Ride sharing, also known as lift sharing, is where you either offer a lift to someone, or you share a lift with someone going the same way as you. This can work well for commuting where you are going the same way most days, at roughly the same time, but can also work if you are going on longer journeys such as to a sports match, festival, or visiting family and have a spare seat in your car.
You can share rides either informally through networks in neighbourhoods, communities and workplaces, such as Facebook groups, or formally, through an online platform.
There are a number of online platforms in the UK which facilitate the sharing of journeys (see list below). These allow you to list your journey, either one you are driving or one you want to make and would like to share with someone, and then you can get matched up with someone going the same way.
Some ride sharing platforms allow closed groups, for example large employers, where you share your ride with people you work with. This may be something your employer is interested in – it can bring many benefits like reducing constraint on car parking.
It’s worth noting, UK law prohibits drivers from making a profit but they can charge reasonable expenses.
Check out the platforms below and see if there are ride shares in your area.
CoMoUK is keen to learn more about people’s travel habits and is conducting further research into travel behaviours. If you would be willing to take part in future research, please provide your contact details below.
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