Ridesharing Solution for 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto

Dan Bower

Dan Bower is TripSpark’s Rideshare Product Manager -- his goal is to work alongside governmental and private organizations to increase the transportation options of employees and city workers. By building relationships and products designed around the specific needs of his clients, he advocates for Ridesharing solutions in order to decrease the carbon footprint of organizations while increasing community engagement and awareness of the many transportation options available.

The 2015 Pan Am Games are more than 5 months away and yet concerns surrounding the impact of traffic congestion on Toronto highways and city streets is already mounting. Business and municipal organizations are scrambling to develop transportation Action Plans now, before the more than 250,000 expected visitors descend upon the downtown core. This is going to be a challenge. The reality is going to be gridlock, despite the government’s hope that 20% of drivers will “voluntarily” take themselves off the road. Have you considered how your organization could reduce 20% of commuting traffic within your own office? Carpooling, and therefore ridesharing software may be a stop-gap measure to help organizations (both corporate and governmental) manage and simplify their carpooling initiatives for the period of July 10-August 15.

The Benefits of Carpooling

In terms of dealing with traffic congestion woes, flexible work hours, telecommuting and carpooling have topped the suggestion list. But not all work places can afford to have their employees working from elsewhere or coming to work at non-business hours. Parking is also going to be limited, which (unless all employees have dedicated parking spots) is going to create a financial and emotional strain on those looking for an empty spot.

Carpooling can be a convenient alternative to help with traffic congestion, but also help employees save on gas and parking charges for the duration of the games. As well, the city has plans to institute temporary HOV lanes, which will be on Jarvis St., Lake Shore Boulevard, the DVP and Highway 401. While they are specifically designed to ferry athletes and other Pan Am personnel, they are also available for use by the public. This may be an opportune moment to try out a company-wide carpooling program. You may find that the change is welcome and may encourage year-round involvement.

The Benefits of Ridesharing Software

Managing rides, guaranteeing return rides and matching the right people in the right vehicles can be tricky and time-consuming. Consider using ridesharing software in order to streamline the intake process. Reporting and analytic tools can help generate reports in a variety of popular formats such as PDF and Excel.

If you’re interested in creating a temporary or long-term commitment towards a company rideshare program, contact us to learn more about how an automated software solution can make it easy to implement.