Making friends, saving money with online carpooling
By Tim O?Connell
A web based car pooling scheme is set to become available to Wellingtonians in the next few months, allowing commuters the opportunity to share the experience of traveling to work with others in their neighbourhood. The scheme being introduced by the Greater Wellington Regional Council, and will involve gradually providing software to businesses in the Wellington region. The online system will then allow employees to locate fellow travelers in their local area, in the hope of organising a regular commute into a common or nearby workplace destination. Coordinator of the programme Ping Sim says the initiative came about as a way of helping whose places of work generally require more time and effort to get there. It also seeks to provide an alternative for those who find public transport difficult to access. ?We?re hoping that this carpool scheme will be a viable alternative for those people who drive solo for quite long distances to and from work. ?For instance, we know that a substantial number of people travel from the Hutt Valley to work in the Porirua area, and vice versa.? The purpose of the car pooling scheme holds obvious environmental benefits such as reduction of greenhouse emissions, traffic congestion and use of fuel. However, the social advantages of car pooling are also being promoted by the GWRC, with respective groups encouraged to meet informally beyond the trip to and from work. Best of all, the cost to participate in the car pooling programme is free. While encouraging improved social networks within their place of business, the GWRC also says the scheme will help raise the environmental profile of companies taking part.
