Get All Access for $5/mo

5 Things Your Carpool Giver Wants You To Know Inculcating these habits will make sure you are a fun carpool passenger

By K.N.M. Rao

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock

Be it disrespectful door slammers or loud mouths on their telephones or just people with their incessant nagging for random stops, all of us have had our share of bad experiences when it comes to sharing cars. Dealing with uncooperative and inconsiderate co-passengers after a tiring day at work is not only unpleasant but also very stressful.

Here are five things you should inculcate to make sure you are a fun carpool passenger.

Showing Disregard Towards your Carpool Giver's Vehicle

The car is a prized possession for every car owner. Be mindful when you are shutting the car doors. Refrain from eating or drinking in the car which might result in spilling. In general, avoid smoking while carpooling to work. There are other occupants as well and they may not appreciate it.

Constantly Communicating with Virtual Friends

We live in a hyper connected world where we are constantly on our phones and tablets. It is polite for you to put your phones aside and talk to your co-riders as carpooling helps in professional networking.

The Ride Route is Fixed

Unlike cab services where you can request for route changes, car-pooling services come with predetermined routes based on the carpool giver's destination and there are no detours. Your pick up and drop points may not be door to door but at the nearest point on the carpool giver's route.

Be Punctual as Tardiness is Never Appreciated

It is important that you respect the carpool giver's time and be present at the pickup point a few minutes before the scheduled pickup. If you wish to cancel an existing ride, make sure to do so a day in advance so that your ride giver has enough time to schedule another.

Take the Front Seat and Greet Your Carpool Giver

You must note that the carpool giver is not your chauffeur but a working professional. So make sure you greet your carpool giver and take the front seat next to her, if it is empty.

In order to create, sustain and make the carpooling network big, it is necessary that we are well-versed with the essentials of collective commuting. It does not take a lot to ensure that we are mindful of our actions that not only have the power of creating a lasting impression but also of destroying one.

K.N.M. Rao

Co-founder & CEO, Quick Ride

Starting a Business

Spend Less Time Worrying About Your Company's Runway — And More Time Rethinking Your Strategy. Here's How.

Perceived short runways leave founders in angst. It does not have to be this way; the best way to extend the runway is the right strategy.

Social Media

The 5 Critical Components of a Great Customer Journey Map

From clear goals and actionable insights to an omnichannel view of the customer experience, how to fashion this pivotal business building block.

Branding

Your Public Messaging Strategy Starts With Your Inner Circle

Entrepreneurs spend hours planning and developing key messaging strategies to broaden the reach of their business. Instead, start with an "inner circle" core of family, friends, colleagues, and most importantly an existing customer and vendor base.

News and Trends

Work With AI: LinkedIn Debuts Suite of New AI Experiences

In a blog post, LinkedIn chief product officer Tomer Cohen shared how the company observed a remarkable trend of a 5x increase year-over-year in the number of learners engaging with Al courses and content on the platform

Growing a Business

Disrupt a Business-As-Usual Industry in 6 Steps

The most influential innovators all have one thing in common: disrupting traditional industry markets. However, only some are able to pull it off. Here are six steps all market disruptors must follow to succeed.