Ridefinders launches ‘Museum Mania Carpool Challenge’
GRANITE CITY — Free museum visits and memberships are just a drive away for area commuters who register a new carpool or vanpool.
A one-year membership to the Missouri History Museum, one-year membership to the St. Louis Art Museum, four tickets to the latest exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum, or two free admissions to the City Museum are among possibilities for those registering with RideFinders, the St. Louis region’s free rideshare program.
The promotion called the “Museum Mania Carpool Challenge” is open to any St. Louis area commuter who registers a new carpool or vanpool with RideFinders or adds riders to any existing carpool or vanpool between now and August 31.
For those new to carpooling, individuals can create a “Commuter Profile” at RideFinders.org and receive a list of commuters with whom to carpool, utilizing RideFinders’ free online ride-matching tool. The secure database includes more than 15,000 St. Louis area commuters who are searching for a carpool match. Those who are already carpooling can register their carpool for free at RideFinders.org and will become eligible for the Guaranteed Ride Home program, four free taxi rides home each year in case of an emergency.
Established in 1994, RideFinders is a free public service for the nine-county St. Louis region that works with more than 900 employers to promote the benefits of sharing the ride, while helping to form carpools or vanpools through its ride-matching service. RideFinders’ mission is to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. With fuel prices in the St. Louis area rising by 20 percent since the spring of 2017, ridesharing is even more cost effective for commuters.
“There are hundreds of area commuters who are carpooling but are missing out on the free benefits by not being registered with RideFinders,” said spokesperson SJ Morrison. “RideFinders wants to recognize and reward those who share the ride to work or class and provide them with an incentive to continue making a positive impact on our region. What better incentive than to enjoy some of our world-class museums this summer.”
In 2017, RideFinders carpoolers and vanpoolers collectively saved more than $3 million on commuting costs, eliminated 1.3 million pounds of air pollution, and removed 3,059 vehicles from the roads in the St. Louis region.
Four “Museum Mania Challenge” winners will be selected from those who register their carpool or join a carpool by Aug. 31. Based on the order they are randomly drawn, the winners will select either the one-year “Friends” level membership at the Missouri History Museum, One-year membership to the St. Louis Art Museum, four tickets to the “Sunken Cities” special exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum, or the two admissions to St. Louis’ City Museum. The winners will be announced on Aug. 31. For more information about RideFinders, the Guaranteed Ride Home program or how to participate in the “Museum Mania Challenge” visit RideFinders.org, call (314) 621-7433, e-mail ridefinders@mct.org or find ‘RideFinders” on Facebook.
RideFinders is operated by Madison County Transit and is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program with support from the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the East-West Gateway Council of Governments.
