Published: July 03, 2008 03:19 pm         

Gas prices prompt surge in carpooling

By Melissa Waites

The North Jefferson News



As gas prices continue to rise, the Park & Ride located in Blount County has seen an increase in usage.

Park & Ride facilities are free parking lots for carpools and vanpools to meet up before commuting to work.

The Park & Ride located in Blount County, exit 284 on I-65, is operated by the Alabama Department of Transportation.

“The Park & Ride in Hayden is one of our busier meeting places in Alabama,” said Sean Saffle, project manager for CommuteSmart in Birmingham.

The CommuteSmart program is sponsored by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham and was created in 1999 to help lighten traffic congestion and reduce air pollution in Jefferson and Shelby counties.

Carpooling or vanpooling is a great way to get to and from work and more people seem to be taking advantage of it.

Jeff Dennis of Hayden commutes with co-workers from Birmingham to work in Jasper.

Wednesday was Dennis’ second time using the Park & Ride but said that the increase in gas prices has prompted him to use it.

Unlike Dennis, some Park & Ride users have enjoyed its benefits for years.

Barry McCay of Hayden has been using the Park & Ride for three years for commutes to Birmingham.

“I use it to ride with someone else to work and also because of the increase in gas prices,” McCay said.

Allison Turner of Warrior commutes to Cullman with a co-worker.

“I’ve been using the Park & Ride for five years,” Turner said. “It’s convenient and it saves on gas.”

According to the CommuteSmart Web site, carpooling can save money, reduces the wear and tear on vehicles and helps the environment by reducing pollution.

CommuteSmart is 100 percent federally-funded and all CommuterSmart services are provided at no cost to local companies and their employees, according to the groups Web site, www.commutesmarter.org

The Web site also offers an online ride match data base for commuters in search of a carpool.

The Alabama Department of Transportation has another Park & Ride located in Chilton County, south of Birmingham on I-65 at exit 219.