GSU web site helps link car pools to campus

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Drivers registered with the university can log on and offer or ask for a ride based on place and time.

By Dal Cannady bio | email

STATESBORO, GA (WTOC) - Georgia Southern University has added a new feature to their website to help people on campus save fuel, money and help the environment.

Parking may be the most popular, mostly non-contact sport at Georgia Southern. Thousands of students, faculty and staff commute there every day and hunt for the best spots.

"8am is easy to get in and get out," explained Addie Reddick. "Around lunchtime, it's hectic!"

That means plenty of cars burning gasoline going to the same place. But it could get easier with a new feature on Southern's website called Ride Share. Drivers registered with the university can log on and offer or ask for a ride based on place and time.

"If you want a ride to the CIT building, you can search for that by location and it pulls up and shows the people going to the CIT building from this time to this time," noted Nghi Duong, a GSU systems analyst.

"There are other universities that are leading efforts to share rides and save gas and things like that," stated Steve Burrell, GSU vice president of Information Technology. "But this one was led primarily by students."

The hope is to save everyone money and save the environment. Another option is some of the many prime spaces in parking lots around campus now have a car pool only sign.

That's a good idea to Sebastian Moore. Drivers pay a little extra for a car pool parking decal.

"Parking is expensive but if four students can team up and share a rate, I think a lot of people would like that," he stated.

"Sounds like a good plan if people are willing to be on time and get back and forth on time and not make other people late," Reddick added.

The university debuted Ride Share on their website Tuesday. It separates faculty and staff from students. Users can also find riders for other trips, anything from out of town concerts or ballgames to a weekend trip back home.

The first 88 car pool spots are currently sold out. No word on when they'll add more.