carpooling

Sharing the drive saves wear and tear on your car, helps reduce congestion and pollution and saves money on parking costs. You also don’t have to commit to carpooling every day. Share a ride once a week, twice a week or every day.

To find a carpool partner ask around at your work place, at your gym, your children’s school or log on to Rideshare, Etc to find a carpool match. The Rideshare Etc. website is a matching service that allows commuters to quickly find transportation options including searching for carpool partners, vanpool options, bike buddies, transit routes, and park and ride lots based on your specific circumstances.

Tips for Successful Carpooling:

Like with many things communication is the key to a successful carpool so discuss your expectations up front.

• Meet with fellow commuters before starting your carpool to exchange information and establish guidelines. A few general items to discuss are:
• Will one person do the driving or will driving be shared?
• Is there a park and ride lot to meet at or another convenient, safe location?
• What will the expectations be on smoking, listening to the radio and eating in the car?
• Is any compensation expected for the driver and, if so, when is it expected?
• How long the carpool will wait for a passenger?
• Build in flexibility if possible to accommodate changing schedules.
• Establish back-up plans in the event the driver is unexpectedly not available.
• Give carpool partners notice of vacation days as far in advance as possible.
• Share your email and phone number so it is easier to communicate.
• Drive in a safe and courteous manner and be prompt.
• Keep your car’s interior inviting for others so they feel comfortable in your car.
• Give the carpool a chance to work effectively as it may take a few weeks to get things running smoothly.