Cutting down on the amount of money you spend on gas while reducing pollution and traffic congestion may seem like a big task, but  a task as big as this can be achieved through carpooling or by riding the bus.

Carpooling is a simple, inexpensive means of encouraging drivers to reduce or end the amount of time they commute alone.  Carpooling benefits everyone, especially students with low budgets.  If you reduce the miles you put on your car, you will have fewer oil changes and you won’t have to replace brakes and tires as often.  You might also be eligible for discounted car insurance.  Other benefits include improved air quality, conservation of  energy, and fewer parking problems.

Statistics show that residents of the Greater San Antonio area drive a combined 60 million miles a day.  This number is expected to grow to 76 million by the year 2005.  Eighty percent of the carbon monoxide in our air is from motor vehicle emissions. 

More than 1,200 people in Bexar County will die from pollution-related diseases this year.  Bexar County has been classified as a “serious” nonattainment area for carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate matter.  By carpooling, you are not only helping yourself, but you are also reducing the impact on the environment.
 
The difficulty in forming a carpool may be the main reason why the commuting revolution has not occurred.  Inconvenience, schedule conflicts and other differences might be to blame for multi-person transportation not  taking off. However, carpooling's lack of participants might also be as simple as a lack of communication.
 
The solution to this problem doesn’t have to come down to asking a bunch of people you don’t know if they want to start a carpool. Rideshare, a San Antonio-based organization, will do that for you.

Contact  Rideshare at 227-7665. Start by giving them information like your name, home address, zip code and work or school destination.  They will then mail you a a list of questions ranging from your means of transportation to your driving habits, tobacco use and work/school hours.
 
Once Rideshare gets your survey results and plots you on a geographic map, you will then be matched with possible qualifiers who live relatively close to you and who either have the same or a nearby destination, and have nearly the same working hours.
 
Based on your compatibility with the others surveyed, you will then be put on a matchlist with drivers who best fit your schedule and commute. You can then decide who you want to carpool with by reading their survey answers and by getting in touch with them, most likely by phone. From there, you are ready to carpool.
 
In order to keep a successful carpool, you will need to schedule the pick-up and drop-off sites and times; decide whether you will rotate carpooling, or pitch in for gas and other costs; and decide on certain issues beforehand, like if smoking or eating will be allowed and whether the radio will be turned on or off.
 
Like marriage, irritations and disagreements are what tear  a good carpool program apart.
 
Other helpful hints include being able to accept occasional adjustments, such as schedule changes. Carpoolers should travel straight to work then straight home. Stopping for errands while carpooling is a bad idea.
 
Liza Huerrera, director of operations for Rideshare, said, “We are proud to contribute to the quality of life in our community, as well as being dedicated to doing our part in help clean the air.”

Rideshare is a program of the Texas Department of Transportation.
 
Pat Martin, a 19-year-old Psychology major from Pleasanton, shares carpooling duties with a friend. “Gas isn’t cheap, so if I can take advantage of cutting my gas costs in half, I will,” said Martin.
 
Martin also said that riding with someone else over a long period of time is  better than driving it alone.  Pleasanton is approximately thirty miles from Palo Alto College.
 
It takes time to organize a successful carpool.  Be flexible in determining the best pick-up and departure times.  Start on a trial basis to allow adjustment of the carpooling arrangement  to make sure that you will be happy with your commute for a long time.
 
Liz Moreno, an 18-year-old Nursing major from Pearsall, shares the 45-mile commute to Palo Alto with her sister and a friend. “It’s a pretty long trip, and there’s no reason why we should drive in separate cars all that way,”  said Moreno. The three of them commute in her sister’s car and split the cost of gas.
 
To totally eliminate the car aspect of multi-person transportation, you can turn to VIA Metropolitan Transit, a San Antonio-based busline.
 
Kathy Gutierrez, a 20-year-old Education major, said, “I don’t have transportation right now, so most of the time (the bus) is my only alternative.” 

VIA has services to and from Palo Alto, including stops at downtown, Crossroads Avenue and the Medical Center area.  It costs 75 cents to ride the bus one way. Or, you can buy a pass for $7.50 a month or  purchase a student pass for $15 a semester.
 
For information on VIA, call 227-2020.  You may want to ask for connecting routes to the above pick-up points. VIA brochures that include maps, routes and schedules are available in the Palo Alto Student Center.
 
So whether you decide to join a carpool or take the bus, you can do your part to fatten your wallet and help the environment at the same time.