Press

Bob the Carpooler

The concept of ‘carpooling’ probably conjures a mental image of a group of dreary professionals on their way to pick up Bob from accounts. Or maybe you think of an exhausted mother and a herd of overexcited children picking their noses in the back seat. Or maybe it’s a van full of dreadlock-loving dudes who wear hemp clothing and have an irritating habit of bursting into song. Either way, the associations aren’t appealing and they certainly aren’t sexy.  

The truth is, however, that the history of carpooling is far richer, more interesting and enduring than you might expect. Carpooling has existed as a concept since the advent of transport and first came to prominence in WWII during rationing-efforts.

Carpool Lanes and Mitfahrzentrale

Before you start slowly losing the will to live, let’s jump forward to the seventies and the smoky atmosphere of free love and political idealism. The 1973 oil embargo, the mounting traffic problems and increased environmental activism during this decade (and hence all that tie-dye) resulted in the creation of the first carpool lanes. In the U.S., for instance, the first carpool lane was installed on the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge in 1971 to reduce congestion and move people more quickly.

Meanwhile in Germany, carpooling was picking up for totally different reasons. Hitchhiking, which had become popular in the 70-80s had begun to transform by the early 90s into a safer, more organised occurrence. Carpooling centers (or ‘mitfahrzentrale’ in German) began to spring up all over the country – arguably as a reaction to the increasing price of public transport. One would present themselves at these offices with their ID and pay a fixed price to book a seat in someone’s car. In order to stay financially viable, these carpooling centers charged a commission of 30-50%.

Here comes the Internet

Then the Internet revolution happened (cue the sound of trumpets) and many innovative carpooling initiatives spread all over the world. 

In Germany, three humble students thought of creating a free online database of carpooling offers called: mitfahrgelegenheit.de, that allowed drivers and passengers to connect directly without paying a commission fee of 30%. The popularity of the platform took off immediately and quickly spread across cities and borders.

In France, hundreds of online solutions emerged as the government asked every city and company to define a carbon-reduction mobility plan. A national federation of carpooling was created in 2008 (the Feduco). 

This is not to mention the richness of carpool schemes all over the world for music lovers, backpackers, students, rural inhabitants, hospital patients and CSR initiatives for big businesses as well as the thousands of ride sharing offers found in online forums.

In Canada, transport experts talk about the Renaissance of carpooling and a likely carpool comeback thanks to technology and the active participation of employers.

There is an important distinction to be made between the traditional carpool (organized with a fixed set of people) and the new peer-to-peer, spontaneous ride sharing of today where people offer seats on-the-go.

Share in a way that was never possible before

The Internet, GPS technology, smart phones and social networks now make it possible to share in a way that was never possible before. The concept of collaborative consumption (the swapping, sharing, bartering, trading and renting of goods and services) is really becoming a global phenomenon. When you share a car, when you share a book, when you share an idea, you forge connections with the people around you. 

In an age where people are increasingly isolated, initiatives like carpooling help to promote solidarity and social links within communities. Have you ever seen a better way to reconnect or meet someone than spending a few hours together in a car or on the road? 

So when you hear the word ‘carpooling’ don’t think of Bob from Accounts, think of hundreds of new faces, new friends and new adventures. Think of the money you’ll save. Think of helping to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion. Think of a future full of possibilities! 

So what are you waiting for?!