How to Form a Carpool
- Contact MetroPool at 1-800-FIND RIDE to see if there are other commuters who live, work or attend school near you and have similar work or school hours who have expressed an interest in carpooling. Negotiate with your prospective partners to see how much flexibility they have. You can also visit www.nuride.com and take a Sneak Peek to see if there are others in your neighborhood already carpooling and with whom you could share a ride.
- Cover the basics. In making your carpool arrangements, be sure to get answers to some key questions:
- Discuss carpool costs. If commuters rotate the driving equally, money doesn't have to change hands. But if only one person drives the carpool, passengers generally chip in to cover the costs of gas and parking.
- Get to know your fellow carpoolers. Carpoolers who don't know each other sometimes feel more comfortable meeting prospective carpool partners before they drive together for the first time. Plan to talk on the phone or meet at a public place to discuss carpool specifics and decide whether or not you would feel comfortable sharing a ride. If you feel uncomfortable after meeting, you can simply choose not to pursue the rideshare arrangement. You are not obligated to carpool. If you do feel comfortable enough to rideshare, perhaps you could agree to a trial rideshare period to test the waters.
◊ How often will you carpool?
◊ How many carpool partners will there be?
◊ Who has a vehicle? If all passengers have a car, who will do the driving?
◊ Do all drivers have full insurance coverage?
◊ Where will you meet? Carpoolers can pick each other up at home or meet at a mutually convenient location, such as a park-and-ride lot.
◊ When will you meet? People's work or school schedules are often more flexible than you think.
- Establish some rules. Each carpool member should have a chance to express his/her needs and concerns. Carpoolers should agree upon on certain ground rules at the outset:
◊ food, coffee, smoking and perfume/cologne usage
◊ radio choices
◊ how long drivers will wait for delays
◊ who is notified if someone is sick
◊ driving safety - Give carpooling a trial run. Many commuters start carpooling on a trial basis — for a month or two. You can always add more days and more carpoolers in the future once a routine has been established. Don't worry about getting the details perfect right away.
Together we can save money, time, and the environment while reducing traffic congestion.
How to Promote Carpooling in Your Workplace
