Tri-county carpool matching service available

RBC I Residents of Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties now have access to a free, online carpool matching service sponsored by the nonprofit Yampa Valley Data Partners in cooperation with the three counties.
The new website, which launched Oct. 1, can be found at www.carpoolworld.com/northwestcolorado. Commuters and travelers from the three counties may find regular carpool partners or a car share for a one-time trip by signing up on the website using a valid email address.
Organizers hope the website will be a resource to help northwest Colorado residents save on transportation costs, commute more efficiently and do their part to reduce fuel use and vehicle exhaust pollution. The site is available as a free service to everyone, from individuals to students to businesses. The carpool project was created as part of the strategies of the tri-county Northwest Colorado Energy Education Plan, which was completed through a grant from the Colorado Energy Office.
“I think this is a great option for our valley and see a good deal of potential,” said Gene Bilodeau, vice president of the Colorado Northwestern Community College campus in Craig. “With gas prices remaining high, I believe carpooling will become a more intriguing option for people. I’ve had the opportunity to explore the carpool website and found it to be very intuitive and easy to navigate.”
Another supporter of the website, Moffat County Commissioner Audrey Danner, said, “The carpooling site would be a way to cut down on vehicle miles, gas costs, and wear and tear on a car. This is an option for those who do commute up and down the valley, whether regularly or on occasion. This gives all of us a chance to see how carpooling can work locally.”
For privacy concerns, users who register on the site have the option to enter a code name or nickname. Users also can list a general neighborhood or mutual meeting place instead of a home address to try to find ride matches. Users requesting rides or offering to share a ride receive email notifications of possible ride matches, or can search the website for matches. The broader the mileage and time parameters that users enter, the more potential commuter matches the site may find.
Learn more and register at www.carpoolworld.com/northwestcolorado.