Carpool, parking arrangements take priority

Thousands of Halifax commuters are scrambling to find rides to work or school, with Metro Transit  workers on strike and buses sitting idle.

Hashtags like #strikerideshare, #halifaxride and #hfxcarpool are trending in Halifax as drivers and transit users try to coordinate rides, and ride-sharing websites like CarpoolingNetwork.com are reporting an increase in registered users.

Several university student organizations are setting up ride share programs, and asking professors to be lenient with students who can’t get to class.

While there are many resources available for finding rides, police suggest taking precautions when offering or accepting rides with strangers.

“If you are going to accept or offer a ride to someone you don’t know, then tell someone when and where this will be happening,” says RCMP Cst. Tammy Lobb. “Take note of the driver’s name, description as well as the vehicle information, such as license plate or the make and model of the vehicle.”

Lobb adds that the best option is to ride with a friend or coworker.

“We would also remind people that not only is hitchhiking not a safe practice, it’s also prohibited on Canada’s major highways,” she said. “Soliticiting a ride from a driver while in a roadway is a fine of $141.”

In downtown Halifax, parking is expected to be at a premium, and many organizations are adjusting their parking policies.

The IWK hospital will restrict parking to patients, families and staff for the duration of the strike. It’s encouraging patients and visitors to arrange pick-up and drop-off rather than relying on parking.

Dalhousie University has designated the parking lot at the corner of Oxford and Coburg Streets as a carpool lot. Anyone who parks there must have a general parking pass and at least three people in the car.

The university is also allowing drivers with a reserved pass to the Dunn Lot to swap the pass between vehicles to facilitate more carpooling.