Rideshare week to begin Oct. 5 Published Sept. 30, 2009 By Megan Just 452nd AMW Public Affairs MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- California Rideshare Week will be held October 5-9 and Paul Pitman, Air Program Manager and March ARB Rideshare coordinator, has been hard at work getting Team March ready to participate. Rideshare is an annual event that encourages Californians to commute to work in an eco-friendly manner at least one time during the week. Participants are invited to complete a pledge card that will be entered in a drawing for one of a long list of donated prizes, including weekend get-a-ways and $100 gift cards. "I'm trying to promote Rideshare because it will help reduce the carbon footprint in the area surrounding March ARB," Pitman said. "Everybody doing a little bit will add up to a big sum down the road." Team March already has 9 official vanpools and 373 personnel who regularly carpool to work. Pitman hopes Rideshare Week will encourage other Team March members to try transportation alternatives like vanpooling and carpooling, as well as walking, biking, taking the bus, Metrolink, and telecommuting. Pitman says ridesharing is a great way to save money, especially with the many state and nationally funded programs that pay drivers to carpool and vanpool. In addition to saving money and reducing green house gas emissions, ridesharing reduces traffic congestion and dependence on fossil fuels. Pitman recently received funding for commemorative mugs that he will give to all March ARB Rideshare Week participants. He has also volunteered to be the Rideshare point of contact for Team March family members. All pledge forms must be submitted to Paul Pitman at the Environmental Office before October 16.