New Jersey entices carpoolers with more gas money
By THOMAS BARLAS
Staff Writer, 609-272-7201
Published: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
The state of New Jersey wants to pay for your gas.Honest.Just as long as the folks who get the money are honest about their driving.The state Department of Transportation, or DOT, is expanding its Carpooling Makes Sense program by offering $150 gas cards to new carpools of three people each, and $200 gas cards to new carpools of four or more people. The $100 gas cards for carpools of two people also are still available.Aside from filling out a form and carpooling 24 times in two months, there's no required minimum driving distance. Abiding by the program rules is up to the carpool.
"It's on the honor system," said Ronda Urkowitz, program director for Cross County Connection, a Burlington County company that administers the carpool program in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.The carpool must fill out a trip log, she said, and odometer readings aren't required because people switch cars. Cross County will check with the employer of the "carpool leader" if fraud is suspected, she said."We haven't had any problems," Urkowitz said.Introduced in May 2006, Carpooling Makes Sense originally provided $500,000 for individual $100 debit cards to be used for gasoline purchases by new registered carpool participants. DOT officials said they push carpooling to help reduce toll costs, vehicle depreciation and traffic congestion, as well as ease parking problems, improve air quality and conserve energy.DOT officials said carpooling can save fuel costs even when used on a limited basis:n The average midsize-car driver paying $3 per gallon for gasoline can save approximately $15 per week by carpooling only one day a week to work. That generates an annual savings of more than $700.n The same driver could save more than $70 per week by carpooling five days per week to work, leading to a savings of approximately $3,500 over the course of a year."I encourage commuters to take advantage of these benefits by starting a new carpool," Gov. Jon S. Corzine said in announcing the expanded program on Monday.More information about Carpooling Makes Sense is available by calling 1-800-245-POOL, or by visiting: www.njcommuter.comE-mail Thomas Barlas:TBarlas@pressofac.com
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