Cash for Carpooling? Commuter Connections Offers ‘Pool Rewards’ Program

Commuter Connections will pay you to start a car or vanpool. They will also pay each passenger who participates in your pool.

The “Pool Rewards” program not only brings in extra cash, but previous solo drivers can save an estimated 24 minutes on average one-way by using the HOV/Express Lanes, while passengers are able to perform work-related tasks during the commute (38 percent say they do).

• For carpools, sharing your daily commute can be worth up to $130. Those now driving alone who start or join new carpools may be eligible for a $2-a-day reward ($1 for each-way) over a trip-tracked, 90-day period where they carpool at least two or more weekdays. That’s $130 per rider, just for reducing traffic, air pollution, stress and the personal cost of getting to and from work.
• For vanpools, the effort can be worth $200 a month when you find at least six other commuters — and up to 15 — to share their daily ride to and from work. Commuter Connections puts the new vanpool coordinator in touch with participating vanpool companies to partner with the new group — so no one has to own a large van.

The program is free; sign up here. If you are wondering how much your solo commute is costing you, check out Commuter Connection’s “Commuting Cost Calculator.”

Commuter Connections is a regional network of transportation organizations coordinated by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments that are united in helping improve the region’s traffic. Commuter Connections offers free services and programs that help employees and employers throughout the region find the most cost-effective, convenient and safe commutes. Commuter Connections provides direct ridematching, and information on public transit, HOV/Express Lanes restrictions, park-and-ride lots, bicycling, and teleworking, and was founded in 1974.