Want to save on gas and help the environment? KC’s carpool program may fit the bill
As gas continues to climb in cost, commuters in Kansas City are starting to look for other ways to get around. Uber and Lyft remain popular options, but if you don’t mind sharing a ride to get to your destination, the city has a carpool program that may be up your alley called RideshareKC.
We spoke to Karen Clawson, the RideshareKC program manager for a better understanding of how you can use it to get where you need to go, save a little bit of money and make your commute more environmentally friendly.
WHAT IS RIDESHAREKC?
It’s a free carpool program that helps commuters find alternatives to driving alone. Anyone 18 years and older can use this service to get to work.
In addition to coordinating driving carpools, the RideshareKC site can help connect you to other forms of transit rather than driving to work, such as the bus, vans and rentable bikes. It can also connect you to a buddy to bike commute with.
The program is publicly funded with the goal of making it easier for Kansas Citians to reduce their carbon emissions.
RideshareKC serves commuters in these five Missouri counties:
Cass
Clay
Jackson
Platte
Ray
And these four Kansas counties:
Johnson
Leavenworth
Miami
Wyandotte
HOW DOES IT WORK?
You’ll have to create an account here. You’ll put in your information by creating a user profile, and you’ll be able to specify where you’re coming from and where you’re going.
From there, you’ll be able to search for potential carpool buddies that best match your information, and the site can group you together. Then, you’ll talk with the people you matched with to plan your rides.
You can also call 816-842-RIDE to set it up.
The carpools don’t have specific set routes since the whole thing is based on the people who register in the system and where they’re trying to get.
“Carpooling can be really beneficial to people, especially times like now where gas prices have been fluctuating, but mostly going up in the last few weeks,” Clawson said. ”It’s great for people who are trying to save money, reduce their carbon footprint and it helps reduce emissions that create the ozone, which is an issue in the KC region.”
Do you have other questions or concerns about how to get around in Kansas City? Share your experiences or ask our service journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com or with the form below.
