The Western Sydney Carpool project, originally seed-funded by Transport NSW and Penrith City Council and now managed by the Western Sydney Community Forum, was recently launched to the public through the website www.wscarpool.org
Carpooling allows people to be matched with other people travelling in the same direction and participants can share costs on petrol and tolls. The website even has a calculator to make the sharing of costs equitable.
Penrith City Council is one of the original partners in the venture. The initiative fits with Council's ideals to create a more sustainable city.
Penrith residents have historically been dependent on private vehicles and many drive alone on their commute to work or university.
A Ccouncil spokesman said it was encouraging more large employers in Penrith join the carpool and encourage their staff to carpool.
Western Sydney Carpool representatives recently hit the High Street to talk to business owners about the opportunities for them and their staff to use the carpool.