Carpool Challenge

157.jpg

Drive less. Win more. Reduce traffic.

Download ConnectSmart Mobility for Apple Download ConnectSmart Mobility for Android

This fall, more than 140,000 students have returned to campuses across Central Texas—just as professionals across the region settled back into post-summer routines and festival season gears up. If your commute feels slower on I-35, Mopac, or Airport Boulevard, it’s not your imagination. The fall semester brings some of the year’s worst traffic.

But gridlock isn’t inevitable.

To help commuters move a little faster and save money, Movability will be hosting a series of fun regional challenges this fall that gave commuters a chance to earn rewards and be entered to win $100 HEB and Amazon gift cards for carpooling. The next Carpool Challenge will take place in October - more details to come soon! Even when there's not a carpool challenge going on, you can win cash rewards when you download the mobility app of your choice and take active and shared trips instead of driving alone.

Why Now? The Business Case for Carpooling How Carpooling Supports Air Quality Privacy Policy & Terms and Conditions See video tutorials for how to carpool with ConnectSmart

It’s easy to participate ANY time of year:

  1. Download: Movability is partnering with ConnectSmart Mobility to help people find carpool matches and get rewards. You can download the ConnectSmart Mobility app for Android or Apple for free. Already have carpool buddies and a commute app like Liftango or CarbonCred? Great! Keep on doing what you're doing, and your carpool trips on those apps will count toward prize entries. If you don't have a carpool match or are unsure about how to find one, ConnectSmart will make it easy to get carpools set up.
  2. Join Groups: If you're using ConnectSmart to find carpool matches, once you download the app and create an account you can search for groups based on your destination. You may join as many of the 11 pre-made Austin-area groups as you'd like or start your own, but you must be part of a group to make a carpool match. When your carpool buddy is in the car, go to the carpool tab and start an instant carpool. Or, if you want to match for a scheduled carpool instead, join one of our Austin-based carpool groups:

3. Carpool: share a commute trip at least once during the week to be entered for prizes.

4. Win prizes: every carpool trip you take during Carpool Challenges enters you to win one of five (5) $100 HEB or Amazon gift cards 🎉Pro tip: You don't have to wait for Carpool Challenge to begin carpooling! ConnectSmart will give you reward coins separate from the Carpool Challenge prize drawing that you can put toward rewards, and Carbon Cred will give you sellable credits for your carpool trips. Just make sure all of the carpool participants have the same app downloaded and active.

28.jpg

Why Now?

Central Texas is facing a construction boom—including I-35 expansion, Project Connect light rail, and Austin-Bergstrom airport upgrades. These long-term projects will improve our region—but they’ll bring short-term traffic challenges. That’s why smarter commuting choices are more important than ever.

🚗 According to the 2024 Commuter Survey:

66% of Central Texans still drive alone—down from 75% in 2019, but there’s room to grow.

✅ Carpooling just twice a week can reduce an individual’s traffic and emissions impact by up to 40%.

151.jpg

The Business Case for Carpooling

Carpooling isn’t just good for the region—it’s good for your business:

  • ⏱ Time Savings: Access to HOV lanes means quicker commutes.

  • 💸 Cost Savings: Share fuel and maintenance costs; AAA estimates $12,297 per year to own and operate a vehicle.

  • 👥 Recruitment & Retention: Show employees you support work-life balance, sustainability, and affordability—key values for today’s workforce.

Need a scalable solution? Vanpooling may be the answer. Through a CapMetro and Enterprise partnership, teams can lease a van with 50% of the cost subsidized. Remaining costs are shared among riders—often cheaper than gas alone.

108.jpg

Cleaner Air, Healthier Communities

Transportation is the #1 source of greenhouse gas emissions in Texas. More driving means more ozone and respiratory health risks. As our region grows, so does the urgency to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

Employers can lead the way. Small changes—like offering preferred carpool parking, flexible work hours, or TDM strategies—can create a culture shift.

Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Movability is committed to protecting the privacy of participants in Carpool Week. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your information. We collect personal information when you use the ConnectSmart app to match with carpool riders and drivers or use Carbon Cred to track your shared commutes. The information collected may include your name, contact details, commuting patterns, and app usage data.

Your information is used to:

  • Administer Carpool Week activities.

  • Track and verify carpooling participation.

  • Determine eligibility for prizes.

  • Communicate updates and relevant information about Carpool Week.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information or contact details with third parties. Your data will be used solely for the purpose of verifying carpool trips. We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or destruction.

Terms and Conditions

By participating in Carpool Week, you agree to the following terms:

  • This regional challenge is open to individuals and companies in Central Texas (Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties).

  • Participants must be at least 18 years old.

  • Participants agree to provide accurate information, comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and refrain from any fraudulent or dishonest behavior.

  • Movability is not responsible for any accidents, injuries, or damages occurring during participation; or for technical issues with the ConnectSmart or Carbon Cred apps.

  • Movability reserves the right to modify these terms at any time. Continued participation constitutes acceptance of any changes.