Carpool Diaries: We’re a carpooling couple beating Boston traffic

Eric and Sondra, carpooler rider and driver

As told to a Waze Carpool story editor

Sondra: I work in downtown Boston, which is about 30 minutes from where we live. Eric likes to ride in with me in the morning.

Eric: We wanted to ride together, so we thought, yeah, why don’t we pick up some people on the way, it’s probably good for the environment, and it saves a little bit on gas money. So we decided we would give it a try. We’ve met some cool people, and they’re thankful for the carpool. It’s hard to commute around Boston — other options can be kind of expensive or unreliable.

Sondra: We usually ride with the same people, and we’ll bond over things like music and what documentaries we’re watching.

Eric: It’s nothing crazy — just people enjoying a ride together, with fun banter. This one guy who rides with us will randomly wear sandals to work, and we’ll joke about that. Nicole, one of our regulars, is from England, so we’ll talk about the different cultures. One of the guys we drove made a comment that he loved this Pink Floyd deep cut, and I was like, “OK, you’ve won me over. You’re my best friend now.”

Sondra: The riders always point out that it’s nice of Eric to drive me to work and pick people up, even though he doesn’t have to.

Eric: If I didn’t have Waze Carpool, I’d be a total hermit. It’s refreshing to get out of the house in the morning — it’s like a cup of coffee. I’m the only person who has an hour-long commute so he can work from home!

Sondra: I feel like it makes people more comfortable to ride with a couple. What do you think?

Eric: Probably! Everyone will team up against me to side with Sondra. Like if I have a morning meeting and can’t make the drive, they’ll be like, “How’s Sondra getting to work?!” So they’re always on the same side. They’ll be like, “You should drive Sondra five days next week.”

Sondra: They’re right!