I can frame the question so many ways, but I framed it this way to spur the most radical way to think of it. The question is if you are willing to carpool or vanpool in order save money.
In Seattle here I drive in the reverse commute pattern, so there is no benefit in getting to work earlier if I have a carpool or vanpool. It is purely a financial and environmental decision. The cost is 30 min. of lost sleep per day or shifting my entire evening by 3o min and sleeping earlier. The benefit is $37 per month (which translates to $440 per year).
Vanpool, in which a much larger group of people take a 10-passenger van together, saves even more money but requires me to wake up even earlier. My estimates show $720 savings per year for 45 minutes of lost sleep (or time shifting to sleep earlier by 45 minutes) every work day.
If I break it down to the savings per hour, it is roughly $4.50 per hour that I save during commute time.
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I've started carpooling to try it out, but it is tough being fiscally and environmentally responsible. How much savings would you need before you carpool?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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3 comments:
It actually is lost 30 min and 45 min, since I need to drive to pick up the carpool or to arrive at the park-and-ride lot.
Are there any intangibles (like social relationships) that are affected by car/vanpooling?
anon
Good point. There may be social interactions and networking through carpooling and vanpooling that would generally be a positive.
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