Groups parents run on it
- School drop-off and pickup. Mornings and afternoons, each with its own driver. (School carpools)
- Teams. Practices, games and away weekends. (Sports carpools)
- Neighbors. Lessons, clubs, youth group, camp: any ride two or more families share on a regular day.
- Two households. Co-parents in the same carpool, each with their own account. (Carpooling when you're divorced or separated)
How a group carpool works
- One parent creates it: a name, a destination, the days and the times.
- Everyone else joins with a six-character code. No approval step. They see the carpool's name, days and times before they make an account.
- Each ride gets a driver. Morning and afternoon trips have separate slots, so the load can split however suits the group.
- Carpool-Q does the reminding. The driver gets a notification 30 minutes before. If tomorrow has nobody, the whole group hears about it at 10am and 6pm.
Why not a spreadsheet?
Honestly, a small group whose plan never changes can run on one. We even made a free carpool schedule template for that.
A spreadsheet stops working the week something changes. It doesn't tell anyone that Tuesday moved, it doesn't remind Tuesday's driver, and two parents fixing it at once can overwrite each other. Carpool-Q updates everyone's screen at once, sends the reminder, and locks a slot while someone is editing it.
One price for every group
Run as many carpools as you like and switch between them with one tap. 14 days free, no card, then $1.99 a month per family. iPhone, Android or any web browser.
Questions
How many families can join one carpool?
Carpool-Q doesn't set a limit on families or riders. Three to five families is a good size: enough to share the driving, few enough to agree on changes.
Can I organize more than one carpool?
Yes, as many as you need, at no extra cost. Each one has its own schedule, families and destination, and you switch between them with one tap.
Do the other families have to download an app?
No. Carpool-Q runs in any phone's browser and can be added to the home screen. It's also on the App Store and Google Play, and one account works everywhere.
How is this different from a shared spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet holds the plan but doesn't tell anyone when it changes. Carpool-Q updates every family's screen at once, reminds the driver before each ride, and alerts the group when a day has no driver.
What happens if nobody signs up to drive?
Carpool-Q notices. If tomorrow has no driver, it alerts the whole group at 10am and 6pm, so somebody can volunteer while there's still time.
What does it cost?
14 days free with no card, then $1.99 a month per family. Every feature is included, with no tiers and no limit on carpools.