Interesting story in the Westchester section of the NY Times about NuRide.com, “a national ride-sharing website” that pairs up carpoolers with rides to work. Only NuRide goes traditional carpooling one better, as its 26,000 members can swap ride partners like ’70s suburbanites used to swap wives.

Unlike traditional car pools, NuRiders can switch their rides, enabling those who sign up to, say, ride to work with one person and return home with another.

“Traditional car-pooling is like getting married,” [founder Rick] Steele said. “This is like dating. You can be flexible. That’s essential.”

Thanks to both the price of gas and escalating environmental concerns, NuRide membership has grown 28% in the past year. One guy who commutes from Wappingers Falls to White Plains says he saves $300 a month in gas–and made a few friends.

Mr. Alston said that his experience had “gone above and beyond” simply sharing rides with his car-pooling partners. He has developed friendships on the way to and from work. “It’s been a great experience,” he said, “both financially and socially.”

Pardon my fiscal–and environmental–irresponsibility, but I think I’d rather pay the extra three hundred a month and not have to make small talk at 7 a.m. with strangers.