So I got this idea when my neighbor Tim asked me about cheap travel options for our bowling league trip. Thought I’d actually test out three community travel programs people keep talking about. Started last Tuesday morning with my notepad.
The Three Programs I Tried
First up was ShareRide – that yellow sticker carpool thing you see around town. Just walked to their community board near the gas station. Copied down a driver’s number, called him up. Dude named Jim said he’d take me from Maple Street to downtown for $5. Felt kinda weird hopping into some stranger’s beat-up Honda though.
Then Thursday I tested CityHopper – you know, those little blue buses? Needed their special card first. Waited 40 minutes at the library station playing candy crush before bus #12 showed up. Driver looked annoyed when I dropped coins everywhere.
Saved the app one for last. CommunityLift wanted my ID photo and bank info before I could even see drivers. Finally got matched with Linda’s Prius Saturday afternoon. Nice lady but her GPS kept saying “recalculating” while my grocery ice cream melted.
What Actually Works
Honestly none are perfect but here’s the deal:
- ShareRide is dirt cheap if you don’t mind sketchy pickup spots
- CityHopper runs like molasses but won’t bankrupt you
- CommunityLift costs triple the others but at least the cars smell okay
My final take? If you’re broke and not in a hurry – CityHopper. If you need reliable wheels – suck it up and pay for CommunityLift. Only use ShareRide if you enjoy adrenaline rushes with your commute. Next week I’m testing bike sharing – pray for my thighs.
