Find Carpool Partners with the Commuter Computer or CarpoolMatchNW.org WHAT IS A CARPOOL? A carpool is two or more people sharing a ride to a common or nearby destination. Carpooling is great because you can make it suit your needs. The number of passengers may vary, drivers and vehicles may rotate, and expenses may or may not be shared. In order to park in Lewis and Clark's preferential carpool spots, you need only display a carpool permit in your car and have one or more passengers with you when you arrive to campus. If all the preferential spaces are taken, simply park in a regular student space. Students may register for a regular permit or for a carpool permit. Regular permits allow first-year students to park at the Griswold Lot on upper campus or at the church satellite lots on Terwilliger. Carpool permits allow first-years to park adjacent to the law school, but only when another person is in the car as they arrive. A first-year carpooler who is not carpooling on a given day may only park at Griswold or the satellite lots. Carpoolers may register any person from the Lewis and Clark community (faculty, staff, or student) as their carpool partner, but they are not limited to carpooling only with the person(s) they list. CARPOOLING IS REWARDING Carpooling is easy, inexpensive, flexible, and offers these benefits: Sharing the cost of gas, parking, and other expenses with other people saves money! Lewis & Clark makes carpooling easy. Carpooling permits are available for $75, half the cost of single occupancy vehicle permits. You and the members of your carpool may apportion the costs as you wish. You’ll reduce your stress from driving in rush hour traffic. You’ll cut down on wear and tear on your personal vehicle. Carpoolers get the benefit of preferential parking spots! MAKING YOUR CARPOOL RUN SMOOTHLY Once you’ve assembled a regular carpool, here are a few guidelines to get you off to a good start: Determine drop-off and pick-up points—either residences or common meeting points such as Park & Ride lots. Those who must drive to join up with the carpool can leave their cars at a Park & Ride lot. Tri-Met has nearly 60 lots conveniently located around the Portland region. Decide if one person will drive, or if the responsibility will rotate. If you’re rotating drivers, determine the schedule and the rotation. Agree on the little things before the first day: should the radio be on or off, will smoking or eating be permitted, and how long should the driver wait for a late passenger. If members do not share the driving equally, come to an understanding of how the costs will be split. Establish a chain of communication to notify each other of illness or other changes affecting the group. Practice the three C’s of a successful carpool: consideration, compromise, and commitment.   This web page is based on a flyer by Tri-Met.