The RoundTrip program of the Greater Madison MPO recently announced the launch of a new online platform connecting Dane County residents and commuters with convenient alternatives to driving alone.

RoundTrip provides resources and incentives that support affordable, sustainable transportation options including carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, and public transit.

Features of the new platform include a multimodal trip planner with easy-to-use ride-matching capabilities; personalized user dashboards; trip logging for personal stats and gamification; a RideBoard for one-time trips; and event-based trip pooling.

To celebrate, RoundTrip is sponsoring a March Madness Challenge through March 31 to reward car-free and car-lite commuters. Individuals can register at RoundTripGreaterMadison.org to connect with personalized transportation options; access the Emergency Ride Home program for car-free commuters; and participate in the March Madness Challenge and future regional reward programs.

RoundTrip encourages all residents and commuters to make transportation choices like walking, bicycling, carpooling, public transit, and telework a daily habit. With over 70% of Dane County commuters driving alone to work pre-pandemic, these choices contribute to a more affordable, sustainable, and equitable transportation system, and a higher quality of life for all as Dane County grows.

RoundTrip also encourages employers to promote transportation options at their workplace by partnering with RoundTrip. More information for employers is available on the RoundTrip website and in the Employer Commute Options Program Toolkit.

What to know about RoundTrip

• RoundTrip is a free transportation options program that connects individuals and employers in Dane County with affordable, convenient alternatives to driving alone, including carpools, bikepools, vanpools, transit and bicycle routes, and more.

• RoundTrip’s new online platform, accessible in Spanish and Hmong, connects commuters with carpool and bikepool partners, state vanpools, Metro Transit routes, Madison BCycle stations, and more. It also offers new features for one-time and event-based trip pooling.

• RoundTrip users can download the CommuteTracker mobile app by RideAmigos for Android or iOS, to access trip planning features and passive trip logging for incentive programs.

• Users can track trips to participate in reward programs like the March Madness Challenge, and to see their cost savings, calories burned, and CO2 reductions over time compared to driving alone.

• Employers can contact RoundTrip to set up networks that make it easier for employees to form pools and access incentives. Current workplace networks in the RoundTrip platform include the City of Madison, Dane County, UW-Madison, the City of Sun Prairie, Madison College, and more.

The RoundTrip platform is powered by RideAmigos, and made possible in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation RIDESHARE program and the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission CommuteWISE program.

RoundTrip is a program of the Greater Madison MPO (metropolitan planning organization), that connects individuals and employers in the Madison region with convenient alternatives to driving alone. Local funding partners include Dane County, the City of Madison, Metro Transit, and UW-Madison.

https://www.hngnews.com/sun_prairie_star/news/local/greater-madison-mpo-offers-new-transportation-roundtrip-platform/article_9551d560-b840-11ed-9ca8-9f49744f34cb.html