Car sharing enables two or more people to share a ride, offering financial savings and reducing traffic congestion. To facilitate successful carpooling, it's essential to establish guidelines such as trial periods, set meeting times, and discuss driving responsibilities and reimbursements. Additionally, car sharing can enhance social connections and positively impact the environment by decreasing the number of single occupancy vehicles on the road.

1. The Car Sharing Incentive
Lift sharing, ride-sharing, car-sharing or carpooling - it doesn't matter what you call it,
it’s two or more people sharing a car to get from A to B rather than driving
alone. Now this prospect might scare you to begin with, especially if you are a shy
person, however, not only will you gain friendship, the benefits soar way beyond –
think of the amount of the money you could be saving by only driving to work for
one week out of two. In order for car sharing to work you need to set a few
guidelines, try and have a think about implementing a few of these before you
commit yourself fully.
 A trial period: Why not suggest car sharing for a month as a try to see how it
goes and if it is convenient for you both, if things don’t appear to be working
well then take another look at your arrangements – more importantly, don't
feel you have to commit yourself to car sharing every day of the week if you
don’t want to! Perhaps it only works for you both on Mondays and Fridays!
 The route and times: Establish the morning pick-up points and also the time
and meeting place for the homeward trip, as you may be working in different
buildings, always exchange phone numbers so if you are running late or are ill
one day you can let them know with plenty of notice, and vice versa.
 The ground rules: It’s always best to discuss the following issues in advance to
give your car share a better chance of succeeding as you may both have
different standards of what is acceptable in your car e.g. smoking or non-
smoking, and whether you can eat in each other’s cars. If you are giving a lift
to anyone younger than 14 years of age it is the driver's legal responsibility to
ensure they wear seat belts!
 Schedule: If you are going to share driving will you alternate daily, weekly,
monthly etc.? Because the week is only 5 days long, this can be difficult to
split, then why don’t you take alternative weeks.
 Reimbursement: If everyone shares driving equally this won't be an issue.
However, if someone doesn’t have a car and is asking for a lift then you should
agree in advance the amount, regularity and dates of payment – just to avoid
any awkwardness!
 Communication: If there are more than one of your car sharing, it’s best to
draw up a list of everyone’s mobile numbers and agree on a procedure for
notification and, in the case of the driver, a reserve if someone is ill or will not
be going into work that day.

2. What's in it for me?
 Reduced costs: The cost of driving your own car is considerably more than the
cost of the petrol you use. Although you must not make a profit, sharing your
journey means that you can share the cost of petrol and therefore save
money in the long run.
 Less stress: Driving in busy traffic every day can be stressful, by having
someone to talk to it may reduce your stress levels by the time you get to
work, not only this but if you are stuck in a traffic jam then you have someone
else to confirm your story as to why you are late.
 Socialising: Car sharing provides companionship and the opportunity to make
friends, maybe with somebody you don’t know that well or to improve an
existing relationship.
 Helping the Environment: Look around - how many cars do you see occupied
by only 1 person?! By sharing you are being part of the solution and not just
part of the problem!
 For organisations: If you contact your local council there may already be an
incentive for car sharing that you are unaware of – if not why don’t you put
the suggestion forward in your company? It can reduce the costs of providing
employee car parking spaces, not to mention reducing congestion on site and
in the local community. Active support of car sharing makes a positive
environmental statement about your organisation and your company! Why
not get it in your local press, try and raise some awareness! If your offices are
in a built up area like Cambridge, why not try and seen an alternative path to
work, for example the Park and Ride is a green way of getting to and from
work, with buses running every 10 minutes in and out of the city centre!