FACTORS INFLUENCING THE SUCCESS OF COMPANY-BASED CARPOOLING PROGRAMS

This study reports the results of two successive interviews with selected companies in Greensboro, North Carolina which undertook to review workers' interest in carpooling before, during and after the energy crisis. Comapnies are compared for extent of carpool formation. It is observed that companies which actively encouraged participation in carpool matching programs ended up with higher rates of carpool formation than companies which maintained a passive stance on carpooling. Carpooling appears slightly more prevalent among older workers, and among white collar workers. However, the sample of companies is biased in favor of white collar companies; therefore the relationship between occupation and carpooling remains unsettled. No difference appeared by sex. Social segregation in carpools is indicated by the relatively few (11% of total) carpools which carry both blue white collar workers. Corporate executives in some of the larger manufacturing concerns in Greensboro were unwilling to promote carpool matching efforts by the firm, beacuse they do not want to invade workers' privacy, because they felt the majority did not want to carpool, and because they did not wish to interfere in the workers' mode choices. Of interest is the fact that in four out of the five companies studied, the percentage of workers carpooling rose after the end of the energy crisis. New patterns of commuting by ridesharing evolved during the days of the gasoline lines, and continued thereafter, spreading to other workers over time. Companies reported with satisfaction the increased availability of parking spaces, and the continued good environmental effects of increased carpooling.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/NC110004
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by DOT, Urban Mass Transportation Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro

  Transportation Institute
  Greensboro, NC  United States  27411
• Authors:
  • Pun, C F
  • KIDDER, A E
• Publication Date: 1976-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 63 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carpools; Commuting; Energy resources; Gender; Occupations; Socioeconomic factors
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00158115
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• ISBN: NC-11-0004
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-NC-11-0004-76-1
• Contract Numbers: NC-11-0004
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 13 1981 12:00AM