The average person will agree that the office commute is the most tiresome and time-consuming part of their day. With rising air pollution levels and traffic-congested roads, it is vital to find a sustainable solution to beat the problem. A large number of gated communities and common office spaces make the community carpooling a viable option. With a little organisation, residents can easily find co-passengers travelling towards their destination. Apps used for community management can also be used to organise the same. Given the common pick-up point, there is no commute confusion and the ride-sharing presents ample opportunity to socialise and fraternise with fellow residents.
What is Community Carpooling?
Community Carpooling is an innovative transportation idea that allows anyone to share their personal car with other members of the community during a commute. This is a great idea for people heading in the same direction.
Why use community carpooling?
1. Traffic-free roads
With a population of 1.3 billion people, more than 4.4 million passenger cars are sold in India each year, most of which are concentrated in metropolitan cities. This alarming number contributes to congested roads and longer commutes. If a large number of residents adopt community carpooling as their main mode of transportation, this could contribute to relatively freer roads and keep traffic in check
2. Save on fuel costs
With ever-rising fuel prices, splitting the fuel cost with fellow passengers is a smart way of managing your transportation costs. Alternatively, the group could create a schedule to rotate their personal vehicles throughout the week.
3. Help the environment
By using a common car, you are not only reducing your dependence on non-renewable sources of energy but reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A small step like this considerably reduces air and sound pollution and makes your surrounding more livable while keeping your community carbon emissions in check.
4. Reduced stress on parking
With a high number of cars, public spaces and office buildings are burdened with providing sufficient parking infrastructure. An organised community carpooling group limits the number of cars that need to be accommodated and reduces strain on the space.
5. Get more out of your commute
If the carpooling group rotates drivers, other passengers have a chance to catch up on work, listen to podcasts, read a book or complete other tasks during the commute especially if the commute is a long one. This also minimises commuter stress and alleviates your mood.
6. Socialise with your community
Commuting with people from the same residential society allows you to meet new people living in close proximity, which makes the commute a less boring one.
How to organise carpooling?
1. Encourage residents
The society admin or management committee should initiate the conversation around carpooling. Educate your residents about the benefits of carpooling and actively encourage the same in your community.
2. Circulate forms
Circulate digital forms to gauge how many residents are interested in community carpooling. Make use of the responses to create the groups. The MyGate app includes communication management features that allow you to discuss such matters on the app. The management could also organise polls on-app to ensure all points are considered.
3. Organise into groups
Residents can organise into groups according to the area of their daily commute. This allows residents to create their own carpooling groups according to their place of work, schedule and convenience. Members could also use the society management app to form a group and discuss the carpooling details with other residents.
4. Set the rules
Once the residents have organised into groups, they can decide on whether the group will have a designated driver or alternating drivers, the pick-up and drop-off locations, how fuel costs will be split, how long the group will have to wait before starting the commute etc.,
5. Schedule the rides
The groups can choose to schedule the rides at a fixed time every day or notify others in their group when they are starting their commute. The members should, however, be sure to communicate the timings to fellow riders to avoid any confusion.
6. Maintain decorum
Ensure you maintain decorum when travelling in another car. Ensure you are punctual, avoid making loud phone calls, keep the surroundings clean so as to not inconvenience the co-passengers.
Community carpooling has a number of benefits that have a positive social and economic impact. With a growing number of residential societies and common office spaces, adopting community carpooling for your daily commute is not a difficult task, all it requires is a little coordination and cooperation. Organise a carpooling group and minimise commute stress.
About MyGate
MyGate is India’s largest gated community management app, benefiting thousands of housing societies, developers, society facility managers, and millions of homeowners in every Indian city.
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