Casual Carpooling-Enhanced

Abstract

Casual carpooling currently functions in environments where, because there is an HOV lane, riders and passengers join together to gain access to that lane. In this article, technology is introduced that will allow casual carpooling to function in areas without HOV lanes by providing an administrative system that records actual carpooling behavior so that incentives other than access to an HOV lane can be made available. This technology also addresses some of the current shortcomings associated with casual carpooling such as personal safety, the "free rider" problem, and the disincentive to maximize the number of passengers sharing a ride. The article concludes with comments on funding enhanced carpool programs including a hypothetical comparison of a program providing monetary incentives for carpooling to the alternative construction of new HOV lanes.