Sharing a car will reduce the damage your driving does to the environment and your wallet. Car sharing allows you to split travel costs such as tolls and fuel. It decreases the total number of vehicles on the road, lessening traffic problems. It also allows you to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, which could speed up your commute.
Splits Driving Chores
Driving long distances during rush hour traffic wears you down after a while. If you share a car with others, you can all take turns driving, giving each other a break. So instead of glaring at the bumpers in front of you every day, several times a week you could be sleeping or reading a book. Ask neighbors who work near you if they would like to form a carpool, or post a flier at a local coffee shop. Another option is to advertise for potential participants on a carpooling website or browse the site and find someone looking for a rider (see Resources section).
Cuts Down on Chauffeuring
As a parent, you may spend a lot of time escorting your children from one activity to another. If you form a carpool with the parents of other children, all of you will save time and money. Of course, the safety of your children is paramount, so you must be able to trust the judgment and driving skills of the other parents. But if you can find the right matches, you can reduce the amount of time you spend carting your kids around and also give them a chance to spend time with their friends. Also, you will have an opportunity to get to know fellow parents and others in your community.
Saves Money
People who share cars save money on travel costs and also reduce wear and tear on their own car. If you drive a long distance to work every day, you put a large number of miles on your car, which decreases its value and increases maintenance costs. By participating in a carpool in which each person takes turns picking up the others, you reduce the amount of time everyone's cars spend on the road. If picking up others at their homes is not feasible, find a central location to meet and have each person take turns driving the others to work from there. Over time, the savings will add up.
Helps the Environment
Burning fossil fuels increases smog and produces pollutants that worsen global warming. Help the environment by joining a carpool. Carpools shrink the number of cars on the road and drastically reduce a community's fuel usage, decreasing the damage done to the environment. Also, carpools decrease the amount of traffic in a community.
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