City of San Bernardino Rideshare to Rails Program

The City of San Bernardino partnered with the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG and the Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) to develop and implement a rideshare incentive program at the San Bernardino MetroLink rail station. The City of San Bernardino and SANBAG are joint owners of this rail station. The goals of the "Rideshare to Rails" program was to reduce motor vehicle trips made by current rail commuters to the San Bernardino station, thereby alleviating parking congestion, and to encourage additional commuters to use rail as their commute mode. The program offered preferential parking, direct financial incentives, and prize drawings for individuals who carpooled to the station. The Rideshare to Rails program was implemented in October, 2002 and ended in December, 2003. Sixty-two (62) commuters participated in the program, which exceeded the goal of fifty (50) participants. Thirty-five commuters completed the program and ultimately received all of the direct financial incentives offered. Program incentives included: 1. Preferential parking for carpools. Fifteen (15) up-front parking spaces were reserved for "Rideshare to Rails participants only". Parking placards were provided to participants; 2. $165 MetroLink Pass. This incentive was provided to participants who shared their ride to the San Bernardino station at least 40 days during the program. Security guards also tracked participation by recording parking placard numbers on a daily basis; 3. $50 recruitment bonus. This was offered to existing carpoolers when they added another partner to their carpool; 4. Prize drawing/Gift certificates. A summer prize drawing took place in which three (3) participants received an entertainment package. The final program survey, based on a 48% response rate, indicated that 63% of the respondents wer carpooling to the station prior to joining the program. 73% of survey respondents indicated they were using the preferred parking spaces. While 77% of respondents reported that they carpooled to and from the station five days per week, there was more often than not unused carpool parking at the station. Given that the majority of participants were carpooling to the station prior to joing the program, and that unused prefered parking spaces negatively impacted parking lot congestion, the City of San Bernardino make the decision not to continue the program at the conclusion of the of the pilot demonstration program.