Follow Our Historical Road Map

1981 – Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored COMPOOL, the South’s first non-profit ridesharing program. COMPOOL was fueled by the gas crisis of the late ‘70s and heightened public awareness of environmental concerns.

1983 – COMPOOL used the first-ever computerized system to arrange commuter carpools, and turned vanpool vision into a reality.

1985 – COMPOOL changed its name to RideFinders, and joined forces with the Central Richmond Association to develop the country’s first downtown parking and commuter information service.

1987 – Marked the initiation of vans, mini-buses, and subscription bus service to Kings Dominion — the start of the landmark Capital Area Training Consortium Vanpool program, which helped arrange transportation for people who needed it most.

1990 – Work began on the Transportation Allowance program to coordinate commuter-oriented fringe benefits offered by Richmond Region employers. The Guaranteed Ride Home was introduced to allow ridesharing commuters who may need to leave work early or stay late a way to get home by taxi, and RideFinders would reimburse most of the cost. The first Employers Transportation Management Association was developed.

1991 – RideFinders assisted GRTC Transit System in starting the Transit Fare Subsidy Program.

1994 – Commuter Store opened on East Main Street in Richmond. RideFinders teamed up with the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce and the Retail Merchants Association of Greater Richmond to form the Ozone Advisory Program.

1998 – The Employee Transportation Coordinator (ETC) Network is launched to help dedicated citizens arrange alternative transportation for their co-workers through RideFinders in businesses all over the region. The RideFinders organization came under the management of GRTC Transit System, allowing for an integrated total transit system in the Greater Richmond Region.

1999 – RideFinders implemented the Commonwealth Commuter Choice program, that provides state employees with vanpool vouchers and transit tickets.

2000 – Co-hosted Ozone Awareness Day with GRTC Transit System. Convened meetings of the Vanpool Advisory Committee, a bike-pedestrian study, and the first series of ETC roundtable discussions.

2001 – “Get Aware of Your Air” initiative educates a whole new generation to the dangers of ground-level ozone.