Ride-sharing Strategies for the Holidays
The word hitchhiker brings to mind someone standing on the side of the road soliciting rides from passing vehicles. But hitching a ride in the 21st century isn't likely to begin with an outstretched thumb or a handwritten note on a college bulletin board. Looking for a ride increasingly involves typing a request on an Internet message board. Craigslist [www.craigslist.org]–by far the most popular place to seek or offer a ride–has about 20,000 ride-share posts a month, which swell to 30,000 at peak travel times like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So, if you still haven't booked your holiday travel this year, here's a guide to the low-cost world of ride sharing.
Save money. The average person makes nine trips of at least 50 miles each year, which tend to cost about 53 cents per mile, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. But carrying extra people going in the same direction can slash those costs. Wendianne Eller, 26, a Spanish teacher in Oakland, Calif., who has been ride sharing for four years, is usually able to get to Los Angeles for $25 or $30, considerably less than Greyhound's $45.50, Amtrak's $56, and Southwest's $49. Eller usually uses craigslist, where it's free to post offers or requests for rides. Other sites may charge. For instance, Ridester.com [www.ridester.com] imposes a $2 ticket fee and a processing fee amounting to 9.5 percent of the driver's asking price. However, even with the processing fee factored in, it is still usually a cheaper way to travel than the bus, the lowest-cost alternative.
Save fuel. Sharing a car not only saves money but helps you do your part to reduce fuel consumption. According to Steven Schoeffler, the executive director of eRideShare.com [www.erideshare.com], ride sharing "reduces traffic, reduces pollution, reduces greenhouse gases, and reduces dependence on foreign oil." Max Fox, the president of Datasphere Corp., which owns the website Carpoolworld.com [www.carpoolworld.com], says the site saw a big spike in registered trips when Hurricane Katrina hit and gas prices went through the roof. "Sudden high gas prices definitely motivate people to search for solutions," Fox says. "But then they get used to the high prices."
Meet new people. Sharing a car can keep you entertained and alert during a long trip. "When you're sharing such a small space, it's a unique way to get to know people," says Cassie Helfrich, 24, an environmental science student at the University of Washington in Seattle who travels to Portland, Ore., almost every other weekend to see her boyfriend. "You get to hear people's life stories, and everyone is doing something interesting." Wendianne Eller has made several new friends by sharing rides as well. "I have people I've taken with me I've actually stayed in contact with because they are interesting people," she says.
Service to your door. When you fly, you have to factor in transportation to and from the airport. Taking the train means finding someone to pick you up at the station. But ride sharing offers transportation directly to your destination or another mutually agreed-upon spot. "I ended up saving money, but my motive was convenience," says Nisheet Goyal, 27, an engineer in Austin who found a ride-share to Houston at Ridester.com. "Even if I took the Greyhound, the timing was inconvenient, and I would have to go from where the bus stop was to wherever I was going in Houston."
Talk on the phone first. Getting into a car with someone you have never met before is not always the most appealing prospect. So, you should learn as much about the person as you can beforehand or even meet before your trip. "On craigslist, someone can call me, and I can talk to them on the phone a little bit, and then you have a better chance of knowing if they are crazy or not and if you want to be in a car with that person," says Eller. "When you talk to someone on the phone, it's really important to keep your wits about you and use your best judgment. If someone sounds a little off, call someone else."
Ask for references. Even if someone makes a good impression on the phone, it's still a good idea to get a second opinion. "You should meet the person in a public place before you get in a car with them," says Schoeffler. "Ask for three personal references and call them." You may also want to make a copy of the driver's license. "If you are going to be a passenger, you want to make sure it's a safe driver," says Jim Buckmaster, the CEO of craigslist. "Because you're depending on whoever is going to be doing the driving to be safe." Unlike craigslist, Ridester.com allows ride sharers to provide positive, negative, or neutral feedback about previous carmates so that future riders will better know what to expect.
State your preferences. You should discuss personal preferences with the driver before you enter the car. You may want to find out the driver's or passenger's age, gender, and smoking habits; whether pets are allowed in the car; how much luggage you can bring; and even music preferences. "Be specific on what you want, what your hours are, and if you're flexible," says Adam Wisniewski, owner and founder of CarPoolConnect.com [www.carpoolconnect.com]. It's also a good idea to discuss payment before the trip commences.
Be selective. Don't take the first ride that comes along just because it's heading in the correct direction. "If you ever feel uncomfortable in a situation, you should never hesitate to say I'm not able to offer a ride," says Jake Boshernitzan, the CEO of Ridester.com. Adds Eller, "As a woman it's probably a good idea to go with only women drivers instead of going alone with some strange dude. The first time I went with a male driver who was also picking up another couple, I sent a text message with his license plate to my sister and boyfriend so someone would know the license plate number of the car I was last seen getting into." Eller made it to Los Angeles and back safely.