WVXU Stories

The Drive To Increase Carpooling in Cincinnati

91.7 WVXU | By Ann Thompson

Published July 15, 2019 at 5:00 AM EDT

The percentage of people who carpool in Cincinnati and across the nation is low.

The global carpooling market is expected to more than double by 2025. In Cincinnati and across the nation, it remains fairly low. The environmental group Cincinnati 2030 District is encouraging more people to do it and recently held a meeting about corporate carpooling.

Director of Cincinnati's 2030 District Tremaine Phillips says nearly 80-90% of Cincinnati commuters drive to work alone. That's about 10% higher than the national average. The goal of his organization is to reduce energy-, water- and transportation-related emissions by 50% by 2030.

Phillips says carpooling is not only green but also has myriad benefits for both the employee and the environment. "It can help to increase employee attraction, retention and wellness as well as help to reduce carbon-related emissions."

Phillips admits he left a job because of the commute, and so do 25% of others nationally.

Richard Sanborn used to drive a pick-up truck from Hamilton to the VA Medical Center where he works. It was costing a lot and is bad for the environment. Now he carpools with other VA employees in an Enterprise van that the VA subsidizes. He admits he did it more for the money and down time.

"I never thought of it in a green aspect. Mine was more a selfish motivation. I was able to take a lot of naps," he laughs.

The VA's Alisha Genevro rides with Sanborn and doesn't see any disadvantages.

From left: Alisha Genevro, Richard Sanborn and Marianne Plummer in front of the VA Medical Center where they work.

Marianne Plummer just started using Commute with Enterprise on her ride from Springboro to the VA Medical Center, even though she's been driving Downtown for decades. What took her so long?

"I'm a slow learner I guess. I didn't know about van pools for a long time and wasn't sure if I wanted to be committed to not having my vehicle."

Another option is Scoop. The app sponsored the carpool discussion with Cincinnati 2030 July 11.

Scoop, Convenient and Enjoyable Carpooling from Scoop Technologies on Vimeo.

Rideshare is another option.

"We know that many organizations are working on transit and other public transit solutions to help to bring down that figure closer to the national average and we're looking to compliment those solutions," Phillips says.