Carpooling/Vanpooling
TravelWise With Friends, Family and Coworkers
In light of shifting economic times, swelling urban populations and increasing concern for the environment, more and more people are integrating carpooling into their routines. Carpooling involves more than one person traveling together in a car and can be used for many occasions including commuting to work, attending special events or taking kids to school, practices or recreational activities. This strategy requires some coordination of schedules, but can be easily implemented to achieve significant results.
Benefits
Many carpoolers have discovered great benefits including money saved on gas, car maintenance and even parking fees. Other perks include more personal time and the ability to travel in the HOV/Express lane. As an added bonus, more people carpooling means fewer cars on the road, which makes traveling easier for everyone.
Getting Started
You can form carpool groups for recurring or one-time events. When forming a group, think of the places you go and consider others in your area that might be going to the same place. Talk to neighbors, coworkers, friends and other parents to determine their level of interest in starting a carpool. Establish a driving schedule and a meeting place or pick-up time. You may also want to check carpool-matching websites or consider taking advantage of vanpooling options in your area. Whether you are a carpool passenger or driver, be courteous of others and strive to make the ride enjoyable for all.
