Casual Carpool

This spot at College & Claremont definitely still exists (as of 9÷9÷2014). Walk east on Claremont for about 2 min– it is not exactly on College & Claremont. There is a lot of Safeway construction going on around the line which is obnoxious but plenty of cars still come. I usually wait no more than 10 minutes. All of the drivers and other passengers have been so friendly. The drivers usually drop off right by Howard downtown (right when they get off the bridge). Sometimes, the driver offers to drive you all the way to their office if that’s the same direction.
Some people say you can offer $ 1, but I’ve been carpooling in the mornings (doesnt really exist in evenings) for a couple months and I’ve never seen anyone offer $ 1. The whole point of Casual Carpool is that it’s supposed to be cashless and free for the passengers. The drivers are doing it to save time and help others, not for the money. The official rules also say that the driver can request $ 1 but has to do it as soon as the passengers get in, so that they can get out if they need to. It is not the responsibility of the passengers to offer $ 1. I’ve noticed that the drivers who pick up in Rockridge never ask for money (that’s not the reason they’re doing it).
Another important rule is that there is no talking allowed unless the driver starts it. The driver can choose the radio station but it is generally NPR– I think that’s what was recommended on the Casual Carpool website (
). Also, there is a spot in SF for the evening casual carpool but mostly just Vallejo riders wait there. They told me no one has ever tried to pick up Oakland riders there (there is really no benefit for the driver in the evenings because there is no carpool lane when going back to Oakland).

I don’t think this spot exists anymore. I pass it every morning and NOTHING.

This is the coolest thing ever and so Bay Area. I’ve been taking BART from the Lafayette stop on Pittsburgh /​Bay Point line to Embarcadero where i work. The trains are usually 10 – 15 minutes apart in the morning and take about 30 – 35 minutes to get there, so I plan for about 45 – 50 minutes total trip. This morning I went to Casual Carpool around 7:10 am. At 7:12 an Audi SUV pulled up and myself and another guy got in. I sat in the back and zoned out /​participated slightly in their conversation. 23 minutes later, at 7:35, I was getting dropped off in front of my building (the driver happened to work right next to me, which won’t always happen, but even then it’s much faster).
I have a hard time imagining this concept taking off in LA, but it makes SO much sense. You don’t pay money, the driver can take the carpool lane and not pay (as much) money to get across the bridge, there’s less people on BART — everybody wins. It’s so cool /​weird /​awesome to line up to carpool with strangers everyday — so Bay Area.

Does ANYONE need to carpool around 6:45 or 6:30 on weekday mornings? I would be willing to drive or be a rider if there were other people. Otherwise does anyone else know a close-​by casual carpool that starts that early?

I am a driver at the Rockridge location. There is one primary benefit for both the driver and the passenger… saving money. 95% of the time I find that people are professionals looking to get to work quickly, safely and cheaply. Most people will engage in conversation if you attempt it, but sometimes it’s better just to let NPR do the work. As a driver, I engage in the following courtesies (that you’d think most drivers considering this should):
1. I keep a relatively clean car. Nobody wants to sit in your left over fast food wrappers or dog hair.
2. I don’t play loud or offensive music or talk radio on either side of the aisle. NPR is neutral, so I go that route.
3. I drive legally and don’t speed or try and take shortcuts that require me to cut off other drivers or put the passengers in danger.
4. I usually accommodate requests to be dropped off past the drop off point, if they are not out of the way.
5. If there are not other cars in line, I will always accommodate a third passenger. I don’t understand why some people don’t…but then, I also don’t understand why MOST passengers don’t observe the following courtesies in return:
1. Most importantly: If you are sick with anything contagious, get the Hell out of my car. Common decency, respect, and the fact that you probably don’t like getting sick either should make you think twice before getting into somebody else’s car while sick. I cannot tell you how many sniffling, coughing, sneezing, blowing sewer rats get into my car for a free ride. I am strongly considering putting a sign on the outside of the window saying something to this effect… maybe telling people that I am a paranoid, hypochondriac that has a one year old that has been sick five times this year alone before they get in? I can’t believe there is nothing to this effect on the official «etiquette» page for Casual Carpool.
2. Second most importantly: You are getting a free ride. You are saving at least $ 4 by not taking Bart and you get a more comfortable, cleaner seat. However, if she didn’t, your mother should have told you that nothing in life is really free (other than that cold you just gave me… thank you). Yes, I save a bit on the bridge toll and get to work faster, but I am still ponying up for the gas, the $ 2.50 bridge toll, car maintenance, and I usually take a third passenger. PITCH IN FOR THE BRIDGE TOLL!!! It is $ 1 and it saves me from thinking how f-​ing cheap you are in my head and wondering how anybody could have raised such a selfish, inconsiderate parasite the entire ride in. You ought to be ashamed of yourself if you haven’t been contributing. Please don’t make the driver ask for a dollar. That transfers the responsibility and cheapness to the person doing you a favor. Does your waiter ask for a tip when you are done with your meal? If there are three passengers, and especially for the third person that doesn’t have to stand in line waiting for another car, still pitch a $ 1. Don’t sit questioning that the driver might actually make 50 cents on the deal… just do it.
3. If I am kind enough to suffer through NPR on the drive and not listen to my favorite music, you should be kind enough not to answer and blab on your phone. If you do this, you are worse than (well, you’re on par with) the morons that blast their rap through their stolen smart phone speakers on Bart.
That’s it. Three rules to follow and everybody is happy. Don’t follow the rules and you might find yourself hitch hiking on the Bay Bridge, or on somebody’s «I hope karma destroys your day» list.

My sister freaked when I told her I was taking her precious boys to San Francisco via Casual Carpool. Oh, sure, she pretended she was fine. But then the phone calls started. I missed about three before I picked up the first voicemail. «Are you there yet? Everybody safe?»
I can see her point. Their whole lives she has been warning her children not to talk to strangers, let alone *get into a stranger’s car*.
I was pleased to tell her about the nice elderly couple in the front seats and the three of us squished in the back. What I also tried to convey is that you can pass on the car before you if you don’t feel comfortable. No hard feelings.
Unlike my sister, I find the whole Casual Carpool concept fascinating. What an amazing pooling of community resources: those who want the reduced toll and carpool lane speed who don’t have regular carpool buddies giving a ride to those who need a 20 minute ride over to San Francisco without the wait and expense of public transportation. The wait for a car or for other people to arrive tends to be short and you never know what the experience will bring: quiet commute or new found friend.
It’s a beautiful experience. Just don’t try to convince my sister.

I love casual carpool — it’s really a great way to get to work. If I’ve missed the TransBay Bus (the CB doesn’t cross my neighborhood after 8:21), I can count on casual carpool. I hate taking BART!
I’ve met a lot of nice people in casual carpool — and it’s always quicker than BART or the bus. Some mornings it is easy to get a ride, other mornings it seems like all the drivers got scared off by traffic reports. I’ve never felt threatened by the driver — though I do tend to make eye contact and say «hi» to the driver before getting in. If I get a bad feeling (if they are rude) — I don’t get in. It’s casual! You don’t have to get in the first car in the line if you don’t want to support their decision to drive a freaking Hummer H2 around as a passenger vehicle (ugh — seriously?). I also will ask if the drivers can drop off closer to my destination or just the bus terminal — and usually can find someone to take me where I’m going when it’s a bit farther from the carpool drop off. Mostly, people are very nice and it’s a great way to get into SF.

Probably the most awkward thing to get over if you are a typical American and not used to sharing your personal space but as a drifter zen-​like individual, this is a pretty smooth approach to the world of commuting. It cuts down on the carbon footprint of those who drive into the city, saves them money and costs you a dollar at most while rather then bearing the nasty Bart seat nauseating smells in the morning, you get some random radio or whatever the driver prefers.
I’d say it’s a rather green way to commute if you live In the east bay and don’t want to deal with soggy Bart seats in the morning-​if you get a seat.

Doing casual carpool is like participating in a mini-​sociological experiment every morning. What does the car say about the driver? What radio station does he listen to? Does he like talking in the morning, or prefer a cone of silence? Does he munch on scones and make crumbs everywhere? Drink coffee? Have stains on the back seat? Will he offer to drop you off closer to your final destination, or is he strictly business?
I like to judge the drivers mercilessly because I’m convinced they’re doing the same to me.
Insider tips and other rules of etiquette:
* No, you don’t get to pick the coolest car. You takes what you gets.
* Drivers may take a 4^th person if no other cars are available and you ask politely
* Offer to contribute $ 1 to the toll once you get in (I admit it, sometimes I’m lazy about this)
* Keep your mouth shut unless spoken to, but do say good morning
* Be careful opening the door when you get out in major traffic

I’ve been doing this for two years since I moved to East Bay. It’s a system that works well, and I have not had any problems with either driver or fellow passengers.
From the pick-​up point to the drop-​off point in downtown takes about 20 minutes. Not bad at all!

Without casual carpool I would:
* Have to pay an extra $ 4 a day to take the bus to work.
* Have to spend an extra 20 minutes a day in a bus.
* Have to make it to the bus stop by the same time each morning.
* Never have met the guy people in my office started to call «M5 Daddy.»
* Never have had the opportunity to ride in the backseat of a brand-​new Maserati Quattroporte.
* Never have gotten into some interesting discussions about politics, the economy, Michael Jackson, movies, etc.
* Never have learned that the traditional Mongolian remedy for incurable liver cancer is to eat fresh, uncooked boar liver.
As you can tell, my life would be way worse if I didn’t have casual carpool across the street from my house. Sure, there are some rules by which you’re expected to abide: don’t talk other than to say «good morning» and «thanks for the ride» (unless the driver starts the conversation), don’t roll down the window, don’t blast your headphones, don’t eat your breakfast/​drink your coffee, and (in my opinion most importantly) DON’T TALK ON YOUR PHONE. And sure, occasionally you get a dirty car, creepy driver, bad driver, or a driver with questionable taste in music.
But you really can’t beat a free ride to San Francisco with a total stranger.

I just started casual carpool last week from North Berkeley BART. It is wonderful and a must do. I save about $ 70 a month by doing this.
The premise: you wait on line outside of the station on the corner. A car pulls up and two people get in the car. Then you’re driven to Fremont & Howard downtown. There is also a Civic Center line for carpooling but that one is less frequent.
You’re not supposed to make conversation with the driver. I say ‘good morning’ and ‘thank you’ and read in between. One driver was talkative and funny and she was making fun of me for being from NY because i said that SF has rough terrain. The gal in the back seat was amused as well.
The woman that drove today had some scary driving skills, but otherwise, no problems yet.
Seriously, skip the morning commute on the BART, hop into a car with two strangers, and enjoy your guaranteed seat and free trip.
These sites are helpful:

apparently you’re not supposed to talk. weird, right? you pick someone up, or you get in someone’s car, and you DON’T SAY ANYTHING. Maybe just «hi.» seriously?
maybe i just like to talk alot. maybe i am nosy. maybe i am one of those people on airplanes that makes small talk and thinks she’s making new friends but actually everyone is sick of hearing her voice and her feeble attempts at humor are just awkward. (ok that’s actually not me at all.) maybe maybe… but forget it, it is just weird to get or give a 30 minute ride to someone and NOT SAY A WORD. really?
nonetheless, despite this minor awkward uncomfortable, perhaps strained? detail, i have to say i am a *new* BIG fan of Casual Carpool! free ride to work? how tight is that. so i have to walk 15 minutes to the bart station (bcse i can’t park there if i don’t go inside to pay) and i have to walk 15 minutes after i get dropped in the city, but hey, as long as it’s not raining? down.

As jumping in the cars of complete strangers is a regular compulsion of mine, I thought I’d save m’self $ 3.10 a day by participating in Casual Carpool.
On the day that would mark my first foray into the land of eco-​transport-​hookerdom last week, I wave into the passenger window of the luxury car of some older gent and hop in. Leather seats, 102.1 playing some retarded Haydn symphony. «Hi, I’m Ben!»
«Hi, I’m K – .» We get to talking for a while. In jumps this gust of wind. No hello — just a damn booch in a black powersuit saying, «Okay, let’s go.»
«Hi, I’m Ben,» I offer.
Her: «Oh, that is so surprising since usually people don’t bother to introduce themselves in this thing. I am A — , yes that is a Russian name, yes this neighborhood is full of Russians.»
K: «Hi, I’m K – . Ben and I were just discussing what we do for work — what do you do?»
A: «Oh, I work for Charles Schwab. Yes, and I always go around walking in this neighborhood and I am always so jealous of the other women who walk around drinking coffee while their kids are at day care and I am wondering, ‘What do you do for work?’ I have a 5-​year-​old in school and so when I drop him off I see all these other women who don’t have jobs and I am thinking, ‘What kind of neighborhood do I live in?’»
K: «Oh, what school?»
A: «Kaiser Elementary. I don’t know why the people in my neighborhood won’t use the public school simply because they have enough money to send their children to private school. And because I am not spending my money on private school I bring fresh fruit to my son’s class every day and no other parents there and I am thinking, ‘If five kids from my neighborhood would be in this class, this would be an excellent class.’»
K reads my mind.
K: «Well, poor families do not mean…»
A: «Yes but I am thinking that if only FIVE kids from MY neighborhood would be in this class, it would be (kisses hand) an EXCELLENT class. I don’t know what is wrong with the people in my neighborhood. I mean, these poor people who are in the class don’t care.»
I’m just staring out the window muffling my giggles.
K: «So. .. you’re from Russia?»
A: «No I am not Russian. I am Jewish.»
K: «Oh, are you going to Rosh Hashanah service?»
A: «No, I am not Jewish at all. I will probably eat a challah. I don’t believe in that crap.»
K: «Oh, so you. .. are culturally Jewish?»
A: «Oh no, I know nothing about it.»
K: «Oh…»
A: «But I feel that I must think about it. You know that the Nazis killed my people, right? You know that every day my grandmother lights a candle because her youngest son was killed fighting against the Nazis and he gave false papers to fight in the army saying he was eighteen but he was really sixteen and I see her tears every day so really I AM FORCED TO THINK ABOUT THIS, AND THE HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND IT IS TRULY A CRUEL, INHUMANE THING THAT HAPPENED AND I FEEL IT IS AN OBLIGATION FOR US TO REALIZE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND SO I MUST OBSERVE IT.»
K: «Okay, so of course you feel this is important culturally…»
A: «Oh no, I am not Jewish. I know nothing about it.»
K has to answer a call. Ain’t none of my business.
K: «Hello? Oh yes, dad’s doing better, looks like he doesn’t need me to stay the night tonight.» Then his reception goes bad.
A: «Ah, ah hah!» Oh no, you are NOT about to acknowledge that you are listening in to his call. «Ah, what’s wrong, bad reception? So, your dad is sick? How old is he? Where do you live?»
K has to change lanes to make it over to the carpool lane. I know that everyone hates receiving driving advice in the middle of driving, if ever, no matter how needed it is. I keep my damn trap shut.
A: «GO, NOW, GO!»
K’s phone rings again.
A: «Oh, hah hah! Maybe you press this button this time! Hope your dad is okay! How old are you?»
We’re getting off the bridge and approaching Market Street. A is going to get off a block before her office building.
A: «I can’t walk the one block. HA HA HA! I mean look at these shoes!» NO LOOK! See, my boss is in Chicago and she doesn’t care what I wear anyway so I am wearing Birkenstocks in the office yesterday and my co-​worker comes up to me and says, ‘That’s it, we’re going shoe shopping!’ Oh, and here I am.“
She’s gone, and I could see where my heavy exhale makes a cloud on the backseat window.
I’m fully expecting K to let it all out. He’d never tell her to her face that she’s a loudmouthed insensitive hypocritical intolerant hobag.
K: «A— sure is a beautiful young lady, isn’t she?»
I’m searching for the grin. I’m searching for the wink. Or the, «‘Cept she got enough hair down there to grow a jheri curl, but I ain’t one to talk, so you ain’t hear nuthin’ from me.»
K: «Her husband sure is one lucky man.»
Me:. .. *flabbergasted*. .. «Uh. .. yeah, vivacious.»
(Full, un-​cut story and review at
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