Valley Metro launched Rideshare Month on Tuesday, asking commuters to use public transit as a form of transportation at least once during the work week.
To kick off Rideshare Month, Valley Metro organized a fair in downtown Phoenix to take place Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CityScape.
Friday’s event will include free refreshments, entertainment and information about traveling by public transit and carpooling, said Susan Tierney, a Valley Metro spokeswoman.
The Rideshare Fair will provide live performances by Mill’s End and Peachcake, both of which are Valley Metro NOTES bands.
According to the Valley Metro website, the NOTES campaign started in November and is made up of six local bands that have each written and recorded songs about public transportation. Each song explains different aspects of utilizing public transportation.
The song ideas are obtained from people’s questions, Tierney said. “We give the bands the key points and they compose the songs.”
Peachcake, an indie pop group from Carefree, Ariz., wrote a song titled “Try 1 in 5” featured on the Valley Metro website through their NOTES campaign. The song is about Rideshare Month and encourages commuters to use public transit or carpool one day out of five.
Stefan Pruett, creator, vocalist and songwriter of Peachcake, said that writing for and participating in the Valley Metro campaign was “a learning experience.”
“I actually am horrible; I don’t take public transit,” Pruett said. “I live in Carefree, and I would have to drive 20 minutes or so to get to a bus stop.”
Pruett said he would use public transit if he could because he said we have abused the environment to the point where anything helps.
“It’s a small step, but we can take more of those and eventually they’ll get bigger,” he said.
Tierney also said every little part counts since she said one pound of pollution is created for every 45 miles driven.
Journalism sophomore Casey McClanahan said he rides the light rail more for convenience than for environmental reasons. McClanahan wasn’t optimistic about Rideshare Month.
“Personally, I don’t think it will work,” he said. “You have to do something for longer than a month to see the effect.”
Tierney said Valley Metro ultimately wants people to reduce single trips all year long. It all begins somewhere, she said.
“Try to carpool or take transit one day out of five,” she said. “It will make an impact.”
Mirjana Danilovic, an ASU junior, commutes from the West Valley on Tuesdays and Thursdays to the Downtown campus and said she does not ride the light rail because “it takes too long.” She said that even though she has to pay for gas and parking, it is worth it to her because she saves time.
Peachcake’s Pruett said there are all kinds of reasons why using public transportation can be an enjoyable experience.
“You open yourself to a whole new world of what is out there and who is out there,” he said. “Ultimately, it can be an adventure.”
Contact the reporter at mgutier8@asu.edu
