By sharing the ride, carpoolers
save money on fuel, insurance, and car maintenance. Carpooling
can also reduce time spent on the road. When they're not behind
the wheel, carpoolers can read, nap, or chat during their commute,
reducing stress. And carpooling helps reduce air pollution, traffic
congestion, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Benefits
of Carpooling
Why should anyone carpool?
Any one of several reasons might convince you to share your ride
and encourage others to do the same.
1. Carpooling increases productivity.
Employees who carpool find their stress levels lowered by the
increase in camaraderie that comes from riding together. Lowered
stress means better health, and better health means fewer health
problems, illnesses and doctors’ visits, a combination that
benefits employees and their pocketbooks. Absenteeism also decreases
with carpooling, and employee performance at work increases. Multiple
people in a car can also decrease travel time, since carpooling
allows the use of HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes in cities
where they exist. Overall, employees who carpool will accomplish
more work than those who do not.
2. Carpooling decreases the number of drivers on the
road.
With fewer drivers needed, more employees can be without their
cars. This widens the possibilities for whom you might employ,
and it eases matters for employees who encounter a car crisis.
Some insurance companies also offer rate cuts for such situations,
lowering insurance costs. A greater proportion of those driving
will likely be superior drivers. The higher proportion of better
drivers decreases the probability of car accidents. Who wouldn't
want to lower his or her likelihood of needing therapy from a
thrown back?
3. Carpooling decreases the amount of gas consumed.
With gas prices riding a friendly rocket through the roof, carpoolers
can combat this problem by splitting gasoline costs and the amount
of gas used. Depending on the number of people in the carpool
group, this could cut costs by half or more. In an ideal world,
pollution from gas usage would decrease, and the gas reserves
would last that much longer. Less exhaust output also lowers the
risk of people developing asthma. More gas-efficient cars are
also more apt to be used, producing a better pocketbook and environment.
4. Carpooling decreases car usage.
Less car usage means less maintenance, a longer car life and fewer
repairs. Rotating drivers every month or so will enable every
carpooler to benefit from this usage decrease. If the carpooling
lasts long-term with a select few driving, the cost of regular
maintenance like oil changes might be added into the split fee.
This factor also lowers the probability of car accidents.
5. Carpooling decreases the amount of parking needed.
If you have to pay for parking or if you have limited parking
spaces available around your small business, carpooling can decrease
paid parking costs and increase the number of spaces available
for customers. Less competition for parking will ensue, further
lowering stress. Since carpoolers will have to leave work together,
they will have groups to travel with at night.
Beyond these five benefits, carpooling also has nice side benefits,
such as allowing employees to get a head start on discussing work
outside of work time or playing simple games, such as "rock,
paper, scissors," to relive stress and pass the time.
Carpooling
Submission Form
