FOR MEDIA INFORMATION:
Contact:
Jim Jaquish
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Jackson Spalding
Kim Scarborough
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Jackson Spalding
For Immediate Release
It’s Celebration Time for Commuter Club
Success of Vanpools Prompts “Vanpool Appreciation Month”
ATLANTA, June, 2006 — As roads become more congested and the commute to work becomes more frustrating, Atlantans are looking for better ways to navigate the roads. The exponential growth of Commuter Club’s vanpool program shows that employees working in the Cumberland Galleria area have found a solution to their commute woes.
With more than 70 vans, Commuter Club’s program is the largest of any other Transportation Management Association’s in the Southeast. For $50 per month, commuters from as close as Kennesaw and as far away as Jackson County can ride a van to Cumberland Galleria.
Commuter Club plans to celebrate its success by naming August “Vanpool Appreciation Month.” The festivities will include various activities, prizes and giveaways, as well as lobby displays in office buildings partnered with the program.
“Vanpooling is a major step toward reducing pollution and traffic in the Atlanta area, and we’re so proud of our programs’ accomplishments,” said Ginny Rainey, executive director of Commuter Club. “We want to dedicate August to thanking our participants and spreading the news of how others can experience the tangible benefits of vanpooling.”
Participants have found that vanpooling saves time and money, reduces their stress levels, and allows them to build friendships. For many vanpoolers, their ride to work with coworkers and friends has become a way of life.
“I thought I would try vanpooling for a little while because gas prices were so high. But that was almost a year ago, and now I’ll never go back to driving alone,” said Sandy Moore, who vanpools to the Cumberland Galleria area from Newnan, Ga. “I’ve made great friends in my carpool, and the ride into work is so much more relaxing.”
The numbers, alone, show that Commuter Club’s vanpool program deserves a celebration. Since its inception in 1996, Commuter Club estimates that it has helped save commuters $5 million, and has prevented 75 tons of harmful pollutants and 37 million miles of car travel.
“Every day we receive calls from people who are interested in learning about our vanpool program,” Rainey said. “We added seven new vans in May and can’t wait to see how many we will have in August. Our program is on a roll.”
Funded by the Cumberland Community Improvement District (CID), Commuter Club has worked for 10 years to provide Cumberland Galleria businesses, commuters and property managers with better transportation solutions. In addition to the vanpool program, Commuter Club offers carpooling, ridesharing, facility and land-use assistance, and work schedule arrangements. For more information about Commuter Club and vanpooling, visit www.commuterclub.com.
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