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Next month the city will launch an online service to match people who want to carpool. The website joins commuters based on factors such as the travel route, preferences in music and the time they return at night.
The website has, until now, been available on a trial basis to four London workplaces, with 70 people signing up.
But the plan is to make the service available citywide next month.
Think of it like a company bulletin board that can be accessed by any commuter in the London, said Jay Stanford, the city's manager of environmental programs.
"It's a great opportunity to find people heading in the same direction," he said.
Many commuters would like to carpool, but don't because they can't find someone in their workplace whose travel route and hours match their own, he said.
Stanford speaks from experience -- he carpools only a few times a year because he struggles to find people at city hall whose work hours match his own.
The ride-matching service will allow commuters to expand their search to include people whose workplaces are close to their own, he said.
Carpooling reduces traffic and pollution, the latter a special concern in a region that has some of the worst air quality in North America.
Carpooling also serves a social function, making the commute more enjoyable, Stanford said.
A 2002 survey suggested only 8.3 per cent of London commuters carpooled -- that's 19,000 vehicles out of 230,000 during peak hours.
By 2024, the city estimates, there will be 278,000 peak-hour trips and has set a target of having 26,000 carpoolers or 9.3 per cent.
The ride-share program will help the city achieve that target, Stanford said.
Even if that target is achieved, that would mean an extra 41,000 vehicles during peak hours.
By JONATHAN SHER, SUN MEDIA
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