An Introduction to Car Sharing

Drive down the cost of travelling to work

Chineham Park is home to a large number or businesses and their people. As the park continues to grow, we realise that we have a responsibility to help lessen the impact of traffic in Chineham and surrounding areas. The car share scheme is just one of several initiatives which are being implemented to assist people with travel to and from work.

What is car sharing?

Car sharing is when two or more people travel to work together instead of in separate cars. They may choose to pool their cars, alternate between them, or regularly use a single vehicle and contribute towards the running costs. Car sharing can take place on a regular or occasional basis. It maintains the level of freedom which cars provide and is totally voluntary while making a significant contribution towards environmental sustainability.

What’s in it for you?

The biggest benefit of car sharing is the reduction in the costs of getting to and from work. There are other advantages too. Not always having to drive oneself to work can make for a calmer, more relaxed start to the day. It can also reduce wear and tear on your car, and allows you to regularly leave the family car at home.

Additional benefits

Car sharing can make a significant contribution in reducing the negative impact of transportation on the environment. Environmental benefits include improved air quality, less traffic noise and fewer of the emissions responsible for climate change. Your organisation can also benefit by reduced demand for car park spaces.

Share the costs

The biggest benefit in car sharing is the cost savings. Passengers may only be charged as long as you don’t make a profit. You could take turns to use cars so that the cost is shared equally. If you agree to always use your car to and from work then you can charge for the journeys. The charge must not be more that the running cost of the car, divided equally between the number of people sharing.

Insurance

Most car insurance policies will cover the transport of passengers as long as it is not for hire or financial reward. This means your insurance may be invalid if you charge your passenger more than their share of the running cost. It is advisable to inform your insurance company that you intend to car share, which should not increase your insurance cost.

The road to car share success

A meeting organised by your travel co-ordinator allows prospective car sharers to talk
about personal preferences. During the meeting it would be a good idea to establish:

• Contact details in the event of an emergency.
• Ground rules with regard to smoking, music, eating and drinking etc.
• A driving schedule, with meeting points and times.
• A method of reimbursing costs.
• A chain of communication and agree notification.
• Procedures

Please remember to always be punctual and to respect individual preferences.