HOW TO USE SCHOOLPOOL
Welcome to TransAction's SchoolPool, the on-line ridematching service that helps you match up with other parents from your school to coordinate your child's transportation to and from school.
SchoolPool is very easy to use. Just follow these simple steps:
TO REGISTER. Before you can form a carpool with other parents, please create your profile.
- Click on the CREATE MY NEW PROFILE link (if you have already created a profile, please go to "LOGIN").
- Read the disclaimer and click on "I Accept" or "I Disagree." If you click on "I Disagree" you will be directed out of the program.
- Complete all the following information:
- Your email address, which is required to send you a password.
- For security reasons, we ask for your first name only.
- The zip+4 code helps us give you very specific matches. If you do not know your zip+4 click on the POSTAL CODE LOOKUP link and select USPS.
- Under SEARCH, input the number of miles within which you are willing to travel from your zip+4 to pick up or be picked up.
- The DEPARTURE TIME is the time you would typically leave your residence to drive your child to school.
- For DESTINATION, select your school.
- The RETURN TIME is the time your child would typically leave the school.
- Input the days that you are interested in sharing the ride by clicking in the appropriate spaces.
- Under PERSONAL INFO, list whether or not you want to drive. Selecting the driving option does not mean that you will have to drive all the time. Who drives and when can be decided once you start communicating with the other interested parents.
- The optional Park-and-Ride matching is available if you would be willing to meet with other parents at a Park-and-Ride facility. Sometimes this will provide you with more matches, especially if there is a Park-and-Ride lot along your travel route.
- Click on YES to be notified about new registrants that match you.
- Click on REGISTER ME.
- Your profile is complete. Once you are registered, you will receive a system-generated password in your email within a few minutes.
- Log back into the ridematching service. Enter your user name and system-generated password to see if there are any parents that match your profile. If you do not match any other parent, consider expanding the number of miles you would travel to meet others. You can also change your password at this point.
- If you wish to communicate with another parent, just click on the "MSG" column to email a confidential message to them and make arrangements to carpool. It's your choice when or if you want to share your personal email information with other parents.
LOG IN
If you are already a member, you can just log into the program using your user name and password to check your matches and communicate with other parents who match your profile, or change some of the information on your profile (such as zip+4, departure time and return time) to enhance matching.
COORDINATION AND SAFETY TIPS
There are a few areas that should be discussed when forming a carpool:
- Pick-up Time. Make sure the pick-up time is adequate to pick-up the students and get them to class on time. It is also important to establish a wait-time. Typically, carpools that meet at a specific location allow a wait-time of between 10 and 15 minutes before they leave. Make sure that all carpool members confirm the pick-up times and wait times.
- Pick-up Location. In some cases, carpools will meet at one specific spot or may pick-up at each student's house. Confirm the pick-up location(s) in the morning and afternoon. This should reduce any confusion.
- Establish a phone tree. It is a good idea to establish a phone tree in case of emergencies or illness. At a minimum, each parent should have the other parent's telephone and, if available, cell phone number.
- No Show/Late Policy. If a student is not going to participate in the carpool because of illness or absence, they should notify the carpool driver. If a student is going to be late, the parent should notify the carpool driver.
- Verify adequate insurance coverage. While most people carry an appropriate amount of insurance, you may want to check that on each party's coverage. On the personal automobile policy, it is very important to carry "Optional Bodily Injury to Others" (optional insurance 5) with a minimum limit of $250,000 per person; $500,000 per accident. Also, coverage for "Damage to Someone Else's Property," with a minimum limit of $100,000 per accident. In addition, we recommend that each individual have a personal umbrella policy with a $1 million limit (usually under your Homeowner's Policy). If you have a good driving record all of these coverages are reasonably priced.
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