Register Today for our new Online Carpool Matchlist program
Get up-to-date information about people with your similar commute and work hours. Once logged on, we'll generate a personalized carpool matchlist from which you'll be able to send standardized or personalized emails to other commuters as well as update your personal commute information here.
Carpool and Save! Share a ride with a carpool partner or group and save big! You'll save gas, wear and tear on your car, the environment and money! How Can I Get Into a Carpool?
It's easy. Simply fill out our on-line application and instantaneously generate a list of interested carpoolers, 24 hours a day. If you don't have an email, give us a call at 963-7283 and we can help you generate a carpool matchlist.. Tell us about your commute to work -- where you live, where you work and what time you usually start and end work. We'll give you a free matchlist of people who live near you, work near you, and have similar schedules. We have over 800 possible matches in our database -- people who are either current carpoolers or are hopeful to find a perfect match.
How Do I Use a Matchlist? Just scan the list and call those who seem to be your best match. Call the people on your list and see if you can work out the specifics of your commute. You might want to meet over coffee or lunch to check compatibility and work out the details. You should decide:
Who drives when? (alternating days of the week?)
Where and at what time are the pick up and drop off points? (door-to-door or at a central meeting place?)
How long will you wait if someone's late?
Will smoking be allowed in the car?
Special Carpool Parking Program The City of Santa Barbara Parking Program offers two special parking programs just for carpoolers commuting to Downtown Santa Barbara! Free Carpool Parking Permits are available for the Downtown Commuter lots. On-Street Carpool Parking permits are also available, providing an exemption for the on-street parking time limit in designated blocks. The On-Street Carpool Permits cost only $20 per quarter. For more information, contact Jay Hillje at 966-9368.
Can I Carpool Without a Car? Sure! When you receive your matchlist, just call the people who have a * by their name (that means they have a car available). Find a carpool where you can chip in some money for your share of the driving, gas and maintenance in exchange for a ride. Should I Carpool Every Day? Lots of people do, but even if you can't, carpool as many days as you can. Remember, every day of the week you carpool saves 20% -- not just money, stress and traffic congestion -- but 20% of the pollutants that would normally go into the air. A great way to start is carpooling one day a week! Review your schedule and plan on one day when you can stick to a normal routine.
If at First You Don't Succeed... If you don't find anyone with whom to carpool the first time, don't give up -- keep trying! Names are regularly added to the on-line carpool database. Click here to register or log-in for a new list. Don't have email? Just call 963-SAVE and we can help you generate a list. More Carpooling Tips: You don't have to carpool everyday. Some people are interested in carpools that are on an on-call basis, some one or two days a week, while others prefer carpools that have a regular schedule. Carpools are a very flexible alternative and can be tailored to your needs.
Park & Ride Lots are available in some locations.
If you feel uncomfortable taking the first step in setting up a carpool, call us at Traffic Solutions. We'll answer your questions and ease your fears. We'll call potential carpool partners for you and make sure they are still interested. We can even tell them to expect a call from you.
updated 5/26/05
