They say old habits are hard to break, but when it comes to doing our share for cleaner air, that’s exactly what the Air Quality Partnership wants to encourage everyone to do. It’s easy and beneficial too. Just leave your keys at home and consider taking the bus, carpooling, biking or even walking to work. In addition to saving money and helping protect our air, you may actually find yourself enjoying the ride and improving your health!

The Share the Ride Challenge is a fun contest that encourages people in the Lehigh Valley – Berks region to “share the ride” by carpooling, vanpooling, biking and using public transportation. These efforts can help to reduce air polluting ground level ozone and particle pollution, relieve congested roads, and save you money on your commuting expenses. May 1 through September 30, 2011, during the peak ozone season, commuters in Lehigh, Northampton, and Berks Counties are dared to share the ride by carpooling, vanpooling or riding the bus as much as possible. So sign up now and let’s do our share for cleaner air and share the ride all year!

The Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority’s Metro system (LANTA) is a network of 35 fixed bus routes throughout the Lehigh Valley, providing daily, later evening, and weekend services. More than 380,000 people live within walking distance of a Metro route.

• Each year it’s estimated that households that use public transportation save over $1,399 worth of gas.
• Public transportation use saves the equivalent of 300,000 fewer automobile fill-ups every day.
• By reducing smog-producing pollutants, greenhouse gases and by conserving ecologically sensitive lands and open spaces – public transportation is helping to meet national air quality standards.

This special day is designed to encourage people to get out of their cars and ride public transportation to raise awareness of the financial and environmental benefits of public transportation. Public transportation has the ability to save people money, conserve gasoline, and reduce the harmful greenhouse gases emitted into our environment.

In addition to helping reduce traffic congestion and cleaning up our air, carpooling can save you up to $1,500 a year by lowering your gasoline bills, insurance costs, and car maintenance. It’s also a great way to reduce the stress of your daily commute as carpoolers can choose to read, sleep, or chat when they’re not behind the wheel.

Believe or not, by biking just 4 miles you can keep 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air while enjoying some good cardiovascular exercise. Find out how you can help your employer become a Bicycle Friendly Business and be sure to participate in National Bike to Work Day & Week.

Need help with commuting options?
Commuter Services is a professionally staffed organization funded by federal Congestion Mitigation & Air Quality funds. Through our free services, we work to reduce traffic congestion by helping commuters find alternatives, other than driving alone, and by reaching out to employers so they can help their workforce find those options. Using alternatives also helps improve air quality, and fewer cars in rush hour can mean safer highways, too.

The League of American Bicyclists
This national organization's mission is to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America.