Three years ago this week I said goodbye to my job at Microsoft to launch Goose Networks on nothing more than an interesting idea and a few dozen cans of Red Bull.  Zac joined me out in Seattle soon after, and we hunkered down that summer to explore just how (and if) we could build a business around using technology to alter everyday transportation patterns.

We focused our first six months on building a ground-breaking, SMS-based service to enable real-time ridesharing.  The technology worked, but we never quite discovered how to recruit enough users on to the service to take advantage of the network effect.  What we did discover, however, was that more and more companies and organizations were growing their own internal commuter management programs, and many of them had similar technology needs that weren't being met.  Starting in late 2006, we began to re-imagine Goose as a technology platform that could power all types of commuter management services -- commute reporting, shuttle management, and, of course, rideshare matching.  By the end of the year, we had snagged our first two big contracts, and have been powering some of the country's most effective commuter management programs ever since.

We've certainly re-adjusted our focus a number of times since April 2006, but our core mission has remained remarkably consistent all along.  Here's to another three years!

The Pacific Northwest is one of two new regions added in 2009 to the enormously successful Clean Tech Open which launched in California in 2006. Goose was the transportation category runner-up in 2008. As a part of the kick off event for the new Pacific Northwest Clean Tech Open, Goose spoke to a packed house last night at Seattle's recently renovated Arctic hotel. 

The size and enthusiasm of the crowd are good indications of the future of the Clean Tech Open outside of California. We are excited to have such a valuable program happening in our backyard and look forward to supporting the entrepreneurs who will represent the Northwest in what is now a national competition.

We're proud to welcome our newest customer, Patagonia, to the Goose Networks flock. Ventura, CA based Patagonia is a great company known for not only making the highest quality outdoor clothing & gear, but creating these goods with processes that cause the least harm to the environment.

Patagonia launched their Goose CMP powered commuter resourcese program earlier this month, in time for the company's annual Bike to Work Week initiative. Patagonia has been using our commute calendar to track and measure the company-wide effort to reduce their footprint and the results have been astounding! Since launching their program, Patagonia has stepped up their efforts to use alternative transportation to and from work, resulting in the reduction of over 107,000 lbs. of carbon from being released into the atmosphere, reduced 23,000 trips, and saved over 5,500 gallons of gas. 

For a complete wrap of of Patagonia's Bike to Work week, visit Patagonia's employee weblog.

Here at Goose we're always excited to see the efforts of our customers accrue on a daily basis, and it's numbers like these that inspire us to do even more to support our customers.

Yesterday the New York Times summarized the growing debate over a mileage tax as a replacement or supplement to the current state and federal fuel tax.  As the article reminds us, the federal gas tax (18.4 cents per gal) has not changed since 1993. 

Also today the Times covers the rise in transit ridership in 2008.  Figures just released show that ridership hit a 52 year high.   Unfortunately for many transit agencies this spike in demand come at a time when funding is drying up. 

What happens when a system gets too crowded?  The interstate highway system grew rapidly in the 50's.  Since 1960, growth in road miles has been flat, averaging around 2.6% per decade.  On the other hand, road use as measured in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), has grown at a much more rapid clip.  Our analysis of Federal Transportation data showed a 250% increased in vehicle miles traveled between 1960 and 2000.  During the same period the number of road miles increased by only 11%.  Same roads and more miles = congestion and wear & tear. 

While some of this VMT increase comes from more cars on the road the majority of the growth is in per capita mileage.  For a nice analysis and an introduction to Jevons paradox check this post from metcaffeination.

Recent discussion of a mileage tax is causing a minor political dustup.  There is a summary today in Crosscut by Matt Rosenberg from the Cascadia Center at the Discovery Institute.  A standard reaction to the idea of a tax on miles driven is, " just raise the gas tax and provide incentive to use more fuel efficient vehicles."  As the Crosscut article states, the gas tax "sends poor price signals to motorists".  The article adds that a mileage tax "would clarify the linkage between driving and the needs of a poorly maintained and underpriced system."

It's a safe bet that deliberation on a VMT tax will be protracted and contentious.  Whether or not you agree with the premise of a mileage tax the Crosscut article and metcaffeination post will get you ready to join the debate. 

Executive summary of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission final report (released on Feb 26).

Portland Transport summary of pilot program tracking VMT.

Over the last month, we have quietly begun enabling a new feature for all of our clients that should dramatically improve their page load times and overall site performance.

There are two primary factors that affect the rate at which web sites load: the speed at which our servers can generate a response, and the time required for that response to get back to the user.  The first factor is fairly easy to optimize; we run high quality code, on high quality servers, in a high quality datacenter.  The second factor, however, has traditionally been tougher to 'tune' -- after all, our clients may be spread out all over the country, but our servers are all still located in Dallas.

That's where our new Content Delivery Network (CDN) comes in.  Here's the basic idea: instead of serving all of our clients sites from our Dallas-based datacenter, we distribute the content to 'virtual' datacenters across the world.  We have CDN servers located in Seattle, San Francisco, LA, St. Louis, Newark, Virginia, and Miami.  For international users, we also are distributing content from data centers throughout Europe and Asia.  When a user sends a request to an application running on our platform, it is automatically routed to the nearest server for processing.  For example: if you're accessing a Goose-powered service from New York City, most of the content delivered to you will be coming from Newark, instead of all the way from Texas.

The best part?  As a program administrator, you don't have to do anything - your CDN is automatically enabled.  Happy surfing!

We've written before about the challenge facing public transit as demand for service increases.  The New York Times covered the "rider paradox" in a story this week.  Here in Seattle buses are packed and another fare increase was just approved.  Transit agencies across the country are cutting service and raising fares. 

While the stimulus package winds through Congress it is worth noting the levels of proposed investment in transit ($3b is a potential but not guaranteed figure) versus the public money already doled out to seemingly healthly banks and credit card firms.  As an example, credit card goliath Capitol One received $3.5B in December and promptly bought failing Chevy Chase Bank while claiming they did not need the bailout funds to complete the deal.  That leads to the obvious question of why they needed bailout funds in the first place. 

Hopefully we'll see more federal funds directed towards public transit which, as the Times article points out, facilitates employment for lower income workers. 

If you pay for a transit pass to get to work or pay for onsite parking, you may already be taking advantage of a section in the tax code that allows for payment with pre-tax dollars.  Currently employers can subsidize up to $120 per month on transit and up to $230 per month on parking. 

If that imbalance seems odd to you you're not alone, at least not on this blog.  We were heartened to hear that the incoming administration has stated their intent to equalize these benefits and create additional incentives to get people out of their cars. 

Does your employer cover the cost of onsite parking?  How about transit?  If you are a non-parker do you receive any additional compensation for choosing not to take up a space?  With onsite parking potentially adding almost $3,000 in tax free comp it's not a trivial issue. 

I had the pleasure of attending the California Clean Tech Open awards gala last night at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco.  It is billed as the 'Oscars of Clean Tech' and we were thrilled to make the podium, winning the runner-up award in the highly competitive transportation category. 

There were some great companies involved in the competition and it was fun to meet and mingle with the other contestants.  Check here to learn more about the Clean Tech Open.  If you are running or thinking about starting a company that fits one of their five categories give strong consideration to entering the competition in 2009.  The support and resources they provide to finalist companies is phenomenal.  Last night at the awards event they announced the launch of the Rocky Mountain Clean Tech Open in 2009.  Hopefully a Northwest version will be in the works before too long.   

Our friends at the Sightline Institute posted some analysis today on the number of work hours required to fill a 15 gallon gas tank.  Take a look.