RideShare

• Share a ride to work with someone that lives close to your home

• Carpool with other parents taking your children to school or after-school activities

• If you cannot carpool everyday to work that is okay, carpooling just one day per week can still save miles on your car and keep some money in your pocket

• Carpool to meetings with co-workers instead of taking separate vehicles

The Benefits of Carpooling

Carpooling helps alleviate traffic congestion, air pollution, commuter costs, and excessive wear-and-tear on your vehicle. Carpooling can fit your work schedule--even if it varies from day to day -- because Alamo Area Commute Solutions provides you with your very own personalized matchlist and tips to help meet your specific commute needs.

The "matchlist" of potential carpool partners is FREE!
Your matchlist consists of the names and contact phone numbers of people who already want to carpool and who live and work near you.

Also, your matchlist is free and there is no obligation. To get your matchlist, fill out our online form or call (210) C-A-R-P-O-O-L. You can also fax your completed form to (210) 225-5937 or mail it to:

AACOG
8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700
San Antonio, TX 78217
Attn: Commute Solutions

We do not give out addresses, only you can do that. Your privacy and security are protected. All you have to do is call the people on your matchlist to start or join a pool!

Starting a carpool doesn't cost a thing
If the driving is rotated equally, no money needs to change hands. You only pay for gas and parking on the days you drive. If one driver does more driving, other passengers may chip in to help cover gas and parking.

Carpooling saves you money!
Taking into account the costs of gas, repairs, parking, and insurance, the American Automobile Association estimates that driving just one mile in your vehicle costs more than 56 cents. Experts estimate that you can save as much as $3,000 a year by carpooling, not to mention hours of your time as well as your peace of mind. You'll also help save the planet by reducing the amount of traffic on our roads, as vehicles account for a significant percentage of air pollution and energy consumption.

With your Alamo Area Commute Solutions matchlist you can find other commuters who want to cut their driving time and commute costs–and fight congestion and air pollution, too!

What if ... ?

What if I have appointments? No problem; schedule your appointments on non-carpool days. Sharing the ride for even two or three days a week still saves you a bundle.

What if I have to work late or there is an emergency? Contact Commute Solutions for details on CARE, the "guaranteed ride home" program. Or, join a morning-only carpool and take public transit or a later carpool in the evening.

What if I don't like the people I carpool with? There are all kinds of carpools. Contact us and request another matchlist to find carpool partners more to your liking.

What if I'm sick or oversleep? Call the driver or the person at the first stop to let them know you won't be riding that day. If one of your group members makes a career out of being 10 minutes late, agree on how long the driver should wait at each stop.

Sharing rides reduces the amount of ozone-producing pollutants released into our city's air, making for a safer and cleaner environment. Alamo Area Commute Solutions uses a computer database and a special mapping program to identify those persons living nearest one another whose children attend the same school. Parents are provided a list of other parents that would be suitable matches and want to SchoolPool. Then, prospective poolers just call each other to determine driving arrangements.

Ten Terrific Reasons to SchoolPool!

1. You won't have to drive every day.





2. You save money on gas when you share the driving responsibilities.





3. You won't have to worry about the safety hazards associated with kids getting to school alone.





4. You have other parents’ phone numbers if you have car trouble and your child needs a ride.





5. You help reduce traffic congestion around the school’s pick-up and drop-off area.





6. You team up with other parents in getting your kids to school safely and on time.





7. You give your kids a great lesson on saving our environment.





8. You and your SchoolPool partners will have complete flexibility in setting up your schedule.





9. You can change your pooling arrangements any time the need arises.





10. SchoolPool will do all the work for you, and it’s FREE!

Getting Started

To start SchoolPooling NOW, fill out our online information request form.

Ten Bright Ideas for SchoolPoolers

These tips will help you develop a plan for your SchoolPool and get the group going in the right direction.

1. HAVE LUNCH WITH A POTENTIAL SCHOOLPOOL PARENT BEFORE YOU START POOLING
   A personal meeting is more helpful than a phone conversation when establishing schoolpool policies.





2. DRAW UP A DRIVING SCHEDULE
   If you decide to share driving duties, assign a particular day (or days) of the week to each driver. This way others in your family can use the car regularly. Alternately, many poolers find rotating drivers weekly or monthly to be the most practical carpool arrangement.





3. AGREE UPON A REGULAR PICK-UP SCHEDULE AND BE PUNCTUAL
   Each pooler should know when and where to meet the schoolpool every day. Agree to wait five to ten minutes for all poolers to arrive. Be sure to call your poolers if you are running late.





4. KEEP YOUR FELLOW SCHOOLPOOLERS' HOME AND WORK PHONE NUMBERS HANDY
   That way you can notify them when your student(s) will not be going to school, or in cases of emergency. Let pool partners know if your student will miss a day's ride, either to or from school.





5. KEEP YOUR CAR IN GOOD MECHANICAL CONDITION
   Perform all regular maintenance to reduce emissions and prevent breakdowns. For more information, check out the Car Care 101 booklet.





6. SELECT AN AFTERNOON MEETING SPOT OR HAVE THE SCHOOL DESIGNATE ONE
   All of the students in the SchoolPool should know exactly where and when to meet the driver after school. The spot should be in a safe area from which it is easy for them to get into the car and that doesn't require crossing the street, if possible. To ease traffic in the parking lot, see if the school will designate a SchoolPool loading and unloading zone.





7. CONSULT YOUR INSURANCE AGENT
   Find out if your company offers lower rates for reduced driving or requires increased coverage for higher liability limits. Discuss with other drivers to find out if their coverage is adequate. Use this opportunity to address safety and driving records.





8. PLAN TO RUN YOUR ERRANDS ON YOUR OWN TIME
   Your SchoolPool is for taking children to school. Stopping for "quick errands" on the way can drastically increase commute time and lessen the value of carpooling.





9. LAY A FEW GROUND RULES
   Set some rules on anything, such as radio station and volume, that may make the commute uncomfortable.





10. ESTABLISH A POLICY FOR DRIVER REIMBURSEMENT
    SchoolPools work best when everyone contributes to the carpool's operation and receives equal benefit. Agree upon a cost per mile for gas, add parking fees and divide by the number of riders in your pool. Schedule payments on a weekly or monthly basis. Or if everyone takes turns driving, you shouldn't need to calculate driving expenses.