Preventing carpool cheating

Dear Conscientious:
While it can be tough to guard against every bad apple, there are many successful carpool programs in King County. Depending on the size and location of your worksite, your parking arrangement, and your ability to monitor participation, there are a wide range of carpool policies to fit your needs.

Many employee transportation coordinators use tracking forms (some require supervisors’ signatures) to register carpool participants and list other riders. By issuing permits and registering the vehicles and participants, if concerns arise, staff is able to audit usage and uncover discrepancies.

Some carpool parking programs are successful by establishing strict criteria, including no dropping off riders at other sites and sharing the ride at least four times per week. For others, more liberal criteria may increase participation. Some reward employees who are dropped off since that also saves a parking space. Others reward drivers who drop off riders at nearby employment sites to encourage more potential ridematches and fewer cars on the road. If concerned, ask for proof of address and employment, then verify participants share at least 50% of the route to work.

Many companies reward carpooling one or more times per week, encouraging employees to try it, and then offer tiered incentives based on user frequency.

Resources are available from your city or King County Metro to help create carpool policies and incentives. Look beyond possible problems to common sense solutions—then reap the rewards of reduced parking needs and fewer cars on the road.
HOV