- What is UI Rideshare?
UI Rideshare is an online commute-matching system that lets registrants search for carpools, vanpools, transit routes, and bike and walk buddies. It also includes a calendar to track activity and a cost savings calculator to help you with your commutes.
- How does UI Rideshare find rideshare matches?
UI Rideshare uses state-of the-art mapping technology to search for possible commute matches within the University of Iowa. Matches are displayed on an interactive Google map, allowing you to email potential matches.
- How do I register with UI Rideshare?
Registration is easy:
- Click "Register"
- Enter your University email address and select a password. (Entering your University email address lets you match within the University. See Trip Visibility below for how to match outside of the University.)
- Enter your personal profile information.
- Create your trip profile:
- Origin address (usually your home address)
- Destination (work/campus) address
- Your travel schedule (the days and hours you work or come to campus)
- Select Trip Visibility: Choose whether to make your commuter visible to all Iowa Rideshare users, just UI Rideshare users at the University (faculty and staff or students or both), or No one. Selecting No One means you are unavailable for commuting matching. However, you may still use other features of UI Rideshare.
- If your trip is visible, check whether you would like to receive automatic notifications when new users whose commutes match yours join UI Rideshare.
- Activate your account using the email sent to you.
- Select "Search for matches." You may modify or change any of this search criteria to better narrow down your search.
- To contact a person from your match list, select "email this person" The email is sent from you to the contact directly from UI Rideshare. The contact is then able to reply directly to you.
- What happens when I register?
Your profile information is entered into a database that searches for other commuters with similar commute routes and schedules. When you run a carpool match, you will receive a list of people near you who are also interested in carpooling. Registering does not obligate you to carpool but we do hope it motivates you.
- Do I have to make myself available for matching or respond to matching requests?
No, but we hope you will consider matching with other commuters where possible, since that will help reduce pollution and congestion. We understand this is a new system that will take some time to mature, and you may not have suitable matches today. In the meantime, we sincerely appreciate your participation and ask that you continue to document your commute.
- What if I don’t want to be contacted through UI Rideshare because I already have a carpool or I’ve found a rideshare partner or I’m not able to rideshare right now?
- Simply log in to UI Rideshare. From your Dashboard page, click My Trip Profiles. Under Trip Visibility click on Who Can Find Me and select No One. You can still use other features of the system.
- Click on the "Personal Profile" button, and then uncheck the button that says "I am actively looking for a rideshare partner."
- Is my personal information secure?
Yes. Your home address will never show on a carpool match list. Email addresses are hidden, unless you choose to send an email. Phone numbers are not required – just recommended. By default, people who match to your commute will see your first name, commute preferences, and the contact information you choose to share. You can also choose to hide all information and not show on match lists by changing your Personal Settings.
- I forgot my UserID.
Your UserID is your email address. If you are unsure which email you used, use the “Contact Us” form for help.
- I forgot my Password.
On the login page click on “Forgot your password?” Enter your email address and hen password will be emailed to you.
- What if I don’t find a match?
First, try adjusting your search settings. The default setting searches within two miles of your origin and destination. You can expand or reduce as necessary. If you still don’t find a match, try searching from another location such as a park-and-ride lot or shopping center. Still no luck? Try searching again in a week or two. It takes a while to build up registrants in the database so don’t give up if you’re not immediately successful.
- Why isn’t anyone contacting me about carpooling?
Possibly because your future carpool partners are sitting at home asking the same question. Be proactive. Run a carpool match and email someone from your match list. Check back in regularly to see if you can find new matches.
- What are the benefits of ridesharing?
Carpooling lets you share the cost of driving; it provides you with company for your commuter and saves you money. It is often the perfect solution for commuters located far from their worksite or without access to transit service. In some households ridesharing to work eliminates the need for a second car.
- How do I establish my carpool?
Use UI Rideshare to locate and contact your potential carpool matches. After you have been in contact with your matches, if you do not know them, offer to meet them in a public place such as a coffee shop. Be sure to discuss basic rules such as who will drive, what to do if you have to miss a carpool day, and who pays (if payment is desired). Always exchange contact information with your carpool matches. Communication is the key to a successful carpool.
- Who does the driving?
Carpools take many shapes and forms. In some carpools, each carpool member takes turns driving their own vehicle, while in others there is only one driver. There is no hard and fast rule – each carpool will be different based on the individual circumstances of those in your carpool. It is a good idea to discuss these issues before you begin carpooling so there is a shared understanding of responsibility.
- What if I don’t have a car?
No problem. When you are registering with UI Rideshare simply indicate that you wish to be a passenger only.
- How much should carpool passengers pay each other?
If driving is equally shared by the carpool members, you may choose not to charge for gas or any other expenses. When only one person does the driving, or when there is an unequal split of driving responsibilities, the cost-sharing arrangement should be discussed by those in the carpool. The carpool members are free to base the costs on whatever they may choose. The AAA cost of driving per mile could be a good starting point for this discussion.
- Do I have to carpool every day?
No. You can carpool every day or only a few days a week. You and your carpool members decide upon the schedule. Some people even belong to two carpools – you may carpool with one carpool on Mondays and Wednesdays and then join a second carpool for the remainder of the week.
- What do I do if the people that UI Rideshare matches me with don’t really live that close to me?
UI Rideshare is new. It takes time for people to register and to populate the database. If you don’t find any compatible partners on the first try, come back again in a week or two and check for additional potential partners.
- What do I do if my matches don’t email me back?
Sometimes it takes a while to find a match. If your first try does not succeed, you may have to try finding other matches. Sending a personalized message to your matches can be more effective. If you still don’t find any compatible matches, try again in a week or two.
- What if I have to drive my child to day car or school?
If the other members of your carpool don’t have similar arrangements, make the day-care center or the school your pick-up and drop-off point. That way you can schedule your pick-up time to correspond to the time when you know your child is happily settled in for the day.
Note: If you are going to have a pick-up/drop-off point different than your home postal code, just make sure you enter the origin and destination address of the location where you would like to be picked up and dropped off.
- What if I have to work late or have doctor appointments, or am sick or running late?
If you know you have to work late or can’t meet the carpool’s schedule on a particular day then don’t carpool. Carpooling is meant to be a flexible and convenient arrangement. On those days when it is not convenient, commute to work in another manner. Take the bus, your bike, walk or bring your own car.
- What if I am reluctant to carpool with a complete stranger?
Meet with him or her beforehand in a public space, like a coffee house, to get to know each other.
- What if my carpool isn’t working out?
Communicate your issues with the carpool group. If the situation can’t be resolved, try to give your present carpool sufficient notice that you will be leaving. Then, go back to the UI Rideshare site to find a new carpool partner and try again.