As the Middle Tennessee population continues to grow exponentially, the number of vehicles on the roads increases as well. Nashville and surrounding areas are continuously experiencing the heartaches of increased traffic from longer commutes to more accidents and deaths to more time that is lost by sitting in traffic. People in the Nashville region also under-utilize resources like public transportation and carpooling. So, next time you are about to head out to work, think about these five reasons that you should consider carpooling.
Fun Commute
Traveling by yourself, stuck in traffic can be frustrating, but your commute can be a lot more enjoyable sharing it with a friend. If you carpool with someone (or several someones), you might not realize how terrible traffic is (and if enough people begin to carpool on a consistent basis, traffic may not be so terrible!) When riding with others, you have an opportunity to talk with your friends and spend some time with them instead of yelling at the cars around you.
Better for the Environment
With fewer cars on the road, we have lower emissions and car exhaust, which in turn means lower impact on the environment. It means cleaner air and altogether a more enjoyable world around us.
HOV Lane Use = Faster Commute
The great thing about Tennessee laws is that they already give you incentives to carpool. If you have more than one person in your car, you can use the HOV lane for your travels. In most cases, this means a faster commute with less traffic.
Save on Gas and Parking Fees
By carpooling with people, you also save on gas and parking fees. The more people, the less each of you has to pay. Take that $20 tank of gas that you need every week, divide that by 4 people, you now save $15 on gas. Take that $100 monthly parking fee and divide it by 4, you now pay a much more reasonable $25 on parking per a month.
Safer for Everyone
Finally, fewer vehicles on the roads mean less traffic, which, in turn, means fewer chances of accidents that result in injuries or death.
Next time you’re with co-workers or friends and you’re complaining about traffic, take the opportunity to propose carpooling and use these benefits to convince them. After all, most people I know won’t refuse the chance to save some money, time, and some lives.
This article is brought to you by Hytch, whose mission is to take cars off the road by building a virtual mass transit network using free technology that everyone can use to easily get neighbors into the empty seats of existing cars on the road. By using Hytch tracking systems for safety, reliability and payment processing, you share the COST of a ride. Enjoy new friendships and easily build up your “posse” of cool people to rely upon for future ride sharing. Drivers and riders use Hytch.me to measure and track shared rides to earn incentives paid by company sponsors who support carpooling. Learn more at hytch.me.
