Carsharedevon fuels interest from new members
Drivers in Devon who are keen to reduce their mileage this year have another chance to win a free tank of fuel.
Commuters who register with the www.carsharedevon.com website by 31 March will be entered into a prize draw to win a tank of fuel up to the value of £100.
Carsharedevon.com is a free service which allows people in Devon and across the south west to find others to share their journey, either taking turns with the driving, or giving someone a lift in exchange for a contribution to the fuel costs. It is commissioned by Devon County Council, in partnership with Plymouth and Torbay Councils.
More than 340 people signed up to the website between 1 September and 30 November last year. Among them was Louise Harris, who registered her journey from Plymouth to Exeter University, and was randomly selected as the winner of the tank of fuel for registering during that period. She is now saving, on average, £145 on fuel each month.
Louise said: “I am really delighted with the car share service and online system. It was so easy to use and the savings in fuel have been significant. Finding out I had won a tank of petrol was definitely the icing on the cake!”
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “People who have started sharing their commute to work through Carsharedevon.com really notice the savings they make on the cost of fuel. The website is really easy to use, and with more than 10,500 members it’s the best way to find others who are regularly make the same journey who could share the cost. There is a simple online calculator to work out what you could save, just by entering your travel details such as mileage and the days you need to drive, so it’s certainly worth logging on and taking a look to see how you could benefit.”
Carsharedevon.com members who have successfully found people to share a lift with include Rhiannon Williams, from Kingsteignton, who has been travelling with Janice Bennett to the South West Water offices in Exeter for the past year.
Rhiannon said: “I thoroughly enjoy car sharing and have done so since January 2013. We are actually looking to see if we can get someone else to join our car sharing partnership this year.”
Robert Ostler, from South Molton, has been car sharing into Exeter for many years and currently shares with two other people, one of whom comes from Barnstaple. Two of them take it in turns to drive and the third person, who gets dropped off at Sowton, contributes to the driver’s fuel costs.
