Meet the Lift Sharers
With nearly 700,000 people car sharing across the country with Liftshare* 23,000 new members in July and August 2023* (wow!), we wanted to hear from the passengers and designated drivers’ car sharing up and down the UK’s roads together. We asked newcomers, pros, and daily commuters about their experience with car sharing – what they’ve saved and why they like it!
GULAM
Some would say Gulam is a Liftshare veteran, having joined in 2019. He loves meeting people from all walks of life on the commute, seeing each trip as an opportunity to share interests, experiences (and fuel costs, of course).
Trip: Gloucestershire, 40-mile trip. Sharing with up to 3 others, 5 days a week.
Historic savings between Gulam and his Liftshare partners:
Financial savings: £18,624
CO2 Reduction: 14 tonnes
Mileage savings: 63,803 miles
What do you like about Liftshare?
“I’ve travelled with all sorts of different sharers, from a psychologist to a nutritionist, and I find it very interesting hearing different perspectives and learning from them. On some journeys, we’ve been talking so much, we have to pick up the conversation again on the return leg.”
One piece of advice for a newbie?
“Usually there’s lots of good chat, but sometimes people just want a bit of silence. You have to ‘read the car’ and follow people’s signals. I often start by asking ‘How are you?’ And ‘What do you do for work?’ and we go from there.”
SIMRAN
Simran joined in early 2023 and has already found that car sharing saves her money, time and stress for her lengthy commute into London twice a week.
Trip: Warwickshire to London, 98-mile trip. Sharing with up to 3 others, 2 days a week.
Historic savings between Simran and her Liftshare partners:
Financial savings: £2,555
CO2 Reduction: 1 tonne
Mileage savings: 8,754 miles.
What do you like about Liftshare?
“It’s more economical to use Liftshare when travelling into work, saves me time and also a good way to save (the) environment.”
One piece of advice for a newbie?
“I would definitely recommend using Liftshare if you’re looking to travel into work to London. Most of the people I have met are on time, and the journeys are cost effective.”
PUSHPAL
Pushpal has enjoyed sharing with different Liftsharers, and appreciates the savings in carbon emissions, costs – and having someone to talk to during the commute.
Trip: Berkshire, 44-mile trip. Sharing with up to 4 others, 2 days a week.
Historic savings between Pushpal and his Liftshare partners:
Financial savings: £1,453
CO2 Reduction: 1 tonne
Mileage savings: 4,979 miles
What do you like about Liftshare?
“I am quite a friendly and social person and my companion is also an outgoing person. We have got along quite nicely and meeting outside the share time too, especially for a dinner at home as we share slightly different culture.”
One piece of advice for a newbie?
“I let my companion know a brief about me with the correct details, here honesty is really important to build the trust. We got along after a couple of shares and from the next time, we became friends.”
NICOLA
Nicola joined Liftshare in 2015 and has been commuting regularly with a current lift sharer since early 2023. She’s glad to get another car off the road in the name of cutting carbon emissions and saving money!
Trip: Devon, 25-mile trip. Sharing with 1 other person, 5 days a week.
Historic savings between Nicola and her Liftshare partner:
Financial savings: £1,104
CO2 Reduction: 833Kg
Mileage savings: 3,781 miles
What do you like about Liftshare?
“It has helped me as it makes my journey more fun as I have company. My car sharer only has access to the car sporadically and was paying a fortune on the train, so they are saving money.”
One piece of advice for a newbie?
“Your work pattern may not be exact but it’s worth it to get more cars off the road. My current car sharer meets me in a carpark to save me going through a one-way system.”
PETRU
Petru has discovered multiple benefits of sharing rides for commuting and one-off events including festivals since he joined in 2023. The positive impact on the environment is a big driver for him.
Trip: Kent, 6-mile trip. Sharing with up to 2 others, 5 days a week.
Historic savings between Petru and his Liftshare partners:
Financial savings: £268
CO2 Reduction: 202Kg
Mileage savings: 917 miles
What do you like about Liftshare?
“Overall, it enhanced my financial savings, mental well-being and environmental consciousness, making my daily commute more cost-effective and enjoyable. In a lift sharing encounter, I met Alex, a stranger until that moment and we found ourselves exchanging random stories. The laughter and shared anecdotes, especially Dad jokes, turned a routine ride into an unexpected connection.”
One piece of advice for a newbie?
“Sharing the cost of fuel and parking can lead to substantial savings for participants, making commuting more economical. In essence, lift sharing not only streamlines daily commutes and eases financial burdens, but also cultivates a spirit of collaboration and environmental responsibility.”
Fancy sharing a trip?
We love hearing success stories from people enjoying car sharing! Interested in giving it a go? Sometimes it’s difficult to find commuter clubs and car shares organically, so Liftshare is a brilliant way to connect you with like-minded people wanting to share trips, fuel costs and cut emissions.
Find out more on the Liftshare website.