15 households to go carless for a month — sort of

Sometimes, we think the only way to get Houstonians to part with their cars would be to pry the vehicles from their cold, dead hands. But no — it turns out it might be done with hundreds of dollars' worth of incentives! At least that's what the South Main Alliance has in mind with its One Less Car Houston challenge, in which the group is trying to get 15 South Main-area households to give their cars up next month in favor of walking, carpooling, biking and mass transit. Sounds like a reality show waiting to happen.

Here's the skinny: The SMA is looking for 15 households near the Med Center with two or more working vehicles. The households chosen to participate in the program will give up one of their cars for the month of October in exchange for a bunch of goodies like event tickets and certificates to restaurants. Participants can get help from a "personal challenge coach" who, we suppose, will be available to answer questions like "What's 'carpool?'" During the month, participants will fill out a daily log telling how often they traveled and what mode of transportation they used for each trip.

It's an interesting idea — we like the concept of taking Houstonians out of their vehicles and, even in the vaguest sense, making them learn about alternative ways to get around the city. And if it starts with 15 families, so be it: Maybe it'll grow. Even so, we can't help but wonder how much of a challenge it will really be to take a car away from a household with at least one other working car. Ah well — baby steps.

The deadline to apply for the program is Monday; to learn more and apply, visit onelesscarhouston.com.