Ridesharing (also widely known as carpooling) is a great solution to cut down on the cost and air pollution from frequent trips. This is especially true for routine trips such as school and work commutes. Turning two separate one-occupant (or one-passenger) trips into one multi-occupant trip cuts the smog load in half. And after organizing a regular rideshare, the upkeep to keep it going is minimal.
Rideshare to Work
There are several ways to find rideshare partners for work commutes.
- Sacramento Commuter Club and 511 RideMatch (Bay Area). These services allow you to input your commute details and return a list of potential carpool and vanpool matches.
- At the office. Talk to fellow employees and your HR department about carpool matching.
- In your neighborhood. If you belong to a neighborhood group or have a community message board, you can seek potential partners who may work at different businesses near your workplace.
School Carpool
If you live more than a mile from your child’s school, a carpool makes a lot of sense. There are likely parents in your neighborhood whose children attend your child’s school! Carpools make the most sense when the distance from home to school is more than what walking or biking can cover. Among the several benefits of school carpools are the time and cost savings, the reduction of school-zone congestion, the improved school-zone air quality due to decreased congestion, and overall improvement to our air quality.
Parents, neighborhood groups and school administrators can be the spark to boost school-wide shifts toward cleaner transportation, which includes cycling, walking and carpools. For older students, public transit can be a practical car-free transportation option.
If you’d like help sparking a school carpool program at your campus, contact the District.
