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  Q1: I am not 100% sure on whether to make it a small fee to use the site or free. I'm assuming I will make it free but I'm not sure how to develop a cash flow from outside advertisements on my site. I'm not sure how to outsource this. (2 pieces of advice)

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  by pandora442 

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  11.04.08 | 12:03 AM

  B/c of your personal experience on the matter and seeing how you will also want to benefit from this idea, I would most definitely make it a free service online. Users are already trying to link up to try and save money so what would be the point in charging money to figure out how to safe it?
  Personally, I would not try to start your own host site for this idea yet. I would first concentrating on talking with the commuter council at your school and try to figure out a way to get the idea rolling. getting a list of different commuters and contacting them through email might be a good way to get the ball rolling. Once you have some interest, go ahead and set up a face-book page with these individuals already on it inviting their friends. Then hopefully your idea will start generating some buzz.
  You could also try putting up promotional materials such as flyers and handouts around campus seeing if their is any additional interest. After there is some success at your school you might try going around and talking at other universities to try and promote the same idea.
  Goo…mored luck

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  by duckling 

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  04.21.08 | 02:53 PM

  I'd go with free use. Advertisers love to target the college crowd. You could make money on the site without people balking at the cost. A word of warning, if you make the site and it becomes popular, websites like Facebook can easily over the same service making your site obsolete.

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  Q2: I would want to incorporate a feature where lets say someone has a 3 hour trip gives someone with a 2 hour trip a ride and drops them off on the way. I would need to obtain the software to do this from Mapquest or someone else and am not sure if it's possible. (1 pieces of advice)

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  by pandora442 

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  11.04.08 | 12:16 AM

  This will most likely take some real coordination on different individuals parts.
  My advise would be to find a business who has alot of parking space to spare that could act as a half way point between school and students homes. There will most likely be several of these but it could be done, for a small fee a month for car parking.
  I would also start communicating with the commuter councils to further work out the details as to what and where these halfway point could be and look like.
  As far as mapquest goes you could hyperlink it to your site however if you actually wanted to be able have the service directly from you webpage it would be expensive. My advise would be to offer directions from different halfway positions and embed them into your webpage.

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  Q3: I am not too sure about the liability issues associated with this. If something happens to a member that I matched am I liable for it? (1 pieces of advice)

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  by cavsfan23 

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  11.27.08 | 08:35 PM

  Simply talk to a lawyer, and come up with a consent form, that the rider must sign so that you are not liable for their injuries. This is definately a step that you will need to take to make sure you are covered, and if you come up with a company providing college carpools, your company will also be covered as well.
  
  Come up with a network on facebook to see if people will be willing to do so. Colleges also have groups for Commuter students, so go to a Commuter Students meeting and discuss possible college carpool ideas to make a way for you to get to school cheaper.
  
  Good Luck

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• Advise

  What advice do you have to help me grow my idea?
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  by pandora442 

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  11.04.08 | 12:09 AM

  Additionally, after you have build a good standing at your own school for the idea and talked at some different university--then I would suggest moving into creating your own site to try and brand the idea to be used within the University systems of your state and maybe eventually the country.
  If you could come up with a sure process people could find one another and figure out different routes to take together to school , your idea could really take off. However, one draw back could be finding schools where there is a heavy commuter status. Going to schools where the majority of student live on campus will do you no good.
  Building sponsors for your site would also be a solid idea. You could start by sending out emails to businesses in the area explaining to them what you are trying to accomplish on a large level. If you have the university system support you will have little trouble finding sponsors.

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