Welcome to Rideshare

As we begin a new fiscal year on campus, you will see that the CSULB Rideshare Program has a new look, new forms, new incentive rewards, and new programs and services for our faculty, students and staff. Some of these changes were driven by external forces – the changing economy and state budget cuts, the changing environment and resulting regulations imposed by the passage of AB32, and the dramatic increase in gas prices and resulting increased demand for Rideshare programs and services. Other changes were prompted by internal considerations – How can we continue to offer program incentive / reward benefits such as cash-value Beach Points and transit subsidies when Rideshare ended this past fiscal year with a $150,000 deficit? How can we, as a commuter school, meet the need of those who have been hit the hardest by the increase in gas prices – the students who have already had to face fee increases as well as the faculty and staff who must commute more than 20 miles to their job site?

The new forms are now on our website for on-line entry and submission, and provide employees who participate with $1 cash value in Rideshare Rewards for each day they carpool, bike, walk, or don't travel due to telecommuting or compressed work week. All points earned prior to July 2008 have been converted to their dollar value. Rideshare Rewards will include Beach Bucks or Gift Cards for Lowe's, and local restaurants owned & operated by CSULB alumni, such as Café Piccolo Restaurant. Rideshare forms are now available in Spanish in order to reach more CSULB students, faculty and staff with information on how they can help themselves, each other and the environment through Rideshare.

All CSULB students are now encouraged to participate directly in the Rideshare Program through internships and receive Rideshare Rewards such as carpool permit upgrades and entry into a monthly Beach Bucks drawing.

To kick-off student participation this Fall, we partnered with Long Beach Transit to offer the U-Pass, giving all currently enrolled CSULB students, faculty and staff unlimited free rides on LBT. We are also working with Long Beach Transit to completely refurbish the 4 bus stops on campus with safer lighting, more seating, and better shelter.

Additionally, we are working with The City of Long Beach to improve safe bike route access to campus, and the Atherton Bike Lane should be completed by Fall 2009. We are currently working with the city, the A.S.I., and Campus Police to establish a Bike Share Program at CSULB.

In order to meet the increased demand for shuttle services and public transit subsidies for faculty and staff, we are offering $50 Commuter Cash Certificates. These can be used towards the purchase of transit fare at the University Bookstore.

Finally, we are working to provide those faculty and staff who live farthest away from the campus with a van pool. Van pool participants would be eligible to receive the Metro Vanpool subsidy of $400 per month toward the cost of leasing each van.

If you would like more information on any Rideshare program or service, please call ext. 5-4091 or email rideshare@csulb.edu.