This from Rebeccah Welch at the Center for the Urban Environment

Urban Environmentalist NYC – Ask the Expert

Jeffrey Chernick, CEO and Co-Founder of rideamigos.com, launched the ridesharing service with his partner and childhood best friend Evan Meyer in September 2007 (pictured here, left to right).  They have since taken the site from a NYC-based taxi-sharing service to a global ridesharing solutions company. Chernick will be speaking on the subject of “Navigating NYC: From Pedicabs to Green Car Services” at Green Brooklyn.. Green City on September 18th. For more information visit www.greenbrooklyn.org.

CUE: What is Ride Amigos, where did this idea come from—and, most importantly, how does it work?

Chernick: rideamigos.com is a free online tool that matches people going the same way at the same time so that they can share a taxi or fill a carpool anywhere, anytime on planet Earth.  Using is easy: simply enter where you are going and what time you want to arrive, and then whether it’s a one time ride (i.e. airport) or recurring ride (i.e. commute).  Where did the idea come from?  To be honest, my own annoying NYC subway commute.  Instead of taking the 50 minute "V" train, I wanted to share a 10 minute taxi right up First Avenue.  I found another rider, Abigail, who wanted to save time and money and boom, I had a rideamiga the first day we launched.

CUE: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing urban residents in terms of transportation—and does Brooklyn have any distinguishing features in this regard?

Chernick: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends eighteen cents of every dollar earned on transportation – that makes our cars the second largest expense behind housing.  That amount plus expensive parking makes transportation a Brooklyn budget nightmare.  So take public transit, some would exclaim!  Unfortunately, not everyone lives near a convenient subway or bus line.  And it’s not always a financial question.  The stress of waiting on a bus line or for a crowded subway can be hellish.

CUE: From a transportation perspective, what are the top 3 things an average city resident can do to reduce the carbon footprint of New York City?

Chernick: 1)  Ride a bike or walk – healthy for your body, healthy for our Earth; 2)  Take public transportation -the more people taking mass transit, the lighter the New York City carbon footprint; 3)  Rideshare!  If you are going to drive or take a taxi, use rideamigos.com or a service like it and find a commute partner.  You never know who you might meet while cutting cost and resource use in half!

CUE: What are the statistics on cab use in NYC? Has that changed over time—and what accounts for that change?

Chernick: According to the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), 600,000 Yellow Taxi rides are taken daily with an average of 1.4  passengers per ride, with an average ride costing $10.95.  What’s more, there is an average of 13,237 yellow taxis on the road at any given time.  These numbers continue to rise, mainly because gas prices dissuade drivers from taking their own cars and demand for rapid transport is higher than ever.

CUE: This is a little bit of a lead question… but is there a social and civic mission to ride sharing, a goal of bringing isolated city residents together through shared transportation alternatives?

Chernick: Absolutely!  Ride sharing is all about meeting new people, forming relationships, and interacting with other humans.  Finding a ride share partner fortifies existing community relationships and encourages neighbors to interact and connect.  The more local residents participating, the more tight-knit the entire New York City community will be.

Interview conducted by Rebeccah Welch—Associate Director of Public Affairs at the Center for the Urban Environment. As a guide to a more sustainable New York City, the Center is dedicated to educating individuals about the built and natural environments. For more about our work visit www.thecue.org.

Rebeccah Welch, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Public Affairs
Center for the Urban Environment
718.788.8500 x263
rwelch@bcue.org
www.bcue.org

Green Brooklyn…Green City!  On September 18th, join us at the largest green event in the borough: www.greenbrooklyn.org