One of the reasons why traffic jams exist is because there are simply too many cars on the road. This is where the idea of carpooling comes in handy, where drivers can share a single car to get to their destination, which in theory helps reduce traffic congestion, saves money on fuel, and reduces the amount of carbon emissions.
There are already various carpool services available in the US, but in case Waze Carpool is a service that you’re interested in, then you might be pleased to learn that the service is now available across the US. According to Waze, “Our vision is to reverse the negative trends in traffic now by using the Waze platform, our data, and our unique ability to connect everyone sharing the road, to share their empty car seats.”
“With the help of our community, technology, and data, Waze Carpool matches people who are going in the same direction. This removes the friction of sharing our rides so we can start leaving some of our cars at home and take steps towards eliminating traffic, altogether.” As Waze points out, the empty seats in your car are already there (assuming you’re only driving yourself and/or your partner), so why not take advantage of it?
That being said, it seems that Waze’s goal here is to really try and reduce congestion. Drivers and riders are only limited to two rides per day, and that they are usually paired by having nearly identical commutes. This means that unlike Uber or Lyft where you might drive around looking for rides, Waze’s solution is definitely not for those looking to make a money driving.