Carpooling is one of the easiest way for drivers to save money. Start by asking yourself if you want to join or form a regular carpool to get to work or if you’re looking for a one time ride to a specific event. Their are options for both.
511 Ridematch Service
If you typically start and stop work at the same time, Cruz511 offers real-time ridematching with interested commuters that share similar work locations and hours through our partnership with the Bay Area 511 RideMatch System, When you register for this service, you create a commuter profile to find carpool and vanpool matches designed to fit your commute. If you don’t find a carpooling buddy right away, don’t give up. More commuters join 511 RideMatch every day. You will receive e-mail updates directly from 511 about potential carpool matches as others enroll.
How do I get my carpool matches? It’s easy! Register with the 511 RideMatch System and start searching for your carpool matches. It only takes a few minutes! You can arrange to have automatic emails sent to you when any new carpool matches matching your profile join the service.
It’s free to find a match. Our carpool matching services are free of charge. However, when you join a carpool as a rider, you may be asked to share costs towards expenses such as gas and parking. Many carpoolers who take turns driving don’t exchange any money. Financial arrangements are completely up to the people in each carpool.
Carpool ridematching provided by 511 SF Bay (www.511.org)
Driving arrangements depend on the carpool.
- Carpool everyday or just a few days a week.
- Share the driving/riding. In some cases, carpoolers take turns doing the driving in his/her own car.
- Driver only. Some carpools have one main driver and the others are only passengers.
- Rider only. Specify that you wish to join a carpool as a passenger only.
Try a Carpool App!
Find rides when you need them and share the cost of driving. Download a smartphone app and give it a try.
Waze Carpool – waze.com/carpool
Müv — muvtogether.com
Scoop – takescoop.com
Tips for Successful Carpooling
Before your first trip together, have a meeting with potential fellow carpoolers to talk about insurance, communications and personal preferences. It’s good to do this in a neutral public place like a coffee shop on a day when you don’t need to carpool – this allows you to get to know each other with no pressure.
- Determine your route & schedule
Establish the morning pickup point(s) and designate the meeting place(s) for the trip home. - Draw up a schedule for driving responsibilities
If all members of your carpool alternate driving, decide among yourselves if you want to alternate on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. - Determine how driving expenses will be shared
If the members of your carpool do not share the driving equally, come to an understanding of how the costs will be shared and agree on a payment schedule. - Establish policies & preferences
Smoking or nonsmoking; music and volume; eating or drinking, or talking, particularly in the morning. Your carpool will have a better chance for success if potential irritants are discussed in advance. - Take safety measures
Ask whether the car is insured, jot down the license plate, and let someone else know who you’re traveling with. - Be punctual
Decide how long the driver is expected to wait for latecomers. Be wary of making side trips or running errands while carpoolers are present. - Choose a chain of communication
If a driver is ill, or will not be going to work one day, an alternate driver should be notified to ensure that other members of the carpool will have a ride. If a rider is ill or will not be working, the driver should be contacted.
An agreement to share the ride isn’t a binding contract. But if you find something’s not working, speak up and try to work it out. Ultimately, if you decide that car- or vanpooling just isn’t for you, please give your partners ample notice so they can make alternate arrangements or find a replacement.
