5 tips for a successful carpool

Posted by Tad Johnson - Apr 13th, 2008 at 20:04

With gas prices on the rise, driving alone in your car is an expensive proposition. We’re paying $3.50/gallon here in Milwaukee which works out to $0.15/mile for the average car. (Double that if you’re driving a truck/SUV). With such a cost pressure, the carpool is certainly an attractive alternative to the solo commute.

I’m lucky to have the idea setup for a successful carpool : my roommate and I both work in the same building. We’ve been carpooling for a few months now and it has made a noticeable impact on my budget. Even as gas prices have gone up, my spending on gasoline has decreased.

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Like most things, the carpool is not all roses. My roommate and I both give up some freedom of scheduling exactly when we leave for work & home, and I’m not able to run errands or drive to lunch on the days he drives. These drawbacks are well worth the extra $20 that I keep in my pocket every week.

Here are some tips for a successful carpool :

  1. Keep a routine. Try to leave at the same time every day so it becomes part of the natural routine for all carpool members.
  2. Don’t keep the driver waiting. If anyone is waiting for a pickup, it should be the passenger(s), not the driver. A happy carpool is a punctual carpool.
  3. Spread the driving evenly. This one is pretty obvious, but it deserves mention. Keep things simple with a daily rotation of driving duty.
  4. Celebrate your savings! To keep the good feelings flowing, celebrate with your carpool mates every now and again by going out for lunch, drinks, or some other event. Since you’re saving money each week, you can think of this as a “free” celebration!
  5. Spread the good word. Encourage your co-workers and friends to try the carpool. It’s really not as scary as it sounds and it’s a great way to save gas, save money, and save the environment (at least a little).

2 Comments »

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  1. Celebrating with the carpool mates is indeed a very nice idea…it never came to my mind. I’ll surely try to arrange a dinner for my carpool mates.

    Comment by Kelli Myers — April 15, 2008 #

  2. I carpool with the future wife everyday. One thing I found to help is to always carry extra work! Be it actual work, school work, bills, etc… at somepoint you will have to wait for your ride, so make that time productive!

    Comment by BrandonA — May 6, 2008 #

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