Reporter
The annual environmental friendly event Rideshare Week returns to Kern County on Oct. 3.
Residents of Kern County are invited to participate in Rideshare Week, an event where people pledge to take alternative forms of transportation for a week.
From Oct. 3-7 Kern County is encouraged to take alternative forms of transportation such as carpooling, taking the bus, riding a bike, vanpool, skateboard, walk, take the train, and or drive your electric car or hybrid.
Rideshare Week at CSU Bakersfield works toward making the community aware of the environmental problems in the County as well as to try and reduce traffic congestion.
The even that started not long ago was brought to CSUB, in association with someone else, by Deborah Burks the confidential office support II. Burks invites students and faculty to pledge online.
The pledge form for Rideshare Week is done at the commute Kern website. When the pledge is submitted the applicant automatically enters a raffle for a chance to win one prize. The prizes range from gift cards to bicycles and even ipads.
CSUB students not only have a chance to win prizes from Commute Kern but Burks as well. Burks encourages students to take the pledge online and walk into her office with proof of completion. Burks gives every student that has completed the pledge a surprise gift.
Rideshare Week can be a fun, money-saving way of helping the environment and traffic congestion, but many may be skeptical of taking alternative modes of transportation.
One of the arguments for not participating in Rideshare Week is the possibility of having an emergency and not being able to attend it because of lack of transportation. Commute Kern takes on that responsibility, and if the occasion arises they will reimburse the cost of your emergency transportation, the only thing needed is your receipt.
In addition to matching rides and emergency transport reimbursement, CSUB offers GET Bus discounts for currently enrolled students. These passes can be found on campus in the cashier’s office.
Rideshare is a way the CSUB community can come together and help the environment while saving money or exercising. Rideshare week brings awareness of what people can do to help better the quality of air and reduce traffic congestion, but Kern County is greatly encouraged to continue taking alternative forms of transportation even after rideshare week has ended.
CSUB can be the leading example of their community by pledging online for rideshare week. Last year only 57 members of the CSUB community pledged for rideshare, this year Burks said she hopes 1000 people pledge.
