Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Aug 07, 2006
Business Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Aug 07, 2006 |
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eWorld
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Internet Variety - Work Life Beat the grind Preethi J
Carpooling, according to recent statistics, can save from 50 to 80 per cent of fuel if two to five people opt for it.
A solo ride DOESN'T ALWAYS PAY. - Rajeev Bhatt
It's the same old drag everyday — drive, work and drive back," is the refrain from commuters across clogged cities. Driving — be it 5 km or 20 — is one that takes a toll on most people, especially car owners. If you find yourself suffering from driver's fatigue, and are burdened by high fuel prices, then carpooling may be the right choice. In a country with over a million cars, carpooling is set for a drastic uptake. The main users of carpooling are daily commuters who drive to office alone and are burdened by high fuel prices, driving fatigue or are interested in helping reduce environmental pollution. People who regularly travel by public transport but find it inconvenient, says Udit Bhandari, Founder, Indimoto.com, can also benefit from a carpool. Indimoto.com lets surfers search for neighbours, post ads and start a carpool with whoever they find suitable. Around a lakh visitors to this free Web site are now carpooling.
Interesting insights
The profile of an average carpool user is a 24-35 year-old-office goer, who owns a car. Here are some more statistics the firm released on carpooling in India. This is the first survey undertaken in India, and 524 visitors to the Web site were sent an e-mail questionnaire. The results it threw up showcase interesting facts about awareness levels of car-pooling across various metros. Citizens of Delhi and the NCR showed maximum awareness and adoption of car-pooling. Mumbai ranked second and Bangaloreans stood third, followed by Hyderabad. Surprisingly, elderly folk have not taken to the concept as quickly as the youth. According to the survey, a majority of the car-poolers (81per cent) are from the private sector, while a meagre 7 per cent are employed as government employees and professionals, 3 per cent are students and only 2 per cent are entrepreneurs. The survey also reported that 44 per cent of car-poolers belong to the high-income group and earn more than Rs 50,000 per month (definitely the private sector IT employees), while 40 per cent earn between Rs 25,000-50000, 14 per cent between Rs 10,000-25,000 and only 2 per cent earn less than Rs 10,000. Carpooling, according to Bhandari, can save from 50 to 80 per cent of fuel if two to five people carpool. Fuel plus commuting expenses, while carpooling, vary between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000. And besides the fuel economy, carpooling can also help reduce traffic, pollution and make commuting more fun. In fact, the activity can be useful for single folks who get their dose of social-interaction for the day. According to the report by Indimoto, 13 per cent of carpoolers thought it was a good way to meet new people. If that doesn't sell the concept, what will?
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