Car Pooling

Car Pooling
Car pooling or ride-sharing refers to the shared use of a car for a specific journey, in particular for commuting to work, school, and recreation often by people who each have a car but travel together. Car pooling schemes allow people to share vehicles for some journeys.

Benefits of Car pooling:

• Improved air quality and fewer carbon emissions due to reduced traffic;
• Reduced travel costs for each person;
• Reduces the need for private car ownership;
• Less congestion and shorter journeys due to fewer cars being on the road;
• An increased chance of finding a parking space, because fewer cars mean less competition for spaces;
• Less wear and tear and maintenance for personal vehicles.

Range of Schemes possible:

• Organized schemes available to everyone and operating over the internet by public or Government;
• Schemes operating by public and supported by Government;
• Schemes arranged by organizations or business for their employees;
• Less formal arrangements between family, friends and colleagues.

Information Management Services:
The Car pool website and database are to be created, owned and maintained by Government or an independent third party not affiliated to Government. Car pool database allows the commuters to find fellow car poolers with similar work schedules and travel patterns in their area. Commuters register their trips and run a match list; contact matches and tracks their commute. Once the match list is received by the commuter, it is recommended that the commuter has to meet with the prospective ride sharers to discuss how the car pool will operate. Subjects to discuss include maximum waiting time, smoking policy, park & ride lots for pick-up/drop-off, radio playing policy, etc. If the commuters are already registered they can log in and update their profile and run new matches. Commuters without email address can register with an email application or mail in the application or call for an application.

Incentives to Car poolers:

• Tax advantages;
• Free parking;
• Guaranteed Ride Home;
• Fare reimbursement;
• Discounts for car servicing & car insurance.

Facilities to Car poolers:

• Good Public Transport Connectivity;
• Permit to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes during designated time periods;
• Park and Ride lots;
• Special car pool pick-up points;
• Recreational centers.

Enforcement:

• Organizations and Companies should discourage parking to individual car users to make this initiative more effective in the long run at least few days a week;
• Individual car users can be restricted in the CBD areas during peak hours;
• Single occupant car users can be made to pay Congestion tax;
• Collection of high Parking fees can be enforced for Individual car use.