Carpool Websites Are BoomingTo save money, riders and drivers are looking for each other.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Whether carpooling to save money, the environment or commuting time, one thing is for sure: Packing in passengers is picking up speed. And as a direct result, the web is seeing a fast-growing number of carpool websites that match riders with drivers.
作为一个资深entrepreneur in the carpool website scene, Steven Schoeffler has seen and felt the effects of the recent surge: "[2008] was a very different year for the carpooling world--for the whole transportation world." He admits it was a slow startup environment when he launched eRideShare.com in 1999, but interest in his site's free and paid services has picked up, bringing in 2008 sales of less than $100,000 for the company. Schoeffler, 46, offers free carpool matching to individuals and groups under 200. His fee-based service is a password-protected ride listing that matches employees and even keeps track of company mileage, fuel, emissions reductions and financial savings, like the reduced depreciation of the vehicle.
