"It was costing me approximately $120 a week in gas," said commuter Robert Gilliland.
Frustrated by rising prices, Robert logged onto his computer in search of some "cyber hitch hikers", people who were going his way and wanted to share expenses.
"The first rider I connected with was Brian and that was through Craigslist. My second rider, Mike, found him through eRideShare.com," said Gilliland.
RideSearch, eRideShare and GoLoco tell us that traffic to their sites has exploded in the past few months. Travel behaviorist Alan Pisarski says "sticker shock" is the driving force.
"When they see they are paying 80 dollars to fill the tank of their car they really should feel like they have to do something," said Pisarski.
Robert and his ridesharing buddies say they've connected in more ways than one.
"The experience has been great. I found someone who lives really close to me and we really hit it off well," said commuter Brian McKenzie.
And it appears Robert is in it for the long haul.
"I am looking for another carpooler, I have one extra seat left," said Gilliland.
Individuals aren't the only ones getting in on the action. An increasing number of employers are also turning to ridesharing sites to set up programs.
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