CARPOOL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE ONLINE
The Rideshare Service Program of the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) has an alternative to lengthy construction delays for carpool and vanpool commuters in the metropolitan area -- a new Internet based ride-matching software system.
CATS, the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the six counties of northeastern Illinois, has been helping commuters form carpools and vanpools since 1986, when it pioneered the nation's first ride-matching software system.
Available at http://sharethedrive.org, the new "Ridematch 21" system was developed by CATS with software programming and Intranet design by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. It replaces conventional technology that simply drew a large circle around a person’s home location and a small circle around their work or destination. Also, the old system could take as long as 2-4 days using modems and mail to get just a match list. The new system is available on desktop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can provide ridematch information within two minutes. It provides single-occupancy commuters with an almost “real time” means to form a carpool or vanpool or join an existing one. A lengthy voice mail enrollment form has been replaced with a simple fill-in-the-blank Internet form.
Unique to the new system is how it matches commuters. Using the latest techniques in artificial intelligence, the system develops a possible route to work that the applicant can change as he or she desires. By using route, or Vector Matching, various converging commuter routes at the same time of day are brought together to maximize the opportunity to create or join a carpool or vanpool.
This type of system is uniquely suited to meet the needs of suburb-to-suburb commuters and those commuting to suburban work sites.
Area employers requested such a system to ease the managerial costs of implementing employee transportation systems. By using the Internet, a company can assist its employees in reducing the stress of driving to work. Employers note that providing this workplace benefit can reduce their employees' travel costs, which can be a major incentive in attracting and retaining employees.
The object of the system is to reduce the number of single-occupancy-vehicle work trips, which reduces traffic congestion, increases the functional life of the highway system, conserves energy and improves air quality. To further these goals, the system is available throughout the Gary-Chicago-Milwaukee corridor for those wishing to commute to and within northeastern Illinois.
CATS will continue to maintain its current Rideshare Hotline at 1-800-920-RIDE (1-800-920-7433) for those who do not have Internet access.
For further information, contact Jose Rodriguez at jrodriguez@catsmpo.com or call 312/793-0419.