LANCASTER -Environmental consulting company Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E & E) has launched a suite of innovative web-based tools to help reduce the number of single-occupant vehicles, alleviate traffic congestion, reduce air pollution, and save money for commuters and governments.  The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) provided $762,272 to support the development and deployment of these new software tools, which will supplement the company’s substantial portfolio of GreenRide sustainable transportation programs.

The GreenRide Mobility Management Suite provides sustainable solutions for carpooling, fleet management, specialized transportation and paratransit applications, and vanpooling.  It has the potential to save New York  residents hundreds of millions of dollars annually through avoided vehicle trips and mileage, wear and tear, lowered fuel consumption, decreased traffic congestion,  reduced need for parking, and minimized atmospheric pollutants that contribute to asthma and climate change.

“Reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled is essential to helping New York decrease its transportation energy use and its harmful impact on the environment,” said Robert G. Callender, Vice President for Operations and Services at NYSERDA.  “NYSERDA’s partnership with Ecology and Environment, Inc. will provide innovative solutions to make ride-sharing a more viable alternative, and to help achieve the ambitious energy-reduction goals set by Governor David Paterson.”

Ecology and Environment, Inc. President and CEO Kevin Neumaier said, “In 1900, there were about 8,000 cars in the United States and an estimated 25,000 worldwide.  In 110 years we’ve now increased the number of vehicles 40,000 times, as the global vehicle population has reached one billion, and the number may double to two billion vehicles in the next 20 years.  At the same time, people are driving much more—nearly 3 trillion vehicle miles are traveled in the United States alone each year.”

GreenRide Mobility Management Solutions are web-based, integrated approaches that are designed to enable streamlined transportation management.  The complete GreenRide suite includes:

• GreenRide Connect:  A state-of-the-art ride-matching and commute-savings web-based tool that enables users in major markets across the state to instantly find personalized options to driving alone.
• GreenRide QuickFlow:  A unique fast-response ride-share program offering last-minute ride matching via mobile devices, GreenRide QuickFlow features personalized user-commute route traffic and weather reporting capabilities, web- and phone-based interactive voice recognition matching, 511, and high occupancy toll lane tie-ins.  It was developed with $105,848 in NYSERDA co-funding.
• GreenRide GreenFleet:  An innovative tool for vehicle fleet managers of large organizations including government and commercial employers, GreenRide GreenFleet helps reduce costs by matching and tracking business trip rides.  It was developed with $49,988 in NYSERDA co-funding.
• GreenRide Flex-T:  A patent-pending transportation matching program that shares the availability of empty seats in transportation vans belonging to multiple agencies to deliver more rides to more people.
• GreenRide Vanpool – A streamlined solution for real-time matching of users to vanpools, rapid creation of vanpool routes and schedules, and efficient management of vehicles and passengers.  Vanpooling and GreenRide Vanpool was promoted with $149,950 in NYSERDA funding.

For additional information on the GreenRide Mobility Management Suite of services visit www.greenride.com