NIU has many transportation options available including the bus lines, late night ride service and now a carpool service.

Carpool Connections is a free service for NIU students, faculty and staff that matches individuals up through schedule and location for a carpool, said Kelli Bradley, staff member of the Off-Campus & Non-Traditional Student Services Office and graduate assistant.

The service is through the Off-Campus & Non-Traditional Student Services Office and is available at www.niu.edu/rideshare.

“We have had people use Carpool Connections who want to commute to campus from an hour and a half away to people who want to share the ride to campus who already live in DeKalb,” Bradley said.

According to the website, users need to sign in and create a profile to use the service. Users provide information such as zip code and the times and dates a user wishes to carpool, Bradley said.

The website simply gives you the contact information of others in your area that also want to carpool to campus, it is up to the students/faculty/staff to get a hold of each other, Bradley said.

Jose Ortiz, freshman history major and commuter student, said this would be a good way to save money.

“I would carpool in a heartbeat because the price of gas is going nowhere but up,” Ortiz said. “I also think it might give me a chance to make more friends.”

Bradley said those at Carpool Connections always suggest meeting before arranging any rides for safety reasons.

Sophomore Spanish major Lily Wick said that she thinks carpooling is a great idea.

“Not only is saving money a good thing but it would help the environment and help people make friends,” Wick said.