Carpooling has become an excellent way for commuters around the country to save money and time behind the wheel.  In tough economic times, the financial benefits become more important than usual.  Environmentally conscious members of society also seem to prefer to carpool in order to help reduce the number of single passenger voyages to work and back.  Many states have ride share programs, special incentives, and freeways with segregated lanes that are exclusively for vehicles with two or more passengers.  Believe it or not, many people have coworkers that live nearby but do not know how to go about discussing the idea of riding to work together.

If you’re one of those people, here are a few pointers that might get you on the road to a successful carpool relationship.

1.  The most important thing you must do is ensure that you can spend the entire duration of your commute to and from work with the individual you have in mind.  If your personalities at work tend to clash every now and again, chances are it will happen even more often when you’re riding to work together every day.  I know this may seem obvious, but many people see the financial benefits of carpooling and try to ignore potential conflicts.  Sometimes peace of mind is more valuable than a few dollars in gasoline.

2.  You must be as flexible as possible.  If you know that one of you may occasionally be required to stay late without notice, be prepared to handle this situation in a non-confrontational way.  This will ensure your ride sharing partner behaves the same way when you are asked to stay late.

3.  Communicate frequently.  When you know you have to leave early for a doctor’s appointment or work overtime to meet a project deadline, make sure you are up front and clear.  You should give as much advance notice as possible so your carpool buddy is able to adapt as needed.

4.  Share responsibilities.  The best way to make sure things operate fairly, you should alternate the days or weeks that each person is required to drive their vehicle.  If one person ends up doing a majority of the driving, make sure there is some sort of monetary compensation that levels the field.

Carpooling is a not only a great for your pocketbook, but can also help you develop a friendship with a coworker that you would have never expected.  Just remember to keep things fair and equal.