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JBSA News
NEWS | Oct. 8, 2015

JBSA, community partners establish center, Rideshare

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs

Joint Base San Antonio Community Partnership leaders signed a new memorandum of understanding to formally establish the JBSA Commuter Center and unveil the enhanced JBSA RideShare program during a ceremony at the Port Authority of San Antonio offices Tuesday.

The JBSA Virtual Commuter Center will serve as the primary source of information regarding the JBSA Mass Transportation Benefit Program, which encourages the use of alternative transportation options with monetary incentives.

“The JBSA vCommuter Center website will be a one stop shop for anyone at JBSA considering alternative transportation,” said James Williams, for the 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron deputy director. “The mass transportation benefit program provides several opportunities for our employees to be environmentally friendly, helping us become more successful at reducing our collective carbon footprint.”

The JBSA vCommuter Center was created through a partnership between the base, vRide, the Alamo Area Council of Governments, VIA Metropolitan Transit and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Together, these partners will offer several alternative means of transportation to the JBSA community, including the RideShare program, through the JBSA vCommuter Center website at http://www.jbsa.mil/Resources/JBSARideShare.aspx.

The first part of this mass transportation benefit program is the RideShare program, a vanpool system that links JBSA employees with selected vanpool providers.

Once an individual applies for the program, they select a vanpool provider through VIA or vRide, after which they will be assigned a vanpool based on location and availability. Additionally, participants receive a monetary incentive for using the program.

According to officials, each established vanpool takes anywhere from four to 11 personal vehicles off the road, reducing automotive emissions and helping to minimize the stress individuals may feel during their commute. Currently, only 3 percent of eligible JBSA employees participate in the program.

RideShare will be one of several alternatives within the mass transportation benefit program which will eventually include specific processes for use of a bus, vanpool, train or light rail system.

“We are very proud to be working with our incredible community partners on this important traffic reduction and environmentally responsible initiative,” said Brig. Gen. Bob LaBrutta, 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio commander.

“Utilizing alternative forms of transportation will not only decrease congestion on the highways and other traffic arteries in and around San Antonio, it will also have a positive environmental impact as we reduce emissions,” LaBrutta added. “Bottom line: JBSA is a proud member of this tremendous community known as ‘Military City USA.’ The Commuter Center and Rideshare program is the simply the right thing to do, and we appreciate the teamwork and support of everyone involved.” 

The JBSA Community Partnership Initiative works to increase the efficiency of JBSA installations partnerships with both public and private organizations. These working relationships are referred to as P4 (Public to Public, Public to Private) partnerships and allow military installations to join with nearby public and private entities to consolidate resources while reducing the financial burden.