FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. How Much Does iPool2 Cost?
Nothing.  It’s FREE!

2. Who uses iPool2?
Any commuter over age 18 with a regular schedule who lives in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga or Schenectady Counties or works (or goes to school) in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga or Schenectady Counties is a good candidate for carpooling, vanpooling or taking the bus to work, even if it is only part-time.  iPool2 helps commuters find alternative means of getting to work or school.  iPool2 helps you find carpools, vanpools, bus routes, and park and ride lots to make your commute easier.

3. What is Carpooling?

  In its simplest form, a carpool is when two or more people drive together in one vehicle to work or school.

  If carpool participants alternate driving, money is not exchanged.

If one person does all the driving, the carpool passengers contribute for gas and parking.

The carpool driver may pick up passengers at their homes, or they may meet at a central location like a park and ride lot.

A carpool can consist of co-workers, neighbors, friends, spouses, family members, roommates, or someone you just met through iPool2.  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.  But… carpooling even one day a week saves money and can save wear and tear on your vehicle.

 4. What is Vanpooling?

Much like a carpool, a vanpool is when groups of up to 15 commuters drive together in one vehicle to work on a regular basis.

The van is leased to the vanpool group on a month to month basis and the vanpool participants share the costs for the van lease, gas and parking.

  In exchange for doing the majority of the driving, the vanpool driver may receive a free or reduced ride.  

The vanpool driver meets participants at one or more central locations like a park and ride lot.

A vanpool can consist of co-workers, neighbors, friends, spouses, family members, roommates, or someone you just met through iPool2.  Vanpooling works best for a daily commute, but can save money for participants commuting as few times as twice a week.

  Please see our vanpool information page at http://www.ipool2.net/vanpool.html for more details.

5. How Does iPool2 Help Me form a Carpool or Vanpool?

iPool2 contains a database of people who are interested in forming a carpool or vanpool.  Each person creates their own private account, identifying their origin, destination, work or school hours and employer.  GreenRide, the software driving iPool2 identifies matches based on geography, hours of work and carpool/vanpool preferences.  iPool2 also contains links to transit alternatives if ridesharing doesn’t work for you.

6. How Would I Benefit From Ridesharing?

According to a 2008 AAA report, a commuter who drives by his/herself 25 miles one-way to work spends about $5,800 per year.  This amount includes gas, maintenance, taxes, depreciation, and finance costs.  For each gallon of fuel consumed, your car pumps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere!  You can save as much as 50 percent of these costs and emissions by carpooling with just one other person!  By vanpooling you can see the savings rise to as much as 90%.  Even more can be saved by taking the bus, walking or bicycling to work.  Calculate your own commuting costs to see how much it really costs you to drive alone to work.

7. How Do I Get Started?

New to iPool2?—Create a private account today.  Already have an account?—Login frequently to check for additional matches.  Or sign up for match alerts to have iPool2 contact you when a new match is found.  You will likely find more matches if you choose a park-and-ride lot as your starting point, are flexible in your work hours or if you are willing to carpool or vanpool with someone along your route to work (click on along the route matching for this feature).

8. What If I Need A Ride Home For An Emergency?

The iPool2 Guaranteed Ride Home program provides you with a ride home in the event of an emergency up to six times per year ($200 annual cap, other restrictions apply). You are eligible for the program even if you didn't find your carpool or vanpool partners through iPool2.  You are also eligible if you take the bus, walk or bicycle to work.  You must register for the program on the iPool2 website.

9. How Can an Employer Join iPool2?
 
Employers can encourage their employees to carpool or vanpool or take the bus to work, using iPool2.  Employers can sign up free of charge for the iPool2 employer module.  The employer module allows employers to create their personalized iPool2 homepage targeted only at their employees, allows employees to form carpools or vanpools only with employees from their own company (if desired) and provides employers a mechanism to track how much fuel and emissions is saved by company employees using alternative modes to work.  Employers can run raffles and offer pre-tax transit passes or vanpool vouchers to their employees. 

10. Need More Information?
 
Contact us at questions@ipool2.org or call 518-458-2164.