Mark and Laura
Laura lives in Chippenham, and Mark lives in Swindon. They both work at John Radcliffe full time, coming in three days a week. They’ve been lift sharing for two and a half years. Lift sharers at Oxford University Hospitals Trust get 30% off parking permits, and the hospital will also pay for emergency taxis for a lift sharer if their lift needs to leave unexpectedly.
So how does this work?
Laura: I'm the driver - the chauffeur! I live quite far from Mark and Oxford. I leave home at 6am and meet Mark at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, which Mark walks to to save me ten minutes. Then on the way home, I drop Mark at his home, before heading on to Chippenham. We get in and leave early because I’ve got to be back by 5:30 to pick up my daughter, and sometimes it’s a two hours’ drive to her after-school club.
Mark: The morning walk wakes me up a bit. If Laura has a holiday, I'll get the bus or train for that time, but that’s only one or two weeks of the year, as I have holidays too and they’ll sometimes overlap. It works as we both have set days, so it’s not too much organisation, but also both our roles are quite flexible – we tend to plan the next week, or two weeks in the car, and swap around when needed. We’re both non-clinical, so obviously that helps.
What are the big benefits?
Laura: Obviously splitting the cost helps a lot - we used to split the fuel bill for the shared bit of the journey, just roughly. Now that I have an electric car, Mark pays for the parking permit, and makes a bit of a contribution. It’s also reassuring that if I did have to leave unexpectedly, the Trust would pay for a taxi home for Mark. It’s never happened, but it gives peace of mind.
Mark: It also good because I get to listen to a lot more Radio Two than I would otherwise – all the old Radio One DJs are now on Two! But we know each other well enough now that when one of us has had a bad day, and we just can't be bothered to talk, we just listen to the radio, and the other understands.
Laura: But we can also vent to each other, and Mark gets it better than if I vented to my husband. Then by the time I'm home, I'm not taking it out on him and my daughter! I don’t have to explain all the context, I can just have a good vent.
What would be your key bit of advice for others who are thinking about lift sharing?
Laura: That it is possible – even with busy lives and busy roles. Obviously, it’s not going to work for those with out of hours shifts and no flexibility, but just because it won’t work for everyone – that’s not a reason to dismiss it! Most of all, lift sharing saves space for those who are doing nights and long clinical shifts. We both have places to go, busy lives and busy roles, have got kids to look after, and we do manage.
Mark: Also, you don’t need to live near each other, you just need to live on the way! Lots of people don’t know anyone they like near them, but I bet plenty live en route with someone who they could share with. If just 100 people did it, that would be 50 fewer cars coming into the car park every morning. Imagine being in traffic and suddenly being 50 cars further ahead in the queue. Or suddenly making 50 new car parking spaces. That’s what it’s all about.
