JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
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.