Five obvious carpool benefits everyone should consider
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” When it comes to travelling around the Whakatipu basin it’s easy to forget the smarter way of doing things isn’t necessarily the most glamourous.
No, carpooling isn’t as exciting as personal hovercrafts or solar powered roller-skates. But, for getting people where they want to go in a fast, efficient, and cost-effective manner, shared rides can markedly reduce the negative impacts of congestion on our roads. And if we can motivate people into more carpooling it’ll be a bloody genius result, right?
Here are five carpool considerations for achieving stress-free and cheap travel to work in Queenstown.
- It’s cost-efficient. The more you carpool, the more you save. It can cost thousands to operate a car each year, and that’s not just the fuel either. There’s insurance and registration and warrants of fitness and parking and maintenance and repairs. Did you know the council now offers free parking for those with carpooling permits? While there’s a small cost to get one, for those with 3 or more in their car each day, it can make a big difference.
- It’s less stressful. With fewer cars on the road there’s less traffic and less time spent on the road. Carpooling in Queenstown also means you can spend time in the passenger seat looking out at the beautiful landscape. And, if a problem shared is a problem halved, then having a couple of others to laugh at the traffic with is certainly less stressful than venting on your own.
- It’s better for the planet. Fewer cars on the road result in less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. It also reduces demand for new roads and sprawling parking spaces. With the challenges facing our planet it’s easy to think an individual can’t make a difference. But with a few of you that’s three cars off the road. Multiply that by a suburb and the difference is obvious.
- It’s better for your neighbours. Getting to know your neighbours is vital if we want to build stronger, friendlier, safer, and more resilient communities. Making these connections helps when it’s time to borrow a vital tool, or a crucial ingredient. It helps when your new mate down the road notices someone in your house when you’re away on holiday. It helps in a disaster when it’s time to give or ask for help and support.
- It’s better for you. Life is chaotic and busy and at times very demanding. Why add to this with extra stress, cost, and time in your daily commute? To begin a carpool, or join an existing one, start here.