I'm considering taking a car pooler downtown everyday and will get $50 for my gas. Is it worth it?

I travel 25 miles roundtrip

80% highway

How much will the extra 175lbs cost me in gas?

 

Is that a one time, $50?

Bob Wilson

 

I will receive $50/month to drive one person roundtrip.

 

Its not a bad deal for you as $50 pays for at least the entire fuel cost.

25mi x 20 wkdays = 500mi/mo

500mi/42mpg = 12gal x $3/gal = $36/mo fuel cost

the extra passenger should not cost you more than 2-3mpg or about $2/month in fuel.

500/40 x $3 - $36 = $2/month

 

I think the real challenge is not the weight but the additional distance to pickup your rider and possible extra start/stop or idle if you have to wait for them. But using cell phone coordination, you can minimize this. Overall, the $50 would easily cover any additional cost of any reasonably close rider.

What is really a challenge would be dealing with parking costs! It used to cost me nearly $20 a day to park in DC. I much preferred walking or biking to the Metro.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

 

Or in my experience, the real challenge was putting up with the passenger. I'm not sorry those days came to an end ...

 

thanks for all the advice . Yes, I need to ensure that the person is on time. We plan to meet 1/2 mile from my house and I already pay well over $100 for parking, so I want to defray the cost.

Also, appreciate the reminder on "dealing" with a car pooler. I will do a trial 2 weeks and state so upfront, so I can decide if it will work for me.

thanks!

 

Of course it's worth it. It worth it if he pays you nothing.

Keep that guy's car off the road!

 

I agree about keeping the car off the road - he is already taking the bus & metro.

 

Bob,
Before we got our FEH, my wife and I did a cost break down of driving our Explorer vs commuting via metro. We don't live close enough to bike to the metro station, so driving to and parking at the metro station was still a requirement. Ultimately, it turned out to be $30 cheaper to drive in and pay $100/mo for parking. It's a shame the DC metro doesn't incentivize metro riding and make it cheaper than driving.