Make Friends, Earn Money, Save Time: US-36 Casual Carpool Launch

BOULDER, CO -- There's a new way to get to the big city. On Monday, US-36 Commuting Solutions launched its Casual Carpool service, designed to help like-minded commuters connect and to reduce the need for solo drivers on the highway between Boulder and Denver. The program enables commuters to share the costs of transport and to use the US-36 express lanes for free — a privilege extended to vehicles with three or more occupants.

Casual Carpool works by connecting drivers and passengers through either the Waze or Waze Carpool apps. Riders enter a time, starting and ending point and can then view and select from potential matches. Through April, Waze is offering the service for a flat fee of one dollar per ride. After the incentive expires, the cost will go up to 58 cents per mile. Drivers receive a federal reimbursement depending on the number of miles driven.

Currently there are just four pickup locations for riders: US-36 &Table Mesa Station (eastbound), US-36 & Broomfield Station (westbound), US-36 & Church Ranch Station (both sides) and Union Station, though as the program expands representatives hope to be able to offer more options.

"It'll take time to build a critical mass," Audrey DeBarros, executive director of Commuting Solutions, told the Daily Camera this week. We're talking about a behavior change," she said. "We do not know how long it will take, but we're excited about the opportunity to test the pilot program."

Find out more information or sign up to participate on the Commuting Solutions website.

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