CT’s $4 gas fuels commuters' ridesharing - Gregory Seay, HartfordBusiness

Connecticut's mass transporters say $4-a-gallon motor fuel is driving more commuters to park their cars in favor of ride-sharing options. Even Massachusetts-based ZipCar, which has operations at four Connecticut college campuses, says it is seeing growing demand locally and nationally for its popular car-sharing service. At Rideshare, three Connecticut vanpools have started up in recent weeks and another half dozen are in the formative stages, Rideshare officials say. "No question increased gas prices increases interest in ride-sharing,'' said spokeswoman Nancy Fitzgerald. Rideshare's network has approximately 600 vans shuttling some 5,000 commuters daily roundtrip from home to work, Fitzgerald said. Of those, about 350 vans with some 3,000 riders make daily runs.