool.htm.
TRIVIA ANSWERS FOR MONDAY, APRIL 19:
- Which of the following is not another term for carpooling?
a. Ridesharing b. Lift-sharing c. Co-transport d. Covoiturage
- Besides carpooling, which of the following are actions individuals can
take to reduce or prevent ozone emissions into the air?
a. Don’t overfill or top off the gas tank when filling up
b. Wait until after 7 p.m. to mow the lawn
c. Use paint or solvents only in the evening or on cooler days
d. Avoid using lighter fluid on the grill
e. All of the above
- According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, what
approximate percentage of children’s trips to school are made by vehicle
(car or school bus), and what percentage are made by bicycling or walking?
a. 75 percent by vehicle, 25 percent bicycling or walking
b. 60 percent by vehicle, 40 percent bicycling or walking
c. 85 percent by vehicle, 15 percent bicycling or walking
MONDAY’S TIP: HOW TO FIND OTHER CARPOOLERS
There are a variety of ways to find people to share the ride with. Talk with
family members; contact neighbors, classmates or co-workers; or use RideShare’s
online ride-matching tool to do a confidential search for carpoolers who
live near you and have similar travel schedules. You can also print RideShare
“carpooler wanted” or “ride wanted” signs, fill in your contact information,
and post them on bulletin boards in your neighborhood, workplace or place
of worship. (Visit www.marc.org/rideshare and
click on “Resources” to download fliers.)
If using RideShare’s Web-based tool, contact all commuters who live and work or attend school near you and have compatible work or school hours, even if they have not selected the category you're looking for (e.g., drive only, share driving, ride only). Negotiate with prospective partners to see how much flexibility they have. You might just be surprised!
Tuesday’s tip: Covering carpool basics
RideShare is a publicly funded commuter service for anyone who lives, works or attends school in Greater Kansas City. The service informs people about less expensive and environmentally friendly commuting alternatives. RideShare also helps employers develop alternative transportation programs. For more information, call 816/842-RIDE (7433) or visit www.marc.org/rideshare.