Carpooling 101: Everything You Need to Know

Tired of lonely car rides, being stuck in traffic, and spending more than you need to on gas daily? Consider carpooling. It’s an easy way to remove some of the major hassles of driving everyday.

Why Carpool?

Carpooling is a cost saving, eco-friendly way to travel. The driver can split the cost of gas between carpoolers, saving everyone money, and cutting down on everyone’s carbon footprint. Not to mention, it can save you time by allowing you to cruise through the carpool lane. Without that benefit, the Urban Mobility Report states that commuters during rush-hour spend an average of 38 more hours in traffic every year. That’s time that could be spent on more important matters.

Choosing the Vehicle

When considering carpooling, you need to keep in mind that you will have multiple people in your car. This means space is a big factor in choosing the correct vehicle for carpooling. The 2009 Nissan Altima has been found to have a large amount of head and leg room, so you won’t be too cramped while saving your time and money.

Mileage is also a major factor to consider. While you may be splitting the cost of gas once you start carpooling, you don’t want to end up spending around the same amount just due to the car being driven. The 2009 Kia Optima has great gas mileage, and being a used car, it comes cheaper than many other options on the market.

These two cars, along with the Saturn Aura, are heralded by Forbes.com as three of the greatest vehicles for carpooling based on their crash test results, seating capacity, fuel efficiency, head and leg room in both the front and back of the vehicles, and often they have navigation and entertainment systems.

Joining or Starting the Carpool

There are many online sites to help you find the perfect group for your carpool. Whether you’re willing to drive or are looking for someone with a vehicle, you can meet people through sites like CarpoolingNetwork.com, Zimride, eRideShare, and Carma. These days, there are also apps, which can make the process even easier.

If driving with strangers is not your thing, you can always ask around at work to see if any of your colleagues are looking to save their time and money. No matter how you find your carpool, though, you should be sure to make the process as simple and organized as possible.

Keys to a Successful Carpool

General tips to accomplishing a successful carpool include having a set schedule and route, identifying what everyone’s responsibilities are, being respectful of each other, and making sure each participant has the others’ information, in case a situation arises that would make contacting each other necessary.

In this day and age, there is no reason not to carpool. Environmental factors are proving how much cutting down on your carbon footprint is important for the future of the planet. Not to mention, with today’s technology, finding others to carpool with is simpler than ever and benefits everyone involved.