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Carpooling Reimbursement Plan?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by TonyPSchaefer, Apr 14, 2006.

  1. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Ok, so for that last several months, I've been carpooling with a woman. We live five doors apart and work in the same building. It's a carpooler's dream. But there are some bumps in the road. For one, sometimes when she drives I get carsick. This isn't because I always get carsick, it's because she's a two-footed driver. Also, she's at retiring age (sorry for the older folks here) and she has a twitch (there's a name for the age-induced twitching); she can't sit still and when she's holding the steering wheel she jerks it from time to time. Very disturbing. Also, she's an agressive driver: fast, lane-changing, angry at times. And last week, when we drove seperately, she turned left in front of someone (no, it wasn't Parrot_Lady's dad).

    So we were commuting yesterday and she lamented that especially after the accident (her fault) she wishes she could completely do without driving. She actually used to not drive at all and only learned about 15 years ago at the age of 50. I didn't say anything at the time, but anything I can do to stop riding when she drives would be a welcomed relief. Except that I really like getting gas only every 3 - 4 weeks rather than every 2. I mean, carpooling is great for the reduction of fuel demand but also because it saves money.

    Before I consider telling her that I'll drive every day, I want to make sure that I will be getting reimbursed. It's gas or grass in this case. The way I see it, it's simple: I'm providing her a service and using my vehicle. She should pay half of the gas for those times when we carpool. The problem is that it's not every day. Sometimes, an evening activity or doctor's appointment interfere.

    The commute is 20 miles one way; 40 miles per day.
    I was thinking that I could count the number of times each week or month. Because I have a lifetime average of 48MPG, I could round that to 50 and when I drive her a total of 500 miles, she pays me for ten gallons of gas. Considering that she gets less MPG with her car, she'll even come out ahead just paying me.

    That's all I can think of. Can anyone come up with a better way to do this?
     
    #1 TonyPSchaefer, Apr 14, 2006
  2. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Hmmm, my personal inclination is toward a flat weekly rate. Reason being, you'll have to keep track of her usage, and that's your time, yet another thing for you to do... 200mi/wk her cost 100/mi @ 50mpg= 2gals call it $6/$5wk... that sort of thing...
     
    #2 Mystery Squid, Apr 14, 2006
  3. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah, I thought of that also, but there have been weeks - this one, for example, when we carpool twice of five days. Flat rate wouldn't work. The average can never get back up to five days per week.

    I also think that it would be unfair to ask her to pay for "every other" tank of gas for the same reason.

    It's not like keeping track would be hard. I have a full-year calendar on my wall at work. When we carpool, I mark the day. 500 miles equals 12.5 days.
     
    #3 TonyPSchaefer, Apr 14, 2006
  4. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    if your one-sided carpooling experience is anything like mine was... make sure you don't get the "but i didn't think you wanted reimbursement, you were going that way anyway" treatment... :angry:
     
    #4 galaxee, Apr 14, 2006
  5. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Apr 14 2006, 05:55 PM) [snapback]239879[/snapback]</div>
    Well, that IS sort of true...

    :ph34r:

    Personally, I'd be like, "Just pitch out for gas every once in a while...", and leave it at that...

    :ph34r: :ph34r:
     
    #5 Mystery Squid, Apr 14, 2006
  6. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    hah. that WAS my policy. and that response was the ONE time i was low on both gas and money and asked if she wouldn't mind contributing like FIVE BUCKS after a good THREE MONTHS of free transport.

    five bucks every 3 months when the car gets less than 15 mpg ain't a bad deal.

    i'm not about money but hell, i had to make a choice that week between putting gas in the car to get to the university, and buying a gallon of milk. and she wasn't hurting for money one bit.
     
    #6 galaxee, Apr 14, 2006
  7. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    Tony -

    If you've been doing this for a while, you likely know the average number of times/month you guys can ride together. Assume that number, and charge accordingly. But do NOT make the mistake of just charging for half the gas. You add wear and tear to your car (tires, brakes, depreciation, oil changes, insurance, etc) and you are even suppling all of the driving labor. If she paid for ALL the gas on your trips together, you'd be close to what you should be charging. This is how I'd worked it out with a friend a while back. Whever drives basically gets free gas but has to drive and maintain the car. That you drive a Prius just gives her a big bonus. That you're good looking is the thick icing on the cake.

    That I'm a wise-nice person is just... well, expected.
     
    #7 darelldd, Apr 14, 2006
  8. Emma

    Emma New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Apr 14 2006, 06:00 PM) [snapback]239883[/snapback]</div>
    I think Tony's idea is a good one and very workable. It's very simple to make a tick mark on a calendar...you could even keep a pocket calendar in one of the many compartments in the Prius.

    By chipping in for gas, the rider is actually paying for the luxury of never having to drive; putting less miles on his/her vehicle, thereby lowering his/her insurance premiums and raising the value of his/her vehicle; and the inconvenience suffered by the driver by not being able to run errands or make other stops on the way to/from work.
     
    #8 Emma, Apr 14, 2006
  9. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    There's a significant hidden savings in that the less she drives,
    the less likely she is to clobber someone and take out one of our
    esteemed colleagues in the process. Hard to put a price on that.
    .
    _H*
     
    #9 hobbit, Apr 14, 2006
  10. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Apr 14 2006, 05:06 PM) [snapback]239937[/snapback]</div>
    Good point. In the end, it may be best to just take her for free (so to speak).
     
    #10 darelldd, Apr 14, 2006
  11. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Apr 14 2006, 06:32 PM) [snapback]239915[/snapback]</div>
    Priceless

    Good point on the wear-n-tear thing. She's actually pretty reasonable and I don't think she would have much of a problem. We would just have to agree on a price.

    Of course, one thing that just occured to me that with the fluctuating gas price we might haggle over the price to use when calcualting what she owes.

    I'm just going to have to move.
     
    #11 TonyPSchaefer, Apr 14, 2006
  12. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Apr 14 2006, 06:27 PM) [snapback]239957[/snapback]</div>
    If she's as motivated to stop driving as you've implied, I'll bet she'll be happy to pay more than you think. Add how motivated YOU are to stop riding with her driving, and I think you guys will easily come up with a solution that makes everybody happier. Once that's done THEN move.
     
    #12 darelldd, Apr 14, 2006
  13. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    well the way i look at it, you have to consider wear and tear on your car as well. so i might consider charging her half of what it costs her to drive to work since it would do more than just pay for gas.

    now the fact that she is so convenient for you (no going out of your way to accommodate her) i would definitely consider something else lower.

    after saying all that, i give rides to anyone who asks me from work and one asks on a fairly regular basis. i never ask money from him because he makes less than i do, he has more bills (i have none, he is paying for treatement AND fallout from a DUI and divorce) because of scheduling conflicts, i went from giving him a ride 2 days a week to about once every week or two. he does not live anywhere near me, but my commute is only 7½ miles and when i take him home it works out to be like 12-13 miles one way.
     
    #13 DaveinOlyWA, Apr 14, 2006
  14. galaxee

    galaxee mostly benevolent

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Apr 14 2006, 09:27 PM) [snapback]239957[/snapback]</div>
    always an option.... :huh: :lol:
     
    #14 galaxee, Apr 14, 2006
  15. jbarnhart

    jbarnhart New Member

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    I think you should charge her half of what it takes to operate HER vehicle. Total up her depreciation, gas, maintenence, insurance (a biggie with accidents on record), and then ask for half of it. That would make it the most fair.
     
    #15 jbarnhart, Apr 14, 2006
  16. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Emma @ Apr 14 2006, 07:43 PM) [snapback]239923[/snapback]</div>
    No doubt all these factors fall into play... I guess what's important to some is not as important to others. I just don't like dealing in fine details in situations as such... She's like a 60 year old lady, and it's not as if the Prius is Hummer or anything so no need "muscle" our senior citizens... :lol: (NOW I'm getting banned!! :lol: )


    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(galaxee @ Apr 14 2006, 06:09 PM) [snapback]239887[/snapback]</div>
    Now THAT'S what you call tiiiiiiiiiiiight!!! :lol:
     
    #16 Mystery Squid, Apr 15, 2006
  17. hycamguy07

    hycamguy07 New Member

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    ROTFLMAO
    :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
    #17 hycamguy07, Apr 15, 2006
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