Is Carpooling the Solution to Reducing Traffic and Carbon Emissions?

Since the past decade, the cars on the road have had enormous impacts on the productivity of many cities. In San Francisco, California, the average total delay of traffic in 2019 was 103 hours per auto commuter, causing almost 6 billion dollars in San Francisco just from traffic congestion. This is why many automobile companies like Uber and Lyft have been racing to revolutionize the ride-sharing industry. In public commutes, ride-sharing has been beneficial: reducing the number of cars on the road by a “factor of three”, an MIT study noted.

Carpooling in schools has been shown to do just that and more. As students ride together, carpooling reduces traffic congestion, reduces pollution, and ensures students come on time. However, managing carpooling sometimes can be an issue for many people. The hassle of finding friends living close by or even just connecting with other families can feel like a heavy burden compared to just driving to school. Although it can be effective for some, it may not fit with the majority of students in all schools. If everyone used carsharing, then why not use school buses or other school-issued transportation that could address the needs of many students?

However, many schools like Dougherty Valley High School cannot facilitate the overwhelming number of students through school buses, which often leads to greater traffic in the school community. Even though carpooling may be seen as an inconvenience, it would be very brash to push it away. Thanks to many school carpooling apps such as GoKid and Kid CarPool, it is possible to do something about it–it's just about implementing it.

Poll: What's your take on School Carpooling?

Will School Carpooling be beneficial to the School Community?

• Yes
• No