Vote now for a better way to carpool

Imagine an app and website where you could easily organise carpooling from Melbourne’s east to ARRB’s new Port Melbourne office every day.

Transport Safety engineer Steph Davy has come up with a project to do exactly that, and it’s now on a shortlist to win Victorian Government funding.

Steph’s plan involves establishing a carpooling program for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, allowing commuters to find via a website and app those in their area and/or workplace who travel at similar times, then share a ride.

If enough people vote for Steph’s project, it will win government funding and become a reality. ARRB would also be charged with delivering the program, meaning a win-win for ARRB and its staff.

Like so many in Melbourne’s east, Steph’s work commute to town is long and unpredictable. At best, it’s a 50-minute drive. At worst, it can stretch beyond an hour and 20 minutes.

“When you work in the transport industry, you think a lot about the drive to work when you are actually driving to work,” Steph said.

“The variability in the time it can take is not something I’m used to. It adds a layer of complexity and frustration to the day. I drive to work thinking how can this be better?”

So the carpooling project – originally conceived as part of Steph’s work on gauging feedback for ARRB’s recent office move from Vermont South to Port Melbourne – was developed.

Not only would the carpooling project help reduce transport costs – both financial and environmental - it would also provide a more sociable alternative to commuting alone.

Voting is open until Monday, September 17. You can vote for Steph’s project, and find out more details about it, here.

NOTE: You will have to create a login on the Pick My Project website with a few simple details, or log in via Facebook or Google, in order to vote.