Vanpooling

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A method of transportation involving a group of people sharing a vehicle to commute together for efficiency and cost savings
2. Traveling together in a single car with others to reduce individual commuting costs and environmental impact
3. A shared ride system where multiple commuters use one vehicle to get to similar destinations for convenience and savings

Etymology: Vanpooling follows the pattern of "carpool," with "van" in place of "car." The first part is a clipping of "caravan," which reached English through French and Italian from Persian, where "karvan" meant a group of travelers journeying together. English later shortened the word to "van" for a closed vehicle, so the idea of a group traveling together survives in the shorter form. The second part, "pool," has an older sense that fits the arrangement well. It once meant a shared stake or collective fund that several people contributed to, as in betting on a game. Riders who split the cost of a vehicle, its fuel and its trip are pooling resources in that same way, which is why the name works.

Synonyms: carpooling, ride-sharing