There are certain things in life that we all dread: Root canals. Performance evaluations. Computer malfunctions. And, of course, our most constant frustration: The morning commute.

It's not enough to face the grim prospect of waking up at the crack of dawn, throwing on some clothes, and gulping back a dismal cup of coffee before sitting down at your desk. Before you can start working, you've got to get to the office – and for most of us, that means an hour or more of bumper-to-bumper traffic, stale exhaust fuel in the air, and a sadistic symphony of bleating car horns and obnoxious radio DJs.

Not to mention all the money you're trickling away with every mile you drive, thanks to the skyrocketing cost of gas – according to the American Automobile Association, the average commuter spends $2,640 a year on gas and car maintenance. Factor in parking fees, and you could practically buy a new car with the money you're throwing away.

If you're fed up with your daily drive, there's another way to go: Ridesharing.

Sure, you probably already know about the benefits of carpooling: You can save money on gas, you can help the environment, and you can sit in the passenger seat whenever you feel like it – but you may have ignored the possibility in the past. After all, you don't know anyone you can carpool with, and you don't want to ride with a stranger – what if you end up with a serial killer or, worse, a Celine Dion fan?

Don't count out carpooling yet, though. Thanks to the rise of ridesharing services on the Internet, it's easier than ever to vet out potential riding partners who you might actually enjoy chatting with during your daily commute. If you're ready to give carpooling a whirl, here are a few great ways to find a traveling partner or two.

Erideshare.com is the world's largest site for hooking up with fellow travelers, no matter whether you're heading to work or a weekend beach getaway. The site currently boats more than 22,000 commuter listings – so no matter where you live, there's a good chance you can find a ride. Setting up a profile on the site is completely free, and you can communicate with potential carpoolers as much as you want before getting into a car together, safely filtering out the crazies.

If you've got a Facebook profile, there are two great resources dedicated to finding a like-minded road partner: Zimride.com and GoLoco.org. These services are aware that you might be a bit wary of making a commute commitment to a perfect stranger. By going through Facebook, where every user has a profile, biographical info, and a network of connections, the problem is solved.

Sami Najm, a college student who used Zimride.com's Facebook application, Carpool, told ABC News that the service made him feel secure: "With Facebook, you have some sense of who the person is. I saw them. I saw their friends and pictures. I really wasn't too worried about my safety because I saw who they were at first."

Both Zimride's Carpool and GoLoco allow users to monitor savings on gas and carbon emissions reduction online, so you can see the difference you make by doubling up. Though both services work in similar ways, GoLoco also allows carpoolers to pay each other for gas online, alleviating any potential money-handling awkwardness.

Finally, if you're flying in or out of New York City, why not split the cost of cab fare? A new site, Hitchsters.com, makes it easy to save money on those exorbitant taxi meter fares – on the site, you can program in your flight time and wait for a fellow traveler to match with you, or connect with someone who's already in the system. Once you've found a match, you'll receive a message containing your fellow rider's first name and phone number, so you can let one another know if anything goes wrong. It's a simple and convenient way to cut your cab fare in half – keep an eye out for Hitchsters' launch in other cities in the near future.

So go ahead and take the plunge – you'll save money, reduce your environmental footprint, and have someone to talk to while you're stuck in traffic. And even if you and your driving buddy don't become the best of friends, isn't it worth the risk for the chance to speed along in the car pool lane?

Original story by Kathryn Hawkins


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