ADVISORY/CALSTART, Bikestation and Flexcar Open First `Clean Mobility Center'; Excellent Photo, `Ride-and-Drive' Opportunities
--Advanced Transportation Center Grand Opening Offers Shared `City Wheels' Electric Cars, Bikes & Scooters for the public WHAT: CALSTART, the nation's leading advanced transportation consortium, will open the nation's first Clean Mobility Center at Bikestation Long Beach, on the Transit Mall. Local and regional officials, as well as company representatives from alliance partners CALSTART, Bikestation Coalition and Flexcar, will be on hand to mark the opening of this groundbreaking environmental transportation facility in advance of Earth Day. WHERE: Bikestation Long Beach - Downtown Transit Mall 105 The Promenade North (at First Street), Long Beach, Calif. Take the 710 South and exit Broadway east, past Pine Ave. and turn right into first parking lot. Two-hour validation. Facility: (562) 436-2453 (BIKE). WHEN: Friday, April 19, 2002 Grand Opening Festivities 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Plug-In Ceremony 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. WHO: Hear These Speakers ... -- John Boesel, President, CALSTART -- Mark Shandrow, President, Bikestation Coalition Long Beach -- Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald -- Long Beach Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal -- Henry Taboada, Long Beach City Manager -- Ervin Poka, Team Leader, Federal Transit Administration -- James de la Loza, Exec. Officer, Planning & Programming, Los Angeles County MTA
BACKGROUND: | CALSTART, the California-based advanced transportation technologies consortium, has developed a Clean Mobility Center concept with Bikestation Coalition of Long Beach and car-sharing company, Flexcar, of Seattle, WA, to offer City Wheels, an innovative vehicle-sharing program to encourage clean trips, and relieve parking and vehicle congestion. Three types of zero-emission vehicles -- electric city cars, bikes, and scooters -- will be available to commuters and local travelers for convenient, short trips from Bikestation Long Beach -- located on the Transit Mall -- where it can conveniently serve commuters using the Metro Blue Line and Long Beach Transit service. The Clean Mobility Center is a model that can be replicated nationwide at transit hubs and in communities. |