Gas Price is high? car pool

The price of gas has spawned a new ride sharing program

NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP) — The skyrocketing price of gasoline has spawned a new ride sharing program in Rockland and Orange counties. The program is called NuRide. It's a free online service that rewards people who car pool with free items from corporate sponsors, such as Old Navy and Timberland.

NuRide was rolled out in Rockland a month ago. So far, 67 people have signed up. That number is expected to grow as county planners spread the word to local employers in the coming months.

People go to NuRide's Web site where they can arrange trips and set their own parameters, like requesting a nonsmoker in the car. Riders and drivers also rate one another on punctuality, courtesy and driving ability, ratings that are shared with other participants.

NuRide officials say their program goes beyond the standard car-pool service. While it is primarily used to get people to and from work, members are not restricted to traveling with the same people all the time or to the same places. A person can go to work with one driver and head home with another. They also can find one-time rides to shopping centers, concerts or New York City.

Although new to Rockland, NuRide has been active in Westchester since March. There, it has 572 people in the system.

NuRide started in March 2004 in the Washington, D-C. area. It has since spread to Houston; Fairfield County; and the northern suburbs. Based in northern Virginia, the company earns money from its 20 rewards sponsors and from contracts with governments, including the New York state Department of Transportation.

The company says it has more than 46-hundred users nationally.

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www.nuride.com


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