Carpooling: Benefits, How It Works & Getting Started

Carpooling or car sharing is the sharing of a car among several people who travel between roughly the same destinations at roughly the same time on a regular basis, mostly for commuting to work or school. People who carpool can come from different households, or the arrangement may be offered by an organization such as an employer or academic institution.

Carpooling has several benefits including reduced traffic congestion, reduced emissions, reduced transport costs, less car-dependency and increased opportunities for socialization. Employers use carpooling as an employee benefit to attract, retain, motivate and reward employees. They also implement it as a tool for social responsibility initiatives focused on reducing carbon footprint and enhancing corporate social responsibility image.

Carpooling schemes can offer incentives to encourage people to use them. Such incentives may include:

- free or discounted parking

- priority use of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes

- cash payments to drivers or riders