Whether you are looking for a carpool partner or want to learn more about Zipcar here’s an overview of your ridesharing and carsharing options:

What is . . .

• A Carpool? Carpools are groups of two or more people who commute together using a vehicle provided by a person within the group.  A carpool can consist of co-workers, neighbors, friends, spouses, family members, roommates, or someone you just met through a rideshare site. Carpooling doesn’t require a commitment of five days a week. It can be once a week, every other week, or whatever works with your schedule.  There are a number of different ways you can set up a carpool, from having someone pay for gas while the other drives, to meeting at a set location and driving one car to work.  More on carpooling can be found by clicking here.

• A Vanpool? Vanpools are groups of five to fifteen people who commute together using a vehicle provided by the Michigan Department of Transportation (through MichiVan). The costs of commuting can be significantly reduced in vanpools due to the number of people sharing the rides.  For more on how vanpools are organized, click here.

• A Zipcar? Zipcars are “wheels when you want them”, literally.  Choose from a variety of self-service cars you can use by the hour or day. With Zipcars parked in downtown Ann Arbor (and on University of Michigan’s campus) all you’ll have to do is decide where you want to go and when. Click here for more details!
  

Finding a Carpool or Vanpool Partner

• MiRideshare: MiRidshare is a free and easy way for commuters working in Ann Arbor to find carpool and vanpool partners. This service is operated by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG).  MiRideshare works.  getDowntown has received stories of people who find great carpool partners on mirideshare.org.  One great part of MIRideshare is that you can get a Guaranteed Ride Home if you have to work late unexpectedly or get sick.  Learn more about MiRideshare by clicking here.

• MichiVan: Live far away from work, work consistent hours and want to share a ride with others?  A vanpool may be for you.  Click here to learn more about vanpooling with MichiVan.
  
  
• CarBuddy: CarBuddy is a new carpool service where you might also be able to find a carpool partner.  getDowntown hasn’t used this service, so I don’t know how it is.
  

Carpooling, Vanpooling and Zipcar Resources

• Map of Carpool Parking Lot Locations from MDot.
• Get a preferential downtown parking space at half price or cheaper when you form a carpool! Click here for details.
  
• Park your Carpool and Take the Bus: Park and Ride Lot information.
• MiRideshare website
• Zipcar website for UM Students, Faculty and Staff.
  
• Carpools and Vanpools at UM
  
• University of Michigan’s Ridesharing Website for UM Faculty and Staff
  
• Share a Ride Section of the getDowntown website
  
• MichiVan website
• Vanpools at the UM: Vanpool FAQs from the Unversity of Michigan (Word Document) and Vanpool welcome Guide (PDF).
  
• Van Pools Blog
• Carpool, Vanpool and Carsharing information from the getDowntown blog.
• #zipcar on Twitter

Share a Ride Hints and Tips

• Pooling Pointers from Mirideshare.
• Get a Zipcar Membership: If you sometimes need a car and you work downtown or at the UM, consider a Zipcar.  Zipcars allow you to check out a car by the hour for when you need it.  That way, you can keep your car at home.
• 10 tips for Sucessful Carpooling from Commuterpage.com