Carpooling is the practice of sharing car journeys with others so that more than one person travels in a car, reducing the need for others to drive to a location themselves. Carpooling is commonly implemented for commuting but is increasingly popular for longer one-off journeys, with the formality and regularity of arrangements varying between schemes and journeys. Passengers may only join for parts of the journey, and give a contribution based on the distance that they travel, which gives carpooling extra flexibility and enables more people to share journeys and save money. Carpooling is promoted by organizations such as Greenxc and Carplus, which aim to reduce carbon footprints and promote responsible car use. There are platforms that facilitate carpooling by connecting people seeking respectively passengers and drivers, and usually, there is a fare set up by the car driver and accepted by passengers because they get an agreement before the trip starts.
Benefits of carpooling include:
- Shared costs: Carpooling can save money on fuel, maintenance costs, and parking fees.
- Reduced carbon footprint: Carpooling reduces the number of vehicles on the road, which in turn reduces traffic congestion and decreases the emission of harmful pollutants.
- Positive mental health: Carpooling can provide an opportunity to connect with others during rides, contributing to positive mental health.
- Get to know your co-workers better: Carpooling can help people get to know their co-workers better.
Carpooling is different from ridesharing, which is a paid service provided by companies like Uber and Lyft, where passengers can request a ride through a mobile app and typically involves a fare.
