Calculating the cost
The formula is:
(D x R x V) / N where:
- D is the round trip distance travelled by a vehicle in kilometres
- R is the transport rate for trips (presently 45 cents)
- V is the number of vehicles provided, and
- N is the number of trip participants.
Google Maps ‘Directions’ feature is an easy way to calculate the number of kilometres.
IMPORTANT: Owing to the spread of Covid, carpooling is discouraged for local day walks. Ask your walkers to drive themselves to the meeting point. If pooling is unavoidable, wearing of masks is highly recommended
What if there are different numbers in the cars?
It is Club policy that each driver whose car was used for shared transport should receive the same amount, even if there were, for instance, three people in one car and four people in the other car. If there are different numbers, the Activity Owner/Leader can collect the transport money from all the passengers and then re-distribute it evenly to the drivers. If the divided amount needs rounding, the Leader should give the extra cents or dollars to the driver who travelled the furthest distance e.g. from an outlying Canberra suburb.
Activity Owner’s/Leader’s discretion
The Activity Owner/Leader is in charge of all transport arrangements. The guidelines can be varied at their discretion. For example, they may modify the transport cost if exceptional road conditions are likely to cause greater wear and tear to vehicles.
How the rate per kilometre is set
The rate is set with reference to the rate per kilometre allowed by the Commissioner for Taxation for work-related car expenses for a vehicle of 1.6 to 2-litre engine capacity (see Section 3.2 of the Standing Resolutions). The rate is calculated by the Treasurer and is reviewed each year. The rate is currently 45c per kilometre (September 2023)
Informing participants of the likely transport cost
The Activity Owner/Leader should enter an estimate of the cost in the ‘Transport Information’ field (under the Details Tab) in the Create Activity form. The Details Tab is right next to the Overview Tab. A per-person cost is more useful for the participant. Cost per vehicle can also be included if desired. The exact transport cost that each person will have to pay will depend on how many people are transported on the day and other factors. Costs may rise if cars are only partly filled. Park admission, camping fees, cabin accommodation etc are additional costs that leaders should list separately.
Choosing vehicles
Once participants have become Club members and are familiar with the transport system, they should be encouraged to offer their vehicle.
When choosing vehicles and how many to use, Activity Owners/Leaders should take into account such factors as:
- Suitability of the vehicle
- Safety: 4WD vehicles are preferable on rough or wet dirt roads
- Reliability
- Luggage space
- Comfort: four-door vehicles are more comfortable than two-door vehicles, especially for long distances or winding roads.
- Day walk or multi-day trip
- For day walks, a maximum of four people per vehicle including the driver is usually appropriate.
- For multi-day trips, it may be best to have only three people in the vehicle (including the driver) to allow space for luggage.
- Starting point of drivers and place of residence of passengers
- If passengers are to be collected en route, it may be more efficient and fairer to choose available drivers (with suitable vehicles) who are located furthest away from the rendezvous point.
- Reliability of the driver
- Spreading the driving load
- Leaders should try to avoid using the same drivers frequently.
Arranging transport
The Activity Owner/Leader can choose whether to arrange door-to-door lifts for passengers, or to ask passengers to get themselves to a central meeting point, or any other arrangement.
The Leader will normally choose a rendezvous point within the Canberra-Queanbeyan area where all participants will meet. If the Leader has asked drivers to collect passengers en route, the Leader should contact drivers early, so they have time to fill up with fuel, and to contact their passengers. The Leader should give the drivers the names, email addresses, pick-up addresses and telephone numbers of their passengers, as well as the location of the rendezvous point and meeting time. For new drivers, the Leader should emphasise the need to be on time. If advice is sent to drivers by email, Leaders should ask drivers to reply to their email to verify receipt.
Drivers can make alternative arrangements with passengers provided all parties are happy with the changes and they are cleared with the Leader before the day of the activity.
If there has to be a last-minute cancellation of a trip, the Leader should notify each driver and ask them to ring their passengers ASAP. Unless all people are contacted, the Leader should be at the rendezvous point regardless of the weather.
For day walks
If a passenger lives near a driver or en route to the rendezvous point, Activity Owners/Leaders may ask the driver to collect that person from their nominated pick-up address. However if the passengers are located too far away from a driver’s starting point or their route to the rendezvous point, the Leader may ask passengers to make their own way to the rendezvous point or to the driver’s residence or to another passenger’s home. This minimises the time drivers spend collecting passengers.
For multi-day walks
Participants should not be expected to leave their car at a shopping centre, a nature strip or other public rendezvous point. Arrangements to avoid this include:
- Drivers collect passengers from their homes, or
- Passengers with vehicles drive themselves to another participant’s home where their car can be parked securely, or
- Passengers without a vehicle get a lift from a friend or relative to the driver’s home or to a meeting point, or use public transport.
For family walks
Families usually travel in their own cars, because of the need for child safety seats and the higher likelihood of a child suffering from motion sickness. Activity Owners/Leaders may arrange transport sharing with prior agreement among families.
Updated August 2022
