When the internet is not enough: toward an understanding of carpool services for service workers

Abstract

For much of the twentieth century, the economies of Canada and the United States have increasingly focused on service provision. During this same time period, cities have grown into expansive urban regions characterized by dispersed workplaces complemented by a wide array of commuting patterns, dominated by single occupancy vehicle use. This study aims to understand how service worker engagement with an Internet-based carpool formation software, known as Carpool Zone, and workplace transport policies, jointly enable carpool formation and use. The piece also explores the question of difference in carpool formation between female and male service workers. The study area is the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Canada’s largest metropolitan region. Data were drawn from Carpool Zone and a 2007 survey of commuter satisfaction. Extending past work, logistic regression analysis clarifies the importance of specific workplace policies, enacted within suburban firms, to the carpool formation process, including: provision of carpool spaces and availability of an emergency ride home service. The findings indicate that the Internet may not be enough, powerful enabling tools should be situated within expert networks of human capital developed to ameliorate the negative effects of commuting.