Reducing Gas Expenses By Forming A Car Pool

The continuing high gas prices have eroded our home economies so much, almost all drivers are already doing whatever they can about it while being on the lookout for any other possible measures to further reduce their gas costs. Some have tried the ultimate in saving gas costs by not using their cars, only to find out after a few days that it was not feasible.

Public transport also does not work for some due to location of their homes/work places far off from bus routes etc. It is in this context that car pools have become very popular with people having common traveling goals such as along a single route if not the exact places as well.

The concept of car-pooling has existed for several years although it has remained comparatively unobtrusive. Although quite popular, it has still failed to gain widespread total acceptance, perhaps due to its limitations in catering mainly to only pre-arranged routine assignments with mass participation; and difficulties in coordinating pooling for all possible transport needs of all the members; that may arise from time to time at very short notice.

Some people would prefer to use their own vehicles at whatever the cost for their more personal matters rather than by pooling with outsiders. However, the stark reality is that car-pooling affords the best possibilities for greatly minimizing fuel costs at least for members’ major common transport needs.

Initiating a car pool would be quite easy, for instance by making inquiries at your work place or by putting up a notice in front of your home to the effect that lifts are available up to a certain destination on working days with time of departure and approx. time of return etc to attract any interested parties from around your neighborhood. You will take members only up to the limit you can accommodate with comfort in the proposed vehicle, and you may fix the charges to cover all your fuel costs plus other expenses such as wear and tear, a reasonable driving allowance etc., so that you could have a free ride up and down. 

Car-pooling finds most popular acceptance in getting to and back from work. However, you can extend this to certain other areas depending on the extent of the common interests of at least some of the other members if not all. Possible areas of cooperation are: getting to and from gym daily or every other day, marketing once or twice a week, shopping, a movie; maybe once a month, to an amusement park for the kids etc. You may even consider sharing a vacation with another family or two you specifically like, so that a heavy fuel bill could be split among the participating families.

Due to the limitations in car-pooling, and depending on the preferences for traveling in private and silence or a preference for having a matching companion to talk to when traveling while sharing fuel costs etc., car pooling may work to varying extents with some; or may not work at all with some others. However, what remains to be said in conclusion is that with gas prices never hitting it so high as now, you never had it better before for car pooling to reduce the fuel costs of not only you, but of many others as well who opt for pooling in preference to using their own vehicles. Car-pooling may even find you a good friend or two who would be worth having over a lifetime.

Resources
Car pool to reduce gas expenses