BBC survey highlights people’s carsharing worries… but how can Liftshare help?

The BBC Breakfast Show this morning focussed on carsharing to work and the new statistic that a whopping 7 out of 10 people in the UK haven’t tried it – so we’ve been looking to see how we can help! Of course, we love carsharing, and we’re keen to decrease that number as much as possible.

Posing the question ‘why don’t we want to carshare?’ on Facebook and Twitter, BBC viewers were quick to respond with their worries and gripes. And here, we’ll try to answer them as best we can.

None of my colleagues live near me
This is why co-ordinated carsharing is great, and having all the lifts offered in one place works so well! On Liftshare, 80% of journeys have a match, ie someone going the same way as you. And if there isn’t someone in your immediate area, you can always see if you could pick someone up en route. You’d still get some petrol £s, and help do your bit for CO2 levels and congestion. It’s also worth remembering here that your match doesn’t have to be a direct colleague – it could be someone in the next office building across, or in the same area.

I work shifts/I go somewhere else in the evenings/I need to detour, so my hours aren’t the same every day
We hear this a lot here at Liftshare, but you’d be surprised how little of a problem it poses. Sharing a lift doesn’t have to mean to and from work, so it could be one-way sometimes, and could involve different people on different days. You also don’t have to offer or request a journey every day – even if someone else goes 5 days a week, you could just join in for 1! If your employer is CSR-conscious, they may well be open to co-ordinating shift patterns amongst carsharing colleagues. We work with lots of companies who are happy to help!

I want to listen to music/I don’t want to listen to music/I want to just be quiet/I want to chat!
The Liftshare system allows users to message each other before they agree to an arrangement, so you can discuss upfront how chatty you are and what your radio tastes are in the morning. And if it’s been the office party the night before… you’re both likely to be in the same mood!

What if my colleague has to go home unexpectedly? I’ll be stranded at work
Lots of employers lift schemes offer a ‘guaranteed ride home’, which means that in the unlikely event of your driver having to leave without you, your company will pay for you to get a cab back. It’s actually used very little, but is a great peace of mind policy.

Their car looks a bit old. How can I tell if it’s safe?
You can check easily online for MOT and tax information by just filling in a registration plate check. The Vehicle Enquiry Service will give you all the info you need!

You can read more on Trust and Safety on our site. Get in touch if you have any other questions, and we’ll update them here!

Photo credit: BBC, Facebook

Author Lex Barber

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