Carpooling

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Carpooling

Carpooling is a great way to save money, make new friends, and reduce air pollution! Here are a few resources for you to find a carpool, as well as some tips to keep your carpools happy and safe.

Find a Carpool

• Check with people you meet at work or in class to see if they are interested in forming a carpool.
• Try the Carpool Application on Facebook, which you can add to your profile. Using this, you can check out other Facebook users in the WKU network who also need rides.

Carpool Ettiquette

Here are some tips you can use to set up a carpool.

• Develop a schedule
• Agree upon the time of arrival at the final destination. That way, you get to where you need to go when you need to be there!
• Set up pick-up times and locations for each carpooler.
• Establish how often throughout a week the carpool will run.
• Determine who will be the driver. Consider rotating the schedule to save on wear and tear of vehicles.
• Agree upon reimbursement to the driver for gas and maintenance.
• Lay Down Some Ground Rules
• What are your expectations regarding:
• Smoking
• Music type and volume
• Food and drink
• Unscheduled stops
• Gossip
• Talking on cell phones
• How will you handle tardiness?
• It's common to wait 3-5 minutes for someone who is running late.
• Decide on consequences for those who are chronically late.
• Phone tree
• How will you communicate with your fellow carpoolers if plans change?
• It's a good idea to have a primary driver and a back up driver.
• Let people know ahead of time if you plan to be absent for any reason.

Safety Tips

If you are setting up a carpool with someone you don't know, here are some things to keep in mind to keep you safe when you join a carpool.

• Remember that not everyone can be trusted. Trust your initial feelings and do not travel with someone you do not trust.
• Confirm fellow carpoolers' phone number by calling them and checking with a phone book or their Facebook profile if they have one
• Before you begin carpooling, it's always a good idea to meet each other in person, in a public, well lit place to discuss the agreement.
• Be sure when meeting for the first time to have the carpooler bring personal information such as plate numbers, license numbers and insurance information. Share this information with friends. Make sure the car picking you up is the one described to you.
• Get a personal reference.
• Exchange emergency contact information before traveling.
• Be sure to tell someone close to you all the details of your carpool. Include people involved, route and schedule.
• Do not carry or expose large amounts of cash or other valuables.

 

 

 

 

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