POOLING FOR THE JOURNEY TO WORK: THE OUTLOOK IN GREAT BRITAIN

Pooling, or ridesharing, is a term coined in the United States to describe various forms of collective travel organised for, and often by, specific groups of commuters with similar travel requirements. Its different forms include bus pooling (financially self-supporting work bus or commuter coach services), minibus pooling (van pooling in US terminology) and car pooling. It has been claimed that these forms of collective travel offer a more personalised service than conventional stage carriage buses, and therefore have a greater chance of attracting solo car drivers and increasing vehicle occupancies. This in turn can lead to lower fuel consumption and reduced traffic congestion at peak times. Following the advent of oil shortages in the winter of 1973/74, considerable efforts were made in the US to promote pooling initiatives. This gave rise to the publication of a substantial volume of literature, that sometimes indicated significant resource-saving achievements. This paper considers the potential for bus, minibus and car pooling in Great Britain, drawing both on relevant theoretical and economic studies, and on practical operational experience. It concludes that under reasonable assumptions about the transport situation in the next decade or so, pooling could become increasingly useful for solving the travel problems of individual local groups, but that it is unlikely to become a major mode in terms of the numbers of trips carried. The effects of recent legislative changes are discussed and the justification for further change assessed. Comparisons are made with the us experience. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0860501116
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Public Transport. Proceedings of Seminar M held at the PTRC 10th Summer Annual Meeting, University of Warwick, England.
• Corporate Authors:

  PTRC Education and Research Services Limited

  110 Strand
  London WC2,   England 
• Authors:
  • Greening, PAK
  • Jackson, R L
• Conference:
  • Planning & Transport Res & Comp, Sum Ann Mtg, Proc
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 113-130

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Buses; Car pooling (Railroads); Carpools; Conferences; Forecasting; Fuel consumption; Minibuses; Peak periods; Ridesharing; Traffic congestion; Travel demand; Vanpools; Vans; Work trips
• Uncontrolled Terms: Subscription bus service; Use
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom; United States
• ITRD Terms: 1272: Bus; 1119: Car pooling; 8525: Conference; 632: Congestion (traffic); 1234: Delivery vehicle; 212: Energy conservation; 132: Forecast; 232: Fuel consumption; 621: Journey to work; 1263: Minibus; 612: Peak hour; 8119: United Kingdom; 8122: USA; 9084: Use
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381679
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-86050-111-6
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM