A new carpooling application on Facebook has been launched that allows students to find people to carpool home with during the holidays. The application allows Facebook users to share rides with people who are traveling in the same direction.
Facebook is a free social networking site that lets users to connect and interact with each other. The Web site allows users to upload photos and videos, chat with friends, send messages, and leave comments on other peoples' profiles.
John Zimmer and Logan Green created Carpool powered by Zimride, a ridesharing application on Facebook in 2007. They wanted to create a program that made it safe and fun for people to find others to carpool with.
"We wanted to create a new form pf transportation that was convenient, reliable, fun, and sustainable," said Zimmer. "We knew that carpooling/ridesharing had the ability to be such excellent transportation option, but there were barriers preventing it from becoming mainstream..."
The carpooling application matches users that are traveling to similar destinations using Google maps. When people post their desired destination on the Web site they are given a list of people who are headed toward the same direction.
About 500 Cal Poly students have already signed up to use the Facebook application. "The carpool application has been very popular among students because students typically have a lower level of car ownership, more of a desire to save on expenses, and are often the early adopters of new internet technology," said Zimmer. Mara Ryan, a fourth-year liberal studies student is hesitant about carpooling with people she doesn't know. "I probably wouldn't use a carpool program on Facebook, if I wanted to use rideshare I'd just ask my friends and see if anyone wanted to carpool," said Ryan. "Using Facebook would kind of sketch me out..." For security purposes Facebook users can view the profile of the person who they are interested in sharing a ride with. This allows people to research information about other potential carpoolers before getting in the car with them.
Teresa Gonzalez, a third-year communications student doesn't use the Facebook application because she prefers sharing rides home with friends or people she knows.
"I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing a ride with someone I don't know," said Gonzalez. "Right now I rideshare with a friend so I wouldn't want to do that."
Zimmer wants to make carpooling a fun and memorable experience when sharing rides with classmates, friends and coworkers.
"Using Zimride's service to find carpools can be easy and provide a very enjoyable way of commuting and traveling home for breaks," said Zimmer. "Many students have told us they have made great friends and had very memorable conversations in their carpools."
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