Carpooling is popping up everywhere

Carpooling websites have been recently popping up encouraging people to share a ride, reduce their fuel bills, unclog congested roads, improve our air quality, reduce greenhouse gases and, so they argue, improve the social fabric of our communities.

There seems to be a new carpooling website every week. Organisations such as La Trobe University are promoting themselves as a responsible corporate citizen with their own carpooling website. Many other organisations can see the sense in such initiatives and are getting involved.

Transport expert Professor John Stanley of Sydney University has recently urged people to carpool, saying that increasing the number of commuters per car slightly could have a dramatic effect: "The effect would be equivalent to about doubling public transport.People would really notice a difference on the road. It will become like school holidays again."

The following websites illustrate this gowing trend:
www.thecarpool.com.au/
www.ecarpool.com.au/
www.ozcarpool.com.au/
www.latrobe.edu.au/carpool/
www.sydneycarpool.com/
www.carpool-it.com/
www.carpool.com.au/
www.carpoolaustralia.com/

Labor Governments have an opportunity to bring more public attention to these initiatives by simply endorsing their efforts. They could also actively promote carpooling.