The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Pool your way to greater fuel savings

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Pool your way to greater fuel savings

Meera Srinivasan

Incomes are up, but not in step with the increased cost of living

Photo: R.Ragu

Better Ride: Chennai Petroleum Corporation staff, who car pool to work.

As fuel prices continue to soar, car pooling is beginning to look like an idea whose time has come in Chennai. Not many seem to have warmed up to this idea as yet, but the few who have, vouch for its viability.

Office-goers commuting from a locality to their place of work take turns to bring their car, helping themselves and their pool mates cut down on fuel expenses. Nanganallur resident N.L. Govindan, for instance, has to travel over 30 km every day to reach his work place at Manali. The Chennai Petroleum Corporation employee, along with five other colleagues, car pools to work every day.

True to their company’s beliefs, the group achieves fuel economy, and also brings down a big chunk of expenses in their monthly budget. “We find it extremely convenient. It helps cut costs, save fuel and also conserve energy. Now, I use only 16 litres of petrol every month for the four to five trips I make. If I used my car every day, I would need 80 litres,” he explains.

There are other benefits too. The five colleagues, all from different departments, are now good friends. “Even if one of us gets held up for a while, the rest don’t mind waiting,” he says. When one of them is likely to be delayed by more than half-an-hour, he or she intimates the pool mates, asking them to go ahead. “Five of us in a car could sound a little crammed. But, we are now used to it,” says Mr. Govindan. More importantly, since all of them see the difference this practice has made to their wallet, they completely enjoy their nearly 50-minute ride in the mornings and the slightly longer journey in the evenings.

His pool mate N. Sukumar, is all for car pooling. A resident of Keelkattalai, would otherwise end up using five litres of petrol every day. “Instead of using my vehicle 20 days every month, I use it only for four days. It’s an advantage for all of us,” he notes. “Besides helping ourselves, we’re ensuring lesser pollution. This is easily the best option for people who have to travel from around a particular point to the same destination,” Mr. Sukumar adds.

As commuters who have used this option for years now, they strongly recommend it to school-goers and other professionals. The comfort of travelling by car every day comes at a cheaper price, they point out. Besides larger benefits, car pooling also gives commuters the opportunity to indulge in smaller pleasures. This group does joint breakfast once in while. “It is really nice. Irrespective of hierarchy, we bond and discuss all sorts of things during our journey,” says Mr. Sukumar.

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