ACT Releases First Comprehensive Assessment of Carpooling Practice in Decades
August 6, 2026
ACT Releases First Comprehensive Assessment of Carpooling Practice in Decades
New international study finds there is no single formula for carpooling success—and introduces a practical framework to strengthen program performance
Washington, DC — The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) today released the State of Carpooling 2026: Global Trends, Case Studies, and Implications, the first comprehensive assessment of carpooling practice in decades. Drawing on an eight-decade literature review, expert input, and comparative analysis of 10 carpool programs across six countries, the study challenges the assumption that successful carpooling programs can be replicated by adopting a common set of best practices.
Instead, the research found that higher-performing programs often looked remarkably different from one another. While they employed different technologies, incentives, partnerships, and operating models, they consistently shared a set of underlying conditions that supported stronger program performance.
The findings led to the development of the Carpool Program Diagnostic Framework, a practical tool that enables transportation agencies, employers, transportation management associations, and policymakers to assess program strengths, identify gaps, and prioritize future investments.
“This resource is a much-needed assessment of carpooling that fills a gap we’ve had for decades,” said David Straus, Executive Director of the Association for Commuter Transportation. “It offers an evidence-based foundation for understanding why some programs perform better than others and provides a practical framework for strengthening carpooling in communities across North America and beyond.”
The study also challenges the prevailing emphasis on individual interventions. While technology, incentives, marketing, and matching algorithms remain important, the research concludes that these interventions are most effective when implemented within supportive institutional, behavioral, organizational, financial, and measurement conditions.
“We began this study looking for carpooling best practices,” said Mia Zmud, lead investigator and Founding Partner of Blue Door Strategy & Research. “What we found was something much more useful. High-performing programs succeed through many different approaches, but they consistently create the conditions that make those approaches work. That insight became the foundation for the Carpool Program Diagnostic Framework.”
Some of the study’s most notable findings include:
- There is no single model for successful carpooling.
- Higher-performing programs followed different strategies but shared recurring enabling conditions.
- Technology alone has not reversed long-term declines in carpooling participation.
- Program performance depends on the interaction of institutional, behavioral, technological, financial, measurement, and organizational factors rather than any single intervention.
- The Carpool Program Diagnostic Framework provides practitioners with a practical method for evaluating program capacity, identifying weaknesses, and guiding future investments.
The report concludes with recommendations for transportation agencies, employers, policymakers, and ACT to strengthen the future of carpooling through more integrated, evidence-based program development.
About the Study
The State of Carpooling 2026 represents the most comprehensive review of carpooling practice conducted in decades. The research included:
- An international literature review spanning more than eight decades of research;
- Input from nearly 90 experts across the transportation profession;
- Comparative analysis of ten case study programs in six countries; and
- Development of the Carpool Program Diagnostic Framework to translate the findings into a practical resource for practitioners.
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About the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT):
The Association for Commuter Transportation is the premier organization and leading advocate for commuter transportation and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) professionals. ACT strives to create an efficient multimodal transportation system by empowering the people, places, and organizations working to advance TDM to improve the quality of life of commuters, enhance the livability of communities, and stimulate economic activity. Further information can be found at www.actweb.org
About Blue Door Strategy & Research
Blue Door Strategy & Research is a transportation research and strategy consulting firm focused on advancing evidence-based solutions to transportation challenges. The firm conducts applied research, program evaluations, market analyses, and strategic planning for public agencies, industry associations, and private-sector clients. Its work bridges research and practice by translating complex findings into actionable guidance for transportation professionals and decision-makers. Learn more at: www.bluedoorsr.com