Are You Carpooling?

[PRICEPLUS]

With the rising price of gas I was just curious as to how many here are now or looking into carpooling as a way to cut transportation costs? What do you see as the benefits or costs of doing so?

[disneysteve]

I live 8 miles from my office, and only work with 3 other people, only one of whom lives between me and the office. Plus we don't all keep the same hours.

I have no desire to have to plan my schedule around someone else's. I want to come and go when I'm ready. I want to be able to stop at the store on the way home, take a different route if there is traffic on the main road, stay late if I've got paperwork to catch up on, etc. Carpooling has absolutely zero appeal to me even if it would save me some money.

[rduell]

I tried carpooling last year. It did not work well. I guess it was just a bad match of personalities. My cp partner talked nonstop and my drives are usually my only alone time. She discussed finances constantly and I spent every ride feeling like a crumb because I'm not as well off as she is.

She was also very vocal about anyone that was a larger size than herself (a size 4) and at that time I was gaining weight rapidly without knowing why (turned out to be a medical problem).

It was just a very negative experience for me all the way around. I do not wish to repeat it soon.

A 2nd reason I don't carpool is that with our son having medical problems, I feel better knowing that I can leave work at any time if I'm needed.

DH does carpool and it works well for him.

[MonkeyMama]

Good Question.

I was thinking of looking at my options once again in the summer. I would have to look outside my office, no one lives near me.

I don't really have a set work schedule, and sometime last minute things come up, so it is really frustrating for me to be on a schedule to get to and leave work. But during the summer maybe I could swing it - at least 1/2 the week.

Frankly I am also a control freak and don't trust other's driving much. I am wary - the freeways here are crazy.

Also I do take my son to preschool near my work, but rather far all the same, would be impossible to carpool for that too. That is only 2 days a week though.

I have considered taking my dh's car to work more, it does get twice as good gas mileage. An easier alternative. Or I would consider transit if it wasn't so expensive. For now it would just cost more and is way less convenient. But there is a light rail station by my work, I will look into the prices once again if prices get any worse. I would have to drive somewhere to hop on too - not sure how great an alternative it is.

[threebeansalad]

I walk / bike to work, but when I take a long trip I almost always look for a rider from our Community Rideboards to take with me. When I posted about this in my blog, I received a lot of concerns regarding safety. However, I live in a University town, so I only take students or faculty with me. I can check their email in the directory to see exactly who they are. When I was an undegrad and car-less I was thankful for people who could give me a ride. I've only had good expereinces and have met some really nice and interesting people.

[meaghanchan]

I take public transportation, and I'm especially thankful for it on days like today (couple inches on the ground of snow/ice/sleet). And it seems like less of a hassle than carpooling- I can stop somewhere on the way home, and don't have to worry about anyone else's schedule.

[PauletteGoddard]

Carpooling is one of the rideshare options I have. I don't use it frequently, preferring to take the bus or the scooter. Sometimes I have to take the car, but if I use it for accommodating overtime, and avoiding rush hour in the process, I can live with myself.

Benefits: it's a good way to network. Where I work there are several e-mail distribution lists for people requesting passengers or to be a passenger in a carpool so they can ride in the HOV3+ lane. So the benefit is to stay on the highway twenty minutes less, get home earlier, have more work/life balance. I don't have to stand in the rain and wait for a bus.

[nanamom]

My DH walks to work (I just get out of bed and sometimes don't even have to do that to get to work!). We can walk to church but usually don't because we provide a ride for a physically challenged couple. As the weather gets better we will be walking other places also (like Dairy Queen!!)

[th_tan]

I can't carpool, I work for a small company, I've been the only employee for the last 3-4 months, my boss hired another employee yesterday that lives on the other side of the state.

I live about 25 miles from work, so its a good bit of a drive, gas is a killer. Dread summer coming, gas prices will skyrocket over $3 I bet.

[Ima saver]

my husband does not carpool. He is constantly picking up materials at a building supply place (different places) and he needs his van all the time.

[Lori63]

Right now just from soccer practice. I do one week, another parent does the next. Besides the gas it saves me the hassle and time. It's a short trip but every little bit helps.


We also meet at a park and ride here to go to soccer games (some are up to three hours away). Sometimes we take, sometimes we ride-it usually evens out.

[gackle]

I carpool. We spend $2.40 on tolls to and from work so we save that money in addition to tolls.

[PrincessPerky]

No but I wish we could.

For me, kids events and such, I don't drive, and anyone with room for 4 (three kids and self) isn't going to kid events.

For my husband, he works with no one he knows near us (most on completly other side of town)

I wish there was a system from his building to help match carpoolers interested, though at the same time, I am not sure I would be comfortable with him not able to come home for me should we need him....

[tabbycat31]

I've given coworkers rides before (one offered me $$ but he fixed my then broken car stereo which was worth more than the $5 he offered me) but many of the times, we're on different schedules.

If i had a coworker who lived nearby (that is a non smoker, I can't get into a smoker's car) and worked the same hours, I would carpool. However I havent encountered one of those yet.

[PRICEPLUS]

Carpooling is not an option for me because of the myriad tasks I haveduring the day. I try to keep driving to a minimum though and plan my trips so as to get best use of gas and car!