Carsharing & Ridesharing

 Car-sharing services and ride-sharing apps offer a convenient alternative to individual car ownership by allowing users to rent vehicles for short-term use or connect passengers to drivers for shared trips. This reduces the need for personal cars, optimizing vehicle usage and reducing the number of cars on the road.

Carsharing

Carsharing is a form of shared vehicle access to provide members with vehicles for personal use without the costs and commitment of individual car ownership. 

Carsharing programs provide individuals and companies with vehicles for limited use. These programs have various structures and are typically either round-trip station-based, one-way station-based, or one-way floating. For example, UCSB alumni, staff, and students have access to the Zipcar, a membership program that allows you to access cars on-demand when you need one. 

Carsharing is more accessible in metropolitan areas where alternative modes of transportation are prevalent, parking is expensive, and many people need specialty vehicles only occasionally.  Electrification of carshare vehicles can have compound benefits by eliminating tailpipe emissions and lowering vehicle operating costs, for example Blue LA in Los Angeles, California.

Ridesharing

Rideshare programs help connect people to travel together to the same or similar destinations, e.g. to workplaces. Ridesharing, also called carpooling, can reduce travel costs, traffic, and parking demand. Some local and regional governments provide incentives to encourage ridesharing, such as access to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, discounted fees on roads or lanes, special parking privileges for vehicles with multiple passengers, or tax breaks for companies with a high level of pooling among employees.

Employee Rideshares

Employee rideshare programs help coworkers carpool. These programs take advantage of the fact that coworkers commute to the same destination and are familiar with and accountable to one another. Rideshares can be coordinated through internal company websites, smartphone apps, social media, or informal meetings. Some employers encourage ridesharing by offering financial incentives, giving parking preference to carpoolers, providing a guaranteed ride home, or arranging and subsidizing a vanpool. Ask your workplace if rideshare programs are available to help make your commute easier.

Ridematching Systems

Ridematching systems help commuters coordinate their rides by identifying potential matches based on location and schedule. Ridematching websites can feature rider or driver reviews, fuel savings calculators, and options for finding back-up rides for special circumstances. Businesses can provide ridematching services for their own teams, and organizations such as metropolitan planning organizations or councils of governments can offer ridematching platforms that coordinate residents more broadly across a region. The Ventura County Transportation Commission, for example, offers a rideshare program for commuters and helps match individuals traveling similar routes.