First State Times

New Castle County Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on July 29

What is RideShare Delaware?

RideShare Delaware is a FREE commuter services program of DART First State. They work with businesses, employees, colleges, and students to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion by championing clean commutes, including:

ü  Transit

ü  Carpooling & Vanpooling

ü  Walking

ü  Biking

ü  Teleworking

ü  Compressed Work Weeks

RideShare Delaware is dedicated to reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs) on Delaware highways. RideShare Delaware aims to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and lower vehicle emissions on Delaware roadways. We assist employers and commuters with finding solutions and using alternative modes of transportation.

Funded with a combination of Federal Congestion, Mitigation & Air Quality (CMAQ), and State dollars, their program's goal is to reduce the number of single-occupant vehicles (SOVs) traveling on Delaware roadways, thus improving our air quality. Since 1997, RideShare Delaware partners with several local and regional agencies towards meeting the Federal Air Quality Standards.

Interesting fact about RideShare Delaware!

DART's RideShare Delaware is administered by AECOM and is operated out of DART First State offices in Wilmington, Delaware.

What is their marketing strategy? 

RideShare's programs and services are offered to employers and colleges throughout the state, including employees and adult students who live or work in Delaware. They market their program several ways through direct engagement with on-site events throughout Delaware, Chambers, and Associations. RideShare also provides intranet access via-companies, customized clean commute events, monthly contests, social media interface with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

How does the “new normal” impact RideShare Delaware?

RideShare has been able to continue their direct interface with businesses and commuters by adding a virtual component to their everyday offering. They also took the opportunity to get immediate feedback and input through a survey to business partners and another to commuters during the pandemic. This project allowed them to better understand the potential commute service needs and needs moving forward under the "new normal" work arrangements. This will allow RideShare Delaware to continue to better strategize the work from home arrangements, mix of in-business-offices and remote-offices, staggered work hours, compressed work weeks, or Monday through Friday daily business office commuting that needs to be considered.

RideShare Delaware has been a Chamber Members since, August 2015 – Thank you!

RideShare Delaware continues to enjoy the Chamber membership and benefits of being a service of DART First State. Because RideShare is interfacing organization with employers and commuters in Delaware, it is beneficial for the group to stay abreast of updates and news in Delaware in order for them to tailor their services to best fit the ever-changing landscape of the business community in Delaware. 

The RideShare team stays engaged and involved by attending ongoing networking meetings, utilizing business distribution lists, and learning opportunities through webinars. RideShare’s has been able to connect with mutually beneficial resources to assist with their interfacing efforts.

RideShare’s Involvement and Service in the Business Community.

The program has a variety of resource partners that cross over into many community efforts throughout the state (i.e., In New Castle County, we have worked with The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary with direct involvement in Wilmington's Earth and Arbor Day celebration, Principal for the Day program, Restore the Corridor liaison). We thank RideShare Delaware for their community support!

RideShare Delaware’s Member Encouragement... 

“You do not know what you do not know. In order for you to take full advantage of the resources the Chamber has to offer, ask questions, and take part in as many networking events as possible (virtual for now).”

Origina source can be found here.

Source: New Castle County Chamber of Commerce