University of California Transportation Center

The October 17, 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in Northern California caused extensive damage to the region's transportation network and forced temporary commute modifications during the reconstruction period. This paper describes pre- and post- earthquake commute characteristics on the major interregional highway connecting Santa Cruz County with the San Francisco Bay area and examines whether the enforced carpooling required during the highway reconstruction period caused any sustained changes in ridesharing behavior in this corridor. Based on two surveys conducted during and after the reconstruction period, the paper concludes that 57 percent of survey respondents indicated that the greatest incentives to continue carpooling ridesharing most often cited irregular work hours as the reason. Implications for rideshare marketing are discussed.