Carpool
What is carpooling?
A carpool is made up of two or more people sharing a ride in a private or company automobile. Carpools can operate in many different ways and are very flexible, you decide on your own arrangements. From once a week to every day, it's all up to you. A common approach is to rotate vehicle use among carpoolers with no exchange of money.
Commuter Solutions will help you by providing a contact list of other commuters that share your commute route and times that are also interested in carpooling. Then all you do is email or call them to start saving money.
Why carpool?
When you share the cost of commuting, you save money. The more people you carpool with the more money you save. You can meet at a Park & Ride to cut your parking costs and you may also get reduced parking fees; auto insurance discounts; and you save wear-and-tear on your car. It's like paying yourself to enjoy a more relaxed ride to work. Remember, no matter how often you choose to carpool, every day you do makes a difference for you and everyone around you.
According to the American Automobile Association, the average cost of driving a mid-size car 15,000 miles a year is around $7,471 taking into account all operation and maintenance costs. If you're driving an SUV, the cost reaches almost $8,000 a year. This includes fuel, maintenance, insurance, depreciation and finance charges, but not parking costs or time lost due to traffic congestion.
Can you think of other ways to spend that money? If you can, there are ways to reduce or eliminate these costs of driving. One of the easiest ways is to share a ride to work. Carpooling with just two other people can cut your fuel costs by two-thirds. You can also get preferred reduced parking fees; and save wear-and-tear on your car. Carpooling allows you to:
- Relax and let someone else drive some of the time.
- Help alleviate traffic congestion in your community.
- Reduce air pollution emissions.
- Save you gas and parking money.
- Save wear and tear and depreciation on your car.
- Meet new and interesting people.
- Meet new and interesting people.
Monthly Commute Costs for Driving Alone vs. Sharing the Ride
|
Round-trip miles |
Cost to drive alone |
Cost if 2 people carpool |
Cost if 3 people carpool |
|
10 |
$51 |
$26 |
$17 |
|
20 |
$102 |
$51 |
$34 |
|
30 |
$152 |
$76 |
$51 |
|
40 |
$203 |
$102 |
$68 |
|
50 |
$254 |
$127 |
$85 |
|
100 |
$508 |
$254 |
$169 |
| *Cost estimates are based on AAA "Your Driving Costs 2008" with fuel @ $4.00 per gallon for average vehicle. Variable costs include gas, tires and maintenance for the actual commute miles driven, but do not include ownership costs such as finance charges, insurance, license, registration, taxes or depreciation. Ownership costs would typically add about $450 per month to these costs. |
You may also consider:
How much time do you spend looking for a parking place each morning?
How much do you pay in a month for parking meters or for parking permits?
How many times have you had to pay for a parking ticket?
Want to give carpooling a try?
We offer a free computerized matching service. It's easy. Submit a rideshare registration or call (541) 682-6100 and Commuter Solutions will send you a free match list tailored to your work time and commute route. You may be surprised at how easy it is and how much money you save. |
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