Description
Collaborate with the hotels, casinos, event venues, and event planners to provide free shuttles, information, and other resources to visitors and employees to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips.
Implementation Details
- Establish partnerships between large employers (e.g., Agua Caliente Casino, Spotlight 29 Casino), major resorts, and event venues to fund and operate shared employee and visitor shuttle services connecting major hubs like Palm Springs, Indio, and Cathedral City.
- Coordinate with SunLine Transit to align shuttle services with local transit schedules and stops.
- Require large event organizers (e.g., Coachella, Stagecoach) to submit transportation demand management plans that include provisions for free or subsidized shuttle access, carpooling platforms, bike valet, and real-time transit information.
- Create a regional TDM checklist for event permit applications.
- Create a regional “Go Green in the Desert” campaign targeting visitors, emphasizing sustainable travel choices including transit, walking, biking, and shuttles.
- Partner with Visit Greater Palm Springs and local chambers of commerce to distribute sustainable travel guides through hotel concierge desks and tourism websites.
Mitigation Potential
Offering information and shuttles as an alternative option to visitors and hospitality workers makes driving less attractive and reduces VMT. While there is less research on quantifying this VMT reduction strategy, traveler and guest surveys can help quantify the effectiveness of this strategy locally.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Ensure outreach includes companies that employ large numbers of low-wage workers.
Funding Sources
Unlikely to require significant additional funding, but will require staff time.
Examples/Case Studies
LA Metro SoFi Stadium Shuttle
LA Metro offers a convenient and eco-friendly shuttle service for those attending events at SoFi Stadium. On NFL game days, there is a free shuttle service available from the Hawthorne/Lennox Metro C-Line (green) station to SoFi Stadium. This service starts approximately three hours before kickoff, runs every five to eight minutes, and continues for about 1.5 hours after each game.
Local Event Based Shuttle Services
- BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells Tennis Garden) — Hotel and parking shuttles circulating between venues and lots during the tournament.
- Coachella/Stagecoach festival shuttles — Regionwide hotel and park-and-ride circulators during event weekends.
- Indio International Tamale Festival — Free parking shuttles circulating between the fairgrounds parking and festival site.
- Palm Springs International Film Festival — Free festival shuttles linking venues and host hotels.