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A DIFFERENT KIND OF CARPOOLINGHow to Cut Your Travel Expenses to Work by 75%Note: Before reading this post, you should read the post titled "Sluggers Get Free Rides"._________________________________________________________________  As you read the "Slugging" article, many of you were probably thinking that it sounded nice but it wouldn't work in your town because there are no HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes requiring several passengers in a vehicle. Without the HOV lanes, there is no incentive for a driver to offer free rides to strangers. But there are other incentives, and maybe the biggest one is sharing the cost of that grossly overpriced fuel we have to put into our vehicles. So, if you just eliminate the Washington D.C. slugging rule against sharing gasoline costs, you have the basis of a system that can work just about anywhere. Terms like "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling" describe some of the carpooling systems developed around the country. They are similar to Slugging but are designed to meet the needs of commuters in the areas they serve. If you browse through the sites shown below, you'll find a wealth of practical information about simple, workable custom carpooling systems.
_________________________________________________________________ Setting up a similar system in your area is also a remarkably simple process. Here's a primer to get you started. First, do some more online research and list the qualities you like best about the different systems. Then, use these qualities as the basis for a commuter pooling system in your area. THE MAIN THINGS YOU NEED GET STARTED ARE:_________________________________________________________________ 1. A WEB SITE WITH:- - - A simple explanation of what this new car pooling thing is about and how it works. - - - A sign-up sheet - The sign-up sheet is not a commitment pledge. But it does need to show how many riders and how many drivers would be expected to use the system and show up at the pick-up locations. It also should show the time each signee expects to arrive at the pick-up location and what time they expect to leave work. - - - Commuting rules will vary depending on the needs of each area being served. The Slugging Website Etiquette and Rules Page has some great ideas including rules that will help assure the safety of everyone involved. - - - A list of neighborhood pick-up locations. (More information below.) - - - A work destination. The work destination is also the end of day pick-up location. (More information below.) (Note: Care must be used when organizing pick-up and drop-off locations. As commuting popularity grows in an area, so do the number of pick-up and drop-off locations. Each car driver must clearly identify the destination. Otherwise, a rider who works at, say, the Federal Building, could hop in a car heading for the Area Mall, which might be a mile away from the Federal Building.) - - - An estimate of rider donations to each driver. The estimate is a varying number based on distance driven, how many passengers in the vehicle (for most cars, a driver and 3 passengers should be the limit), and - of course - the price of gasoline that week. The simplest and fairest way to manage contributions is to pay on a per ride basis so that riders, just like bus passengers, pay each time they get into a vehicle. - - - Other information relevant to the car pooling system in your area. _________________________________________________________________ 2. NEIGHBORHOOD PICK-UP LOCATIONS.These should be by a public transportation area which can be used as a back-up in case of a driver shortage. The bus stops at parking lots at area shopping centers and grocery stores make excellent pick up locations._________________________________________________________________
3. WORKPLACE OR DOWNTOWN PICK-UP LOCATIONS.These should also be by a public transportation area. But, to avoid local government problems (and possible complaints from taxi companies), they should be on private property._________________________________________________________________ 4. PERMISSIONS.These should be easy to get. You need permission from the property owners at each pick-up/drop-off location. Everybody is looking for ways to save on gasoline costs so your employer, or the manager of the office building you work in should be happy to help set up a designated pick-up area. Out in the 'burbs', grocery store owners or mall managers are usually delighted to be good neighbors._________________________________________________________________ 5. SIGNS.A sign on a post isn't an absolute necessity. A NEATLY painted area on the curb can also clearly mark a pick-up area. The only thing that is absolutely necessary is for everyone involved to understand the location. That can be as simple as a note on the Carpool Website saying that the pick-up spot for your area is, for example, the bus stop in the back of the parking lot at Your Friendly Local Grocery Store - after getting the proper permission, of course. And the folks who are giving the permissions often will either help with, or pick up the entire cost of placing a sign designating a pick-up area._________________________________________________________________ 6. ONE GOOD PERSON TO ORGANIZE IT.Okay, maybe that's not you. But if you've read this far and you think it could work out well for your situation BUT you just don't have the time, confidence, or whatever - - - there is still a way. All you have to do is bring up the idea within ear-shot of the eager-beaver/shaker-doer at your workplace. Every place has at least one, and it doesn't take much for them to grab an idea and run with it._________________________________________________________________ Will it work for you?Let's take a quick look at the finances and see. Say a car uses one gallon of gas to go to work, and another gallon to return home on a 40 mile round trip. If each of 3 passengers pays $1.25 each way, and gas costs $3.75 per gallon. The driver's cost is zero for the trip, and zero for the entire week. But, the driver does have wear and tear on his car and he is doing the work, so he is earning his 'free' ride. If all of those folks in the commuter car drove alone and consumed about the same amount of gasoline; they would EACH pay $37.50 every week for gas to get to and from work. By carpooling and using the figures shown above, each passenger would only pay $12.50 a week. And passengers would each save $25.00 a week. Everybody wins! And those four people will use 30 gallons less fuel every week they carpool. That's like having someone hand you $25.00 a week (after taxes) for just sitting back and relaxing while you get chauffeured around. So, there's the general idea. Are you ready to join the fight against high fuel prices? _________________________________________________________________ NEXT WEEK:The concept behind carpooling is the almost simplistic notion that your car uses the least amount of gas when it's parked, with the engine off, of course. As we expand that concept next week, you'll see that there are other ways, simple ways, to keep your car parked with the engine off, and save even more money, maybe a lot more._________________________________________________________________
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