Carpooling: New Relevance

For an Old Practice

By Joel Nelson on Jan 24, 2025 in News

Carpooling – two or more people sharing a ride to and from work or another common destination – came to prominence as a fuel rationing measure in World War II and gained renewed urgency during the energy crises of the 1970s. After waning in subsequent years, the practice is undergoing another renaissance today.

The percentage of U.S. workers commuting by carpool dropped from 19.7% in 1980 to 7.8% by 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The figure rose to 8.6% in 2022, about what it is today. Can the once-popular practice gain a stronger foothold among today’s workers?

Rising costs driving popularity

Some observers think so. With the costs of vehicle ownership, maintenance, fuel, insurance and parking all trending upward, workers and business owners are seeking cost-effective transportation alternatives. Carpooling is one of them.

Along with a chance to share cost burdens, carpooling offers an effective way to reduce traffic congestion, a major contributor to air pollution. Transport Canada, a government agency that manages transportation policies and programs, notes that carpooling with just one other person can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by hundreds of pounds annually. It can also significantly cut fuel expenses and support businesses’ sustainability initiatives.

“Carpooling is gaining popularity once again and a major factor is that people and organizations are getting more and more environmentally conscious,” reports Pima Assn. of Governments, a metropolitan planning organization comprising local, state and tribal leaders in the Tucson, Ariz., area.

Other benefits of carpooling include opportunities to establish social connections, access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes and reduced pressure on parking space.

Tech opens new avenues

Pima and other organizations utilize specialized technology that helps people find carpool partners, organize schedules, track expenses and reimbursements, plan routes and communicate with carpool partners.

“Online carpooling platforms and app-based carpooling services have revolutionized the way people commute. These platforms connect riders with drivers, providing a user-friendly interface for scheduling rides, making payments and tracking journeys in real time,” according to Business Research Insights, a market intelligence firm in Pune, India.

As the U.S. workforce continues its post-pandemic evolution, modern carpooling’s confluence of new technology, positive social interaction and environmental responsibility presents opportunities to enrich workers, communities and businesses.

“The beauty of ridesharing lies in the fact that it taps into an abundant yet underutilized resource: the empty seats in cars [which] represent a huge source of waste in our transportation system – but potentially also a huge opportunity for improvement,” assert Deloitte researchers Peter Viechnicki, Tiffany Fishman and William D. Eggers.