Since most of my driving is done on the highway I’ve noticed that more and more cars are being used for car pooling. Even last year I’d say 95% of the cars on the highway would have 1 or 2 people maximum. Now, just about every car has at least 3 people riding in it. It’s kind of refreshing to see people are smartening up and networking on the way to work.

So far every day this semester I’ve driven up with 2 friends and we alternate each day or week, depending on our classes. It works really well and it’s so simple that we should have been doing it all along.

Anybody else noticing this? Or has anybody started car pooling recently as well?

 

I started vanpooling last September because

1) got sick of the horrid drive on the 210
2) needed a way to reduce my costs with driving (fuel, insurance, maintenance, etc)
3) wanted to gain back time lost to commuting

So, I joined a vanpool program that my work has in place. Costs $70 bucks a month, but my employer subsidizes $50 of that, so I only pay $20. I also later become a driver for the vanpool which pays $5/day for the days you drive. I drive more than 4 days a month so at the end of the month I actually make a profit.

And to add, I've projected the savings in fuel, insurance, maintenance to be over $3K a year! when I did those calculations I regretted not doing this sooner, but at least I made the change and I don't ever see myself going back. I drive myself to work the days I have to like for school and stuff, but always ride the van otherwise.

 

Carpooling FTL. I'll keep driving myself thank you.

 

I can't do it. I would love to save money. First reason and above all....I feel like I need to be in control, and someone else driving would really make me uncomfortable.

Secondly, I work weird hours some times. I am not in a position to be able to clock out at 5 everyday. Sometimes I need to stay later, and that's usually a last minute thing.

And lastly, I am never on time in the morning. I am not usually very late, but I have a tough time pulling in before 8 every day. I'm salary, so it doesn't really matter too much and I'm rarely more than 5-10 minutes late, but I would not be able to if I car pooled.

 

Haven't noticed much change at all, actually. In fact, a lot of the time there's still only one person in the car when I see people using the HOV lanes.

 

i still see 1 person in the car in the morning and going home on commutes

 

Is that when you look in the mirror?

Engrish hates you.

 

Interesting.

Mainly I drive on the 400, so I guess I'm just noticing people coming from North coming South and vice versa.

I think it would make a lot more sense for people in the city to do it, but like it's outlined here, sometime's it just can't work out.

 

Thank you for increasing the demand on foriegn oil.

 

My wife works from home 3 days a week..and she carpools with me the days she goes in.

 

I would have started earlier, but school after work majorly ruined my commute. Different areas, different times, etc.

Nowadays the boyfriend and I take the Yaris on Fridays. My mom and I are going to start trying to carpool the days I dont have class. By July I should be able to do it every day.

Saving $120 a month is no joke.

 

 

Wife and I used to car pool everyday. Now with the kids its much more difficult so we're down to 2 days a week every second week.

I haven't noticed any improvement in traffic so I'm guessing there aren't many more car poolers.

 

i would love to, but i cant

 

x 2
Actually, I drop my kids at their schools when I go to my office, so that may count a little. However, my home and office are in two suburbs of the city of LA which have no reasonable connection via mass transit (probably will take 3 hours each way for connections via various buses and light rail) and few people going from one place to the other.

 

HOV are useless anyways.... cause more traffic than they alleviate, and this thread so far is a good example.

I'd carpool to school if I could. But my work hours are almost never the same from week-to-week.

 

Hardly ever see anyone carpooling.

I have seen an increase in motorcycles on the road during the daily drive.

 

 

i would definitely consider carpooling if i lived further away from work.

but my commute is only about 5 miles each way. i haven't noticed more people in cars lately. though the morning traffic is better since school's out here.

 

One of my old team leaders used to always ask me to carpool with him when gas was 115L but I always had to make up excuses because he was really annoying lol. I think at these prices I could put up with it now.

 

I would if I could..

 

I used to carpool at least 3 or 4 days a week when i work for a large IT company where there is a carpool network available. Now I'm with a small firm & none of them live my way or close by. Plus long-hours is kind of common here so I don't want my commute-mate stuck by my hours so to speak ....

I would if I could though ...

 

did someone say carpool?

 

but on a more serious note.


we have something to learn from the real hardcore carpoolers

 

A few folks in my office carpool from my area but, I would much rather continue taking mass transit. Carpooling would 'handcuff' my scheduling flexibility (or that of others) more than the timetable of the commuter rail I ride.

 

where is the :cheapjew: smiley?

 

car pooling is a great idea, just not for me.

i like to arrive to work whenever i want, take lunch whenever i want, and leave whenever i want.

 

i'd probably still stay away...

 

It's only 5.9 miles one-way to work for me; no freeways. Otherwise I'd probably consider it. It's easy for me to put my iPod on and just zone out.

 

I went from a 15 mile round trip drive to a 116 mile round trip drive. I am ready to kill myself

 

I've noticed a huge increase in people riding scooters in the past year.

 

was this pic taken near the America/Mexico boarder j/k
but seriously
#1. i can't carpool caruse i drive truck
#2. even if i could i wouldn't cause i'd probably have to listen some douche bag music and his car smell like shit.

 

It is amazing to me how anyone can carpool affectively nowadays. Everyone I know (including myself) has unique demands on their time before or during or after work. I think carpooling makes sense financially but my question is, is it worth it really?

Everyday you don't drive you have to depend on someone else to do things like:

go to lunch (unless you bring it from home or skip it altogether),

leave when you're ready (or whenever is best for the pool).

Suppose that you want/need to work late (or go in early)?

What about when your spouse calls you about an emergency situation (child issue maybe) where you need to leave immediately?

I'm sure there are ways around these issues (which will require a paradigm shift) but what it boils down to is you've grown to be a "self reliant" adult and that habit is hard to break. Also, admit it, despite the stop and go traffic and bad drivers, we just like to drive our own vehicles (period). It is one of the last places (besides the bathroom) that we have to ourselves if only for a moment.

 

Increased domestic oil drilling and refinery production FTW!

Btw, I'm not really worried about $100/month personally. Some people just need to make more money...

 

Good thing that my wife works about .5 mile away from me cause it's a 35miles each way for us everyday which equates to about 20K mile a year

On a related note, I would love to take the bus, because there's a bus station right outside our condominium, but we would have to take 2 different bus and waste 2hrs on it .

 

$100/month? Nobody is worried about that.

Some people just need to make more money? That was brilliant. You should run for President.

 

Reduced consumption FTW.

But admittedly, Americans love their independence and $4-$5/gal pump prices will not change that all too much. (Ex: I have several colleagues that are good friends and hail from the same neighborhood who each drive separately and would not consider carpooling. ) ...the inevitable $6-$7/gal we may see within 18 months could change that though....one way or another!!!

 

 

My total round trip commute is around 55 miles everday. Gas is around 4.50 per gallon for premium in the NYC area. So I have decided to carpool with two other people in my dept to save some gas. I usually need to fill up twice every week and a half, now I am averaging driving 6 - 7 times during a 4 week period. So anyone taking advantage of carpooling?

 

Someone in my office that lives near me asked me if I wanted to carpool, but the thing I like the most about my job is I have no set time to come in or go home. If I was carpooling I would have a set time I would have to be ready in the morning and a set time I would have to go home, so unless gas hits $10 a gallon like it is in europe, I don't plan on doing it anytime soon.