Car sharing: definition, function and benefits

Car sharing is sharing the same car for the same trip as the driver, at your own expense. It can be practiced on regular trips (work, school, etc.) or occasionally, such as on vacation, because car sharing is more economical than a plane or train.

🚗 Car sharing: how does it work?

What is the definition of carpooling?

Le Carpooling it is to organize a joint trip in one car. It differs from hitchhiking organized character and therefore not improvised. Car sharing is also not a professional vehicle: it is done. between people.

Car sharing can be done in several settings. Thus, some motorists who make a trip and have free places in the car offer them car sharing to share the cost of the trip. Sharing a car with colleagues to work together is also sharing a car.

In short, car sharing is easy sharing a car along a common route split the costs for this.

How does car sharing work?

There are different types of car sharing, so you can share cars to get to school or work together. But car sharing is also an alternative to long journeys and can be imposed in front of a plane or train.

In this case, as a rule, the driver who has free seats in his car puts advertising on a car sharing site offer them to passengers wishing to make the same trip. Passengers looking for car sharing do search on these platforms find a driver who is driving the same route as them and share their car.

Here is a short list of the main car-sharing locations in France:

• BlaBlaCar : This is one of the most famous car sharing sites;
• Laruvert : it allows you to use shared cars for free, but is primarily intended for professionals;
• Carpooling : it is the European leader in car sharing;
• Rulezmaline : it offers free open source car sharing;
• Klaksit : he also bought IDVroom;
• Mobicoop : The site also relies on free and open car sharing.

Car sharing is not not intended for profit but split the travel expenses (gas, travel, etc.). The transport code provides that the trip with the car must be carried out by the driver at his own expense, and not for the purpose of earning money or transporting third parties.

The amounts you receive from car sharing under this law are tax exempt. If you are using a car sharing site whose role is to connect driver and passengers, you may have commission pay him. This commission is divided between the driver and his passengers.

Carpool or car sharing?

Thecar sharing it is a self-service car rental system for both professionals and individuals. Thus, we are not talking about joint travel with other people, which distinguishes it from joint travel. However, car sharing is also an alternative for people who do not want to have their own car but still have the option to travel by car if needed.

🚘 Why use car sharing?

Car sharing has many benefits, especially economic and environmental:

• Reduce pollution : Sharing a car instead of going alone, reduces CO2 emissions as well as the consumption of fossil fuels.
• Reduce traffic congestion : Tired of walking in circles looking for a parking spot or getting stuck in traffic? Generalizing car sharing would also reduce the number of cars on the road.
• Reduce your car budget : Combining gasoline and tolls can help reduce travel costs. But it also provides a more economical alternative to train and plane tickets.

Car sharing also has more special benefits, such as making up for a shortage of public transport during a strike. Thus, car-sharing today is a viable transport alternative that is constantly evolving.

Many local politicians even seek to encourage this. So we are seeing a proliferation of car-sharing and parking spaces, as well as initiatives such as dedicated parking lanes to improve traffic flow, especially around large urban areas.

🔍 How to find car sharing?

Some parking lots are set up between people who know each other to make a regular trip (study, work, etc.) or a one-time trip. But it is also quite possible to look for a joint ride with an unknown driver, regularly or on vacation!

In this case, the best way to find a passing car is network platforms. These car-sharing websites and apps allow drivers to offer their own seats and passengers to search for a car that makes the same trip with seats available.

You just need to select the platform of your choice and register there... Some take a commission, others are free, which allows you to find cheap car sharing. A search interface then allows you to search for cars that are making the same trip as you on the dates you are interested in.

Some sites allow both drivers and passengers to specify certain preferences : music, animals, etc. This will prevent you from traveling with your dog, for example, if you are allergic to it! Once your trip has been booked, all you have to do is meet on D-Day to do the ride together.

Often you can leave feedback your driver – or conversely, your passenger – is also on it after the trip, allowing you to evaluate the quality of your trip.

Now you know all about car sharing and how it works! As you may have figured out by now, car sharing is a real, sustainable and economical alternative to your other vehicles. To this end, government agencies continue to multiply initiatives for its further development.