Mayor Kate McBride cuts the ribbon and kicks off the ride sharing program — one of Forth’s first of it’s kind in the state of Oregon.
Noah Noteboom photo
Community members who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Photo by Noah Noteboom
In the summer of 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy funded a project to bring environmentally clean transportation to the Gorge. Clean Rural Shared Electric Mobility (CRuSE) project is hoping to “demonstrate that round trip plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) car sharing can serve rural communities while benefiting low-income residents and local businesses.”
Kelly Yearick, Program Manager at Forth, worked alongside Columbia Area Transit, Pacific Power and the Columbia Willamette Clean Cities Coalition. Patty Fink, executive director for CAT, said that a former colleague contacted her and suggested that Forth had an opportunity she and the City of Hood River might be interested in. Two years later, the ribbon has been cut and the project has become a reality.
Project Manager Kelly Yearlick answers questions.
Noah Noteboom photo
Those who would like to use the car-sharing program must first download the “Envoy Mobility” app on their phone and sign up. They will then pay a small fee and receive a code from Forth headquarters. This will allow them access to the car, and they can begin driving. Users must return the car to the same location they started from.
Hood River Mayor Kate McBride spoke at the ceremony and thanked the hard work of several organizations. McBride also spoke to the environmental effects — with a strong focus on reducing the carbon footprint of Hood River — the cars will alleviate.
“It’s part of getting to the number we want to get to in the long run,” said McBride.
Organizers of the program and ribbon-cutting ceremony stand in front of the electric car.
Noah Noteboom photo
A total of five vehicles will be available to the public. They will be stationed in the Columbia parking lot, Hood River Fire Station, the waterfront by Gorge Paddling Center and two more located near affordable housing sites owned by the Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation.
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