If you commute by car to the University, there’s a good chance you’re driving past other staff members who are also on their way to work. Sharing a lift – and the cost of fuel – would help you save money, as well as reducing congestion and carbon emissions. But with more than 15,000 staff at the University, how can you find someone to share with?
The University’s Liftshare website makes it easy to find other members of the University community who are travelling the same direction as you. You simply create a profile, add your journey, and it will match you to other members. There are currently almost 500 members signed up from the University alone, as well as hundreds of other people from across the Lothians.
Once you’ve found a match, you can message the other member and make arrangements to share. Maybe you’ll take it in turns to drive, or maybe they’re coming from further out and can pick you up on route. It might be once a week, a one-off trip, or every day – it’s up to you.
The Liftshare website will also calculate a suggested contribution based on fuel prices and the journey distance. Motorists who share their daily journey with just one other person are saving an average of more than £1,000 a year in fuel costs and wear and tear.