Trying to Increase Carpooling at a Major U.S. University: A Survey and an Intervention

Abstract

Abstract

Many universities are attempting to reduce the CO₂ emissions created by employee commuting. One way to do so is to encourage carpooling. A focus group and an online survey were performed at Michigan State University (N = 1,334), to determine 1.) the prevalence of carpooling among employees, 2.) the barriers employees perceive to be entailed in carpooling, and 3.) ways to reduce these barriers. Only 7 percent of those polled carpooled most of the time and only 3.7 percent carpooled at least 90 percent of the time. Surveys suggested that modest economic incentives for carpooling would not have much influence. However, making the purchase of carpool permits more convenient would have a greater effect, as would making it easier for a carpool member to occasionally drive separately at no extra cost. A major issue cited is finding carpool partners. While there is a carpooling matching website, very few people know about it. Aside from needing better publicity, respondents suggested that having access to additional information about potential partners would make them more comfortable using this website. An intervention was implemented whereby employees interested in carpooling were invited to a free lunch, to meet others whose commuting routes might make them suitable carpool partners. While fewer people attended than hoped for, approximately half of those attending either found a carpool or progressed toward this goal.