Waze Carpool Will Help You Find the Perfect Commute Buddy

Wish you could carpool to work but don't have a buddy? Waze Carpool, an app that connects users with fellow commuters traveling along similar routes, is now available across the U.S. for the first time, The Verge reports.

The service, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., lets you find people to commute with based on various criteria. It aims to match commuters with drivers who plan to travel on nearly identical routes between home and work so no one loses time going out of their way.

But you can also filter potential carpool buddies by other characteristics. You can vet drivers using starred ratings from other riders, which take into account driving skills, punctuality, cleanliness, and other factors. If you’re leery about hitching a ride with a complete stranger, you can adjust the settings so that it only displays coworkers who are willing to give you a lift. You can also opt to only be matched with people of your same gender or people with whom you share mutual friends.

Unlike Uber and Lyft, Waze Carpool isn't designed to be a money-making venture for drivers. Riders pay a maximum of 54 cents per mile (the current IRS tax deduction rate for business travel by car) to cover their driver's costs. All of the app's users are limited to two trips per day, preventing it from becoming a viable side gig.

Instead, the company’s goal is to reduce the number of cars on the road and help commuters save both time and money. Opting to carpool could save you $600 per month for a 30-mile commute, according to Waze. Plus, if you work in a large company, it could give you the chance to meet coworkers in different departments or sections of the building.

Waze Carpool is now available throughout the U.S., as well as in Brazil and Israel. To find a carpool buddy, download it on Google Play or the App Store. If you want to be a driver, download the original Waze app for Android or iOS and tap the Carpool button on the bottom right side of the homepage.

[h/t The Verge]