A software tool for commute carpooling: a case study on university students in Milan

Carpooling is a transport system based on a shared use of private cars. This paper presents a web-based software tool for the commute carpooling problem, whose main characteristics are the following: 1) besides suggesting a matching between the users, the system provides the expected schedule and route for their trips; 2) the users are informed immediately in case of delay or changes via e-mail or via short messages; 3) the software estimates the costs and benefits for each user; 4) the use of the system is restricted to the employees of given companies. The software has been tested in a case study regarding the Politecnico di Milano university students, running simulations on possible service scenarios. The first suggestions for the company mobility manager of Politecnico di Milano are to focus more on incentives for park and ride season tickets than on parking spots reserved to car-poolers at the campuses and to promote – since the beginning – a carpooling service shared by all the universities of Milan.