Zimride fan Rob shares small ways to change your driving habits to make a big impact on the environment.

1. Reduce your driving time

Being trapped on the road isn’t fun for your sanity or wallet, which is why it’s important to decrease the amount of time you’re driving. Explore alternate routes that can help you avoid gridlock by utilizing your GPS.

Try experimenting by leaving earlier or later to avoid traffic if you’re flexible on time.

2. De-stress your car

Extra weight within and on top of your car reduces its aerodynamic qualities, which results in your car using more fuel. Make sure to clear out clutter from your car and consider removing your roof racks if you’re not using them.

Don’t forget to maintain your car regularly, which includes checking your air filters and tire pressure, as they can also slow down your vehicle.

3. Swap out your vehicle

If you’re in the market for a new car, consider investing in a hybrid vehicle, which use an electric motor or battery alongside an engine, or a fully electric car that produces zero CO2 emissions.

Examples include the Lexus Hybrid CT, the Mitsubishi i-MIEV, and the Nissan Leaf, as well as standard low-CO2 cars like the Mini Cooper or the Prius.

4. Carpool

Sharing a ride is the simplest way to reduce your carbon footprint when driving. 80% of all vehicles in the US are occupied by only one person, which adds up to a lot of empty seats. Look into commuting for school or work as a way to save on gas money and meet new friends.

Thanks for the great tips Rob!

Happy 2013!

Your Zimride Crew

Rob James is a mechanic and kit car enthusiast, his favourite car is BMW 3 series. He recommends you check out your local the Cooper BMW dealers and pick up one of these iconic motors! Rob likes to blog about kit cars, general maintenance, and enthusiast rallies.

(From Left to Right: Lauren, Saman, Zippy, and Lucy)

Zippy
Interning at Zimride this year has made the idea of entering the start-up world a lot more accessible. I’ve learned so much about how new businesses are run and maintained, and how important each team member is when managing and contributing to a successful product like Zimride.

I loved being able to communicate with organizers of big events and close partnerships, like the one we had with Outside Lands in San Francisco a few months ago. It’s amazing to see the results of our partnerships and to hear the stories of passengers who used Zimride to get to music festivals!

Saman
Interning for Lyft made me handle multiple projects at once which taught me to be more organized. My proudest accomplishment was to help create the driver onboarding process for the Lyft Community. Knowing I was part of the beginning stages makes me extremely excited how I helped Lyft in a big way.

I learned that Zimride runs like a big family. The atmosphere and environment in the office made it enjoyable to go to work with everyone and do my absolute best.

Lauren
My communication skills have flourished by working at Zimride. Zimride taught me how to reach a certain audience, evaluate information, and turn that analysis into a better product which has helped me find marketing/writing to be my future career path. I absolutely love working at the office with all the awesome ZimLyft peeps. And I’ve gained an entirely new perspective on “team work.”

My favorite project has to be Zimride Elite, a program where I was a resource to the Zimride driver community. I’ve become a total advocate for getting potential users pumped about the website. And not just getting them excited to use the site – but about our whole mission, about transforming/disrupting the conventional perception of transportation.

Lucy
Learning how account management work at Zimride has been an exciting way combine my interests in entrepreneurship and marketing to help Zimride partners successfully rideshare.

Thank you Zippy, Saman, Lauren, and Lucy for absolutely everything. We wish you and the rest of the Zimride Community a fantastic Thanksgiving.

Happy travels,

Your Zimride Crew

Katie - Destination: Truckee

The experience was not only convenient, but I met a couple of great people along the way. My passengers Richard and Ally and I had a very pleasant drive up to the mountains. They were both super nice, brought snacks, and chatted the entire way. Zimride was a much better way to travel than driving solo on a Friday night because I had company and it paid for my trip. 

Elay - Destination: Tahoe Snowcial

This was both mine and my passenger Ben’s first Zimride experience and it was truly great. I got to know a great person and enjoyed a long ride of great conversation. By the end I had made a new friend.

It was my first time driving through a snow storm and Ben was tremendously helpful and supportive the entire way. Nothing like a little blizzard to bring two Zimriders together!

Gregg - Destinations: Alpine, Squaw, and Northstar (oh my!)

The Tahoe route is interesting because there is a huge community of people that make this trip weekly. It seems wasteful and somewhat unnecessary in this day and age to have so many cars driving up a giant mountain with one or two people in them. I don’t own a car but I’ve been renting a car once or twice a month when I go to Tahoe and have been posting my ride on Zimride. It’s a great way to pay for your car rental!

On our first Zimride, my girlfriend Lisa and I found two passengers who were both great and very friendly. We made it up the mountain in great time and we were able to save cash thanks to Zimride.

James - Destination: Heavenly

My best experiences with Zimride have been making new friends—which happens just about every time. On my last Zimride after riding in the car together we skied together!

To celebrate the kickoff of winter, post your trip to Tahoe by next Wednesday at midnight* and be automatically entered to win a pair of lift tickets!

See you at the slopes and happy travels,

Your Zimride Crew

*Zimride “Post a Ride to the Slopes” Sweepstakes official rules

To officially say “sayonara” to Summer 2012 here are some of our favorite stories from Zimride’s amazing community:

Bonnaroo 2012 – Madeline H and Sarah C

Zimride turned out to be a great decision! Sarah and I were both apprehensive about riding with a stranger but she was extremely flexible about when we left! After an hour or two on the road, we discovered we had a lot in common and got along great! I’m sure we’re going to stay in touch in the future, and she may even come visit me in CA!

I decided to Zimride because it was cheap, easy, and the most direct way to get to Bonnaroo from Indiana. Thank you Zimride!

Coachella 2012 – Amanda T, Allen R, and Josh A

I loved our experience and look forward to another trip to meet plenty of others! It all started when my bestie and I decided on renting a car to camp in at Coachella. I heard from another friend who has used Zimride plenty times and I thought I’d look into it. I was a little skeptical at first but when I realized I could see profiles of the others I was okay with it. Little did I know the passenger we ended up taking was AWESOME!

Bright and early the day of our trip, I arrived at the train station to meet my ride buddy, Allan! Dressed to the TEE in coachella attire, bandana and heart shaped glasses required! Of course we hit it off right away! For the next 9+ hours Allan and my family friend, Josh, talked NON-STOP about music, all music, anything to do with music and entertained us with the delights of multiple Anchorman/Will Ferrell songs.

Although Allan had other arrangements once we got there, we still kept in touch throughout the event and met up a few times. I’m counting down the days till I get to hit up the Haight with my new love Allan! Can not complain about anything and glad I made an awesometabulous new friend!!

Thanks Zimride. You will def be recomended and used again!!!

Major thanks to everyone who shared their stories with us over the summer! If you have a story that you want to share, please send your Zimride story from the road to community@zimride.com!

Happy Travels,
Your Zimride Crew

All you need to do for a chance to win is “Like” this Facebook post. One lucky fan will be chosen by random on Facebook this Thursday 5 pm PDT to win a pair of tickets for their Friday concert*.

*The winner is responsible for his/her own transportation and accommodations.

Good Luck!
Your Zimride Crew

They do.

Happy Travels,
Your Zimride Crew

With Monday as a holiday, it’s the perfect time to break away from your routine and
go on a weekend road trip. No need to plan ahead…with our handy guide, you can
choose your own adventure along the way. Here are a few easy tips for a smooth
ride once you’ve hit the highway.

Don’t Break Your Budget
Even with falling gas prices this summer, fueling up will still make a dent in your
wallet. Plan ahead for what you’ll spend on gas using AAA’s simple Fuel Cost Calculator, which provides an estimate based on your travel destination and vehicle model.

Manage Your Munchies
Food options on the road are usually a toss up between fast food places and
convenience stores (avoid vending machine egg salad sandwiches). Break up the trip by finding something that’s served on a plate. RoadFood lists recommended roadside eateries from their community of travelers.

Beat Boredom
Relying on the radio alone can leave your car with mariachi or gospel songs for
miles on end. A Spotify account allows you to keep track of all your favorite playlists offline for those spontaneous sing-alongs on the road.

Once you’re tired of tunes, change things up with an audiobook. If you’ve been
eyeing Game of Thrones or Fifty Shades of Grey, this is the perfect time to catch up
on your summer reading. You can find audiobooks in most online marketplaces, or for a cheaper alternative, try your local public library.

Avoid Getting Lost
Your smartphone or GPS is a foolproof way to navigate your way to your destination.
However, these require a signal, which can frequently lose connection on the highway. Avoid learning this the hard way (we’ve been there!) by having a Thomas Guide handy in the car…you’ll thank us later.

Whether you’re traveling with friends or meeting new ones through Zimride, it’s
always better to share the ride. Besides the good company, you’ll have an extra pair
of hands to help navigate, find food stops and pitch in for gas. Safe travels and have
a great Labor Day weekend!

Your Zimride Crew

I’ll admit; I’m one of those guys who will drive across the highway for gas because it’s 2 cents cheaper. What can I say? Paying for gas and music stinks.  When I pull into the station and watch that number tick tick tick up to $50+, my mood usually takes a turn for the worse. Don’t even get me started on my iTunes bill.

However, I LOVE when people volunteer to pay for my gas. To be quite honest, that’s one of the main things that made me realize Zimride was going to totally change transportation. I could literally let someone else pay for my gas…on every roadtrip.

While we were brainstorming how to get more people to post trips on our site, the answer was clear as day. Hit’m where it hurts me the most: The pump. Let’s give away gas because we’re tired of seeing people throw their wallets at the tank.

Today, we’re launching the Zimride’s Daily Gas and iTunes Giveaway. We’ll be giving away 14 tanks of gas to 14 winners in 14 days. No more sulking about the price of Texas Tea. When’s the next time someone’s going to pay for your gas or the music for your next trip? At Zimride, we like to pay it forward.

How to Participate:
• Complete the entry form HERE.
• Winner will be chosen and announced on Facebook and Twitter every day.
• Terms and conditions for the giveaway

Good luck and let the Daily Gas & iTunes Giveaway begin!

Your Zimride Crew

Bernstein or Jay Z? It doesn’t matter which version of New York you love because the city that never sleeps and has the best of everything just got a lot better.

This week, we launched our first public East Coast route between DC and NY. This new route gives more drivers and passengers the ability to save money, meet new friends, and decrease the number of cars on the road. You can now use Zimride to get between DC and NY for half the cost of a train ticket. Half!

Ready for a road trip to the Big Apple? Visit our favorites stops along the route to see what you’ve been missing on all those planes and train trips.

Baltimore, Maryland
- Fan of The Wire? Check out the real Baltimore by driving the “Wire Tour”.

- Between Wilmington and Baltimore is a fun and beautiful town on the Susquehanna River called Havre de Grace . Lots of cool shops, restaurants and ice cream places.

- Get cultured! The National Aquarium, the American Vistionary Art Museum, and the National Cryptologic Museum are all located in Baltimore.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- If you’re up for a slight detour through Philly (95 runs through it, but the Turnpike does not), 95 takes you RIGHT past Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, the US Mint (reservations req’d, call your representative in congress) and the South Philadelphia Sports Complex , where the 76ers, Phillies, Flyers and Eagles all play their games.

Princeton, New Jersey
- Princeton University is about 20 minutes off of 95. It’s a beautiful campus and the set of many great movies.

- Not ready for the Jersey Shore? Consider bringing your appetite instead — they have the highest rate of diners per capita so a stop is a must. Here’s a famous one right off I-95.

Have any recommendations you’d like to share with us? Tell us on Facebook!

Happy travels,

Your Zimride Crew