Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people are driving to work, which means fewer people need carpools. For this reason, Waze has decided to close its Carpool app, which connects drivers and travel companions traveling in the same direction, The Verge reports. The company will begin closing the feature next month in the U.S., Brazil, and Israel.
Carpool was popular mainly with commuters. The point is that the service offered a partnership program so that companies could offer it as a transportation alternative for employees. Waze Carpool drivers were compensated (up to 54 cents per mile) for picking up passengers who lived on their way to work. Most Carpool drivers saw this not as a way to make extra money, but as an opportunity to save on gasoline.
“While Waze was predominantly a commuting app pre-COVID, today the proportion of errands and travel drives have surpassed commutes,” Waze said in a statement provided to The Verge.
Due to the pandemic, carpooling has become less popular. The Washington Post notes that while more people are returning to the office this year, interest in carpooling and using public transportation hasn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Most people now have “floating” schedules or just stop by the office only for meetings or other events, which makes coordinating carpools or vans less convenient. As a result, more people are driving to work alone.
