Car pooling is not a new concept, but it’s one which is gaining increased traction right now for a number of reasons.
People are cottoning onto the ecological and economical advantages that come with sharing rides with others, rather than driving solo. This goes double for those who have a daily commute to do by road, and live in the same area as their closest colleagues.
Let’s go over the main motivations behind car pooling, so that you can get your workmates onboard with this idea and start a mini-revolution in your organization.
Money matters most
No matter how much you talk about the environmental considerations of driving a car, the real catalyst for change is a financial one.
Motorists who realize that going green could save them a bundle will have far more of an incentive to consider making a change than those who are only being preached to about the eco-friendly side of the argument.
When it comes to car pooling, the cost savings made possible come in many varieties. First, there’s the obvious advantage of being able to split fuel expenses across any team members that choose to join you for the journey to and from the office.
Then, there’s the savings you’ll make by only having to pay for one parking space, in the event that there isn’t free on-site parking available.
More importantly, you could be eligible for rideshare drivers’ tax write-offs, which could save you a big chunk of change from your tax bill each year.
Then, there’s the likelihood that your employer already offers some kind of car pooling scheme, with incentives provided for participants. You could be allowed to claim back miles covered if you carpool, which would let you recoup expenses for things like fuel as well as for maintenance of your vehicle.
Obviously you’ll need to do some research to see what perks, benefits and incentives to encourage carpooling are available in your area, and within the organization that employs you. This should take a matter of minutes, after which point you’ll be ready to pitch the financial advantages of carpooling to your work groups.
Sustainability should be a priority
We mentioned earlier that going green is only a consideration for some people if it makes sense financially. However, there are plenty of others who will gladly change their habits if you offer them an alternative which is both more ecologically sound as well as undeniably convenient.
Car pooling definitely falls into this category, since by combining several car journeys into one when sharing with colleagues, your carbon footprint will shrink in an instant.
Then there’s the fact that if you want to get a lift to work with a coworker, you can have them pick you up from right outside your house or apartment. This is undeniably more convenient than having to trek to the bus stop or wait for a delayed train to arrive, which is a problem that public transport struggles to shift.
The more people that can be encouraged to carpool, the fewer vehicles will be on the roads in the first place. So when rush hour arrives, congestion issues will be eased and it will take you less time to complete your commute.
Sharing the burden makes commuting more manageable
Another point to make about carpooling is that it can help to alleviate the mental health fallout of the daily commute.
If you’re having to battle through traffic and cope with other drivers twice a day on the way to and from work, this can leave you frazzled. If, on the other hand, you only have to drive yourself every other week, this stress will be significantly eased.
You’ll obviously need to set up a rota for carpooling with other people who are happy to take turns at the wheel for this to work out. But if you have a good work group at your side, and you aren’t located too far from one another, then this is the ultimate selling point of any car pooling scheme that you decide to put in place.
