Drivers collaborate

Image courtesy of Facebook.comStudents may think of St. Bonaventure as a second home, but it's always nice to spend time with family at their real homes. For some who live far away or don't have a car on campus, it may not be easy to get home. That's where the Bona's Carpool Network comes in handy.

Sophomore biology Sinéad Coleman started the group before Christmas break in December 2009 to help students find rides home while helping the environment at the same time.

"I live eight hours away in Connecticut, and I don't have a car," Coleman wrote. "It may seem a little selfish, but I always need a ride. But what about the other 80 percent of students who don't have a car either?"

The group took 10 easy minutes to create, Coleman wrote in an e-mail.

"I created a group on Facebook with a couple of facts, some rules to abide by (which include paying for gas, being courteous, saying how many people can fit in your car, etc.) and some funny carpooling pictures," Coleman wrote.

"I invited my friends to join, and they kept sending the message on, so more people joined," Coleman wrote. "When you join, it's usually because you're either interested in finding a ride or looking for gas money. Everyone benefits. The discussion board is separated into different geographical regions to make it easier to find someone who lives in your general area."

Not only is the group helpful to students who don't have a car and whose parents live too far away to come get them, but it's also environmentally friendly.

"Carpooling networks are so important for people to use for many reasons: it reduces our dependence on gasoline and fossil fuels, and fewer cars on the road equals less traffic," Coleman wrote.

"According to the American Automobile Association, it costs an average of 54.1 cents per mile to drive a car as of 2008," the Facebook group's page read. "This includes gasoline, oil, maintenance, tires and depreciation. For a 40-mile round-trip commute, this comes to $21.64 per day, $454 monthly and $5,453 annually. Ridesharing with one other person can save you $2,726."

Students are also happy about the group because it makes the ride more enjoyable and easier for them.

"It's nice to have someone ride back with you," said Shana Hurley, a junior journalism and mass communication major. "I feel more comfortable stopping along the way if I'm traveling with someone. I feel safer. Plus, it's always helpful to have someone chip in for gas."

Hurley, who lives in New Jersey and has a six-hour ride one way, took someone home for winter break.

"I just figured if anyone really wanted a ride, I could help them out," Hurley said. "Being alone in the car for six hours can be exhausting and lonely. I would have no problem giving someone a ride back if they really wanted it or needed it."

Ashley Masala, a freshman journalism and mass communication major, has used the carpool network in the past.

"I live about five hours away, and I got a ride home with a friend who lives in the same city," Masala said.

"I think it's important to be a part of the carpool network because a lot of students that go to Bona's live far away, and constantly having to find a way home shouldn't be something that they have to stress out about," she said.

If you're interested in joining the Bona's Carpool Network to either look for a ride home or to help take someone home, you can go to the Facebook Web site at: http://www.facebook.com/group.phpgid=191803574197&ref=ts