Commuters in the Washington region saved 237,000 gallons of gas and took more than 2,000 cars off the road during a yearlong, corporate-sponsored ride-sharing effort. San Ramon, Calif.-based Chevron Corp. and Essex, Conn.-based NuRide partnered to sponsor the Five Million Mile Rideshare Challenge.
The Web-based effort matched up 5,874 riders and drivers in D.C. and its suburbs in Maryland and Virginia so they could carpool together, Chevron spokesman Alex Yelland said Tuesday.
Chevron estimated the program saved 2,300 metric tons of gas, with more than 5 million fewer miles driven.
“That’s quite a big deal; it’s kind of like planting a tree every few hundred feet on the Beltway,” Yelland said. NuRide Inc. matches up commuters with each other in high-traffic commuting areas, and rewards them by allowing them to earn points they can trade in for incentives.
While Chevron donated vouchers for car repairs for the effort, other local companies sponsored prizes, such as Arena Stage’s contribution of show tickets and Atlantic Golf’s offer of greens passes.
