Carpooling can save gas, money, time and impact on the environment.
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A carpool is a system in which several people share rides to work, school or other destinations. This system helps save money by dividing fuel costs among several individuals, instead of each person bearing the cost of his own fuel. It also reduces environmental pollution by limiting fuel consumption and reducing the number of vehicles on the road and subsequent emissions. Properly organizing a carpool helps ensure proper distribution of transportation costs, and makes transportation more efficient and environmentally friendly for all participants. (See References 2)
Contact people in your neighborhood or at your workplace, school or social organizations to generate interest in a carpool. Find out where each person travels on a frequent basis to determine routes and schedules. Ask your employer if it can provide incentives such as preferred parking or cash payments to make the option more attractive, as well as help organize a pool (see References 3).
Advertise for additional carpool participants on bulletin boards, local newspapers, community websites or online classified-ad websites.
Set up a simple website or message board where participants can post their destinations and schedules on a weekly or biweekly basis. Encourage participants with similar needs to propose new routes to make carpool trips as efficient as possible.
Post pick-up and drop-off schedules and sites for each route on the website or forum. If the driver will stop at each person's home for pick-up or drop-off, post approximate times for each stop.
Determine how much each participant should pay per mile traveled based on fuel, tire and maintenance costs. Post the per-mile cost for participants on each route on your forum or website. (See References 1)
Provide each vehicle owner with a notebook to record the miles traveled for each participant. Invoice participants for miles traveled on a weekly or biweekly basis.
Require drivers to periodically provide proof of automobile liability insurance. This helps ensure that passengers' medical expenses are covered if an accident occurs.
Tips
- Encourage all participants to exchange email addresses and cell phone numbers to help minimize confusion regarding route changes, or to communicate last-minute problems such as vehicle malfunctions or traffic delays.
- Encourage drivers to read their auto insurance policies to make sure that carpooling activities are not excluded from coverage.
Owen Pearson is a freelance writer who began writing professionally in 2001, focusing on nutritional and health topics. After selling abstract art online for five years, Pearson published a nonfiction book detailing the process of building a successful online art business. Pearson obtained a bachelor's degree in art from the University of Rio Grande in 1997.
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