Pls give me yoour thoughts re sharing car to work and petrol money.

[jellyjelly]

I give a lift to a girl that I work with every day there and back. I used to charge her £15 per week which is a good deal as its about half for petrol and she would be paying about £23 at the time for train and would have to leave about 50 mins earlier and it would take her longer.

I then charged her £20 which was fairer as petrol went up and I was using more to get to work.

Obviously petrol has gone up since she is still saving money and getting a lift.

I have started to give a lift to another girl and she is happy to pay the same as she is still saving money for her its about £17 a week. The first girl makes us late everyday and we are waiting for her.

The petrol is being split about 3 ways, I have been paying a little less but I pay for increased car insurance and tyres and other car stuff. I know its my choice to drive but I really dont have to take them at all. I make a bit of cash but not alot and they save money. She also makes me late most days to pick up my son. I could get out of work most days by about 30 minutes.

Anyway the first girl has gone behind my back to the other and asked what she was paying which is fair enough but was underhand about it and wants it split further down.

The second girl understands and it totally cool about the costs. (She might stay at work long term and the first one definately is staying)

I dont think even if her husbnad took her to work (he is not working at the moment) that she could do it cheaper.

I dont want to lose the money but I cant really adjust it further or at all.

What do you think? AIBU or not?

[jellyjelly]

Damn that sticky o!

[shonaspurtle]

Don't you just split the petrol costs 3 ways? Not sure that the extra costs of running a car come into it - presumably you'd be taking the car anyway and you use it when you're not commuting. They're doing you a favour too by reducing your commuting costs.

But it would also be perfectly reasonable imo for you to say "this is the time we leave. I will wait for x minutes and then we're going".

[jellyjelly]

I think i make about £6 its not much.

[meemarsgotabrandnewbump]

I think you should make them pay equal amounts.

The fact that she makes you late is a side issue and needs sorting out separately.

[jellyjelly]

They both pay the same not different.

[purepurple]

But if you didn't give them lifts, you would still have to pay for your petrol. You all benefit from the arrangement. I actually don't think that you should be making any profit on the deal.

[shonaspurtle]

Are they paying all your petrol??

If so then that's an extraordinarily good deal for you. Never heard of a car share where the driver manages to pull that off.

[meemarsgotabrandnewbump]

sorry, got confused. So she is unhappy that you are paying less?

To be honest I would see the car sharing as an equal split of petrol three ways. If you are taking your car to work anyway, then they are doing you a favour as much as you are them.

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

so if they both pay the same I don't understand about her asking the other girl what she paid?
I assume by the "for her its about £17 a week" you mean her savings?
So they both pay £20/week, and you think you spend about £54/week on petrol?
Seems reasonable I suppose - you could call her bluff as it sounds as though it'd cost her more and be a lot more hassle if you weren't doing it. You do need to say something about the lateness though - that's not on

[jellyjelly]

No not all the petrol at all. I like the fact that I get paid for it, it helps but I think I am really pissed off that it sounds fake when she say' you havent been waiting long, have you' when she bloody knows that she is 30 minutes late.

[meemarsgotabrandnewbump]

It sounds like the real issue is her being late and making you late.

Have you spoken to her about it?

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

well technically with 2 extra people in the car she uses more petrol. Her tyres wear quicker. Not sure about the insurance, surely your normal policy covers you to give lifts unless there's a particular car share clause? If they're friends then I personally wouldn't do any more than split it 3 ways, but if this is just an agreement with colleagues then I'm less bothered.

[jellyjelly]

Thanks lady yes one girls saving is 17 per week.

I spent 47 last week to get to work.

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

Oh and it sounds as though she'd picking them both up from their homes - so probably a little bit out of the way

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

hmm, so only £7 of that you had to pay for. That ios quite a lot of profit

[arolf]

I had this a few weeks ago - just doing 2 days of driving when there was a train strike.

I told my colleagues that as I was driving and paying for all car upkeep/insurance/tax, they could split the fuel cost between them. One girl was not happy about this - so I suggested she find an alternative means of transport. Also explained to them what time I'd be leaving home and work, and if they weren't there, I'd call them to hurry them along, but wouldn't wait longer than 5 minutes.

All were happy with the arrangement eventually

I think you have to explain that they are basically getting a cheap deal, and if they don't like it, they can go hang (not in those exact words). You are the driver, and it's up to you what time you leave and how much you charge them. I wouldn't try and make a profit from them though - just cover fuel costs. Calculate how much fuel you are using to get to and from work, then divide that in 2 for them. If one is consistently holding you up, and you incur charges from picking your child up late, then ask her to cover those costs (even if you don't actually expect her to - imply that you do). Don't get taken for a ride

[shonaspurtle]

Well, like I said it would be perfectly reasonable to say that you need to be away from work by x time and that you'll be leaving if they're not there.

If that doesn't suit then she'll need to make another arrangement.

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

but arolf are you seriously saying she shouldn't pay for fuel at all??

[meemarsgotabrandnewbump]

How are you working out what you charge them? Is it based on petrol you actually use or is it a random figure that you feel is fair.

[jellyjelly]

Thankyou arolf. I dont want to get taken for a ride. I have lots of studying to do. I dont want to lose them but I am not a mug either.

She has taken the piss on numerous occassions. For example I have taken her out of my way to drop her home for many reasons and she never offers anything to make up for it. I owuldnt take her up on it but the offer and not expectance would be nice.

My other half said to tell her to make her own way there.

I could drop it by a couple of quid but not much. When I dont have the third girl I am running a loss so to speak.

[WhereYouLeftIt]

Perhaps the first colleague presumed that when costs were shared between three of you rather than two, the costs per head would drop more than they did, so feels she's being ripped off? And her being late is her way to 'repay' you? Complete speculation on my part.

Whatever, You really need to talk to her about the lateness. TBH, I wouldn't have waited 30 mins. A text to say you were leaving in 5, and then go. Why should your son have to put up with this, as well as you and other colleague?

[jellyjelly]

I fill up £47 pounds per week ish. Before she gave me £20 and I would pay the £27 ish.

[LadyStealthPolarBear]

Sorry, I genuinely don't understand that - how can you be running at a loss when you'd be making the journey anyway, and presumably paying for (a fraction less of) the petrol yourself?