Driving alone to work or school every day is expensive, stressful and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Carpooling offers an alternative to driving alone and helps reduce each of these impacts, particularly if you do not have easy access to public transit or live too far to cycle or walk both ways.

Transportation represents half of the personal greenhouse gas emissions produced by individuals. While the ideal option is to live close to where you work (or work close to where you live), this is not always possible. An easy way to significantly reduce your transportation emissions is by substituting driving alone to work or school with carpooling. Plus you save money!

Carpooling can be a great option if you have colleagues or schoolmates who live nearby. Or you can share the car with other family members heading in a similar direction. If you are not going to the same destination, use the extra distance to incorporate some walking into your commute. And your carpooling doesn't have to include the trip both ways - take the bus one way if your schedules differ.

Set up your own informal carpooling arrangements or approach your employer or school to organize a program.

General Tips for a Successful Carpool

• Set out who is going to drive and the schedule
• Determine cost sharing arrangements
• Share emergency contact information
• Establish ground rules and agreed upon etiquette
• Ensure you have appropriate insurance coverage
• Figure out a back-up plan for schedule disruptions
• Allow the carpool time to work out the kinks

For more tips on setting up a carpool, see the websites below.

For tips on carpooling and access to online services, visit:

Commuter Connections 

 CarpoolTool.com 

VivaCommute 

Rideshark