The document discusses ride-sharing in Geraldton as a pre-organized alternative to hitch-hiking and carpooling, enabled by social networking tools. It highlights the benefits of ride-sharing, including cost savings and environmental impact, and compares three platforms: Liftshare, Zimride, and Pickuppal. The document concludes with next steps for promoting and expanding the ride-sharing community, including poll results, media publicity, and collaboration with local businesses and government.

1. Ride-sharing for Geraldton http://wildpollinators.org/2010/10/17/ride-sharing-in-geraldton/

2. Similar to Hitch-hiking , except you organise in advance and get to pick and choose who you ride with. i.e. Much better than hitching!! Similar to Car-pooling , except its for more journeys than just your regular commute. Enabled by online social networking tools to build trust between people who haven't 'met' Is immensely popular and successful in the US, UK, France, soon to be adopted by State of Queensland for all staff etc. What is Ride-sharing?

3. Why wouldn't you? Some good reasons: 50% increase in Geraldton fuel prices since 2001 – Perth-Geraldton trip bus or car = $50++ 91% people want action on climate change, now – Perth-Geraldton trip (car) = 100kg/CO2++ Way to meet different people in your community Long drives are safer with more than one person Bus goes once a day, and takes most of the day Better than hitching Why would you Ride-share?

4. Three Options We searched for and trialed a range of different tools and technologies for enabling ride-sharing. These are the best 3 we could find: Liftshare: http://www.liftshare.com/au/ ZimRide: https://www.zimride.com PickUpPal: http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/intro.html PickUpPal is our favourite , and for it to work we need to check which you would use? VOTE HERE: http://www.doodle.com/ck37n5dg4t6r7q93

5. Common features of all three Web-based UK or US origin Create a profile with photo, contact details Email notifications of matches GoogleMaps to plot and show journey Cost and carbon calculation/tracking

6. PickUpPal

8. Features, + Pluses, - Minuses A global site with strong WA community already + Optional Facebook integration, iPhone app etc AND Facebook etc. to invite new members + Very detailed and flexible options re: matching, profile privacy, message frequency etc + Automatic matching and notification + Easy, free groups for organisation or location - GoogleMaps seems to be 'as the crow flies' http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/howitworks.html

9. ZimRide

11. Features, + Pluses, - Minuses US-based site that seems popular with colleges + Facebook integration, which helps you connect with more people and bring more people into site + Simple, clean interface - Expensive to create group for company/location - US-centric ('home' map, $USD) - Not a 'community' unless you create group - Facebook seems almost compulsory as the main platform http://www.zimride.com

12. LiftShare

14. Features, + Pluses , - Minuses A 'social enterprise' with some local, friendly support based on UK technology + free, 400,000 members worldwide - no integration into social networking sites - can't see multiple journey details on one screen - users can set up own group, but costs to set up a more official 'group' - nominating cost or willing to pay is not easy - interface clunky - zero users in WA so far

15. What Next?

16. Next Steps Collate results of poll http://www.doodle.com/ck37n5dg4t6r7q93 Recruit YOU as a champion Share links with friends, colleagues, networks Publicise in the media, promote through other networks Share good stories, track $/CO2 saved, grow the community Establish 'standard' pick-up and drop-off locations e.g. Civic Centre LATER... Engage business, gov. to access their vehicles Encourage more use for local trips And later, extend into systems that avoid need to pre-plan, like http://www.flexiblecarpooling.org/