Latest Carpool News
Start small, make a difference. Give carpooling a chance!
Each gallon of gas you save prevents twenty pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the air.* What does it take to make a difference? Join a carpool! A carpool requires a minimum of two people (a driver and a passenger), but with three or more you’ll save money on bridge tolls!
Additional benefits
Some other advantages to carpooling:
- Faster Commute: With access to the HOV lanes, you travel faster and get to work sooner
- Save Money: Splitting the cost of gas and tolls with other people saves you money
- Less Stress: Getting out from behind the wheel allows you to read, relax, or even work
- Cleaner Air: Fewer cars on the road means less emissions and better air quality
- Improved Mental State: Studies have shown a direct link between shorter commutes and greater happiness
- Flexibility: You can carpool a few days a week or every day
Get a $25 bonus
Need more incentive to get started? 511 Contra Costa offers a $25 incentive to qualified commuters who decide to become part of a carpool.
Put your commute on the FasTrak
Not only does carpooling save you time, when you cross a Bay Area Bridge it will also save you money! During commute hours, the toll for a carpool crossing any East Bay bridge is $2.50 (and Golden Gate Bridge is $4.50) with a FasTrak toll tag!
(NOTE: All area bridges except for the San Mateo-Hayward & Dumbarton Bridges require a vehicle to have 3 or more people to use the carpool lane. The San Mateo-Hayward & Dumbarton Bridges only require 2.)
FasTrak even offers carpools toll-free travel on the I-580 Express Lanes. Start saving money by signing up for a new FasTrak toll tag!
Need help finding a carpool partner?
Apps: No-commitment carpooling
If you have a smartphone, apps like Lyft Line, UberPOOL, Scoop and Carzac can help you connect with carpools one ride at a time with no long-term commitment. With Lyft Line and UberPOOL, you can search for a ride when you’re ready to travel. With Scoop and Carzac, you plan in advance for an upcoming peak hour commute. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Designed for peak hour commutes
- Travel time & destination must be submitted in advance (deadlines: 9pm & 3:30pm)
- Sample rates range from $3 (El Cerrito) to $10 (Antioch)
- Scoop operates in select destinations at this time – check availability
- Register with promo code SCOOPME05 for $5 in free trips
- Designed for peak hour commutes
- Choose from driver-designated pick-up locations to find matches & select a driver
- Sample rates range from $4.30 (El Cerrito) to $8.08 (Antioch)
- Carzac operates in select destinations at this time – check availability
- Register with Promo Code 511CARZAC for $5 in free trips
- Designed to be used when you’re ready to travel
- Availability & wait time depends on city & time of day
- Peak hour transbay commute sample rates:
- Lyft Line: Ranges from $20 (El Cerrito) to $60 (Antioch)
- UberPOOL: Ranges from $28 (El Cerrito) to $62 (Antioch)
Casual Carpool
Carpools with three people make the commute across the SF Bay Bridge an average of 20 minutes faster than cars traveling with one or two people. Whether you’re a driver looking to add a passenger or a commuter looking to carpool across the bridge, casual carpool is worth knowing about.
In the morning casual carpoolers line up at one of the pickup locations in the East Bay, drivers then pick up passengers (making 3-person carpools) and cross the bridge in the carpool lane, dropping off passengers at Fremont and Howard Streets. In the afternoon, things are reversed – Fremont & Howard becomes the pickup location for all East Bay destinations. (NOTE: Not all East Bay locations have a return trip available.) Visit the casual carpool page to learn more.
Traditional Carpool
Setting up a carpool the ‘old-fashioned’ way, through networking, can be made easier by using the Internet. Beyond reaching out to neighbors and co-workers in person, use resources like NextDoor,
craigslist or the MTC’s 511 Ridematch Tool to connect with other people traveling a similar route!
Guaranteed Ride Home: We’ve got your back
The Guaranteed Ride Home program ensures that carpoolers (and other alternative commuters) have a ride home when the unexpected happens. In the event of a crisis, unscheduled overtime or a carpool vehicle breaking down, Guaranteed Ride Home will reimburse you for your taxi or rideshare trip home. Apply for the program in the county you work using the links below.
Need a place to park?
Leave your car at these lots and share the ride with a carpool partner heading the same direction.
*Calculation provided by www.epa.gov
