INFOGRAPHIC: Profile of a Carpooler

Carpooling can save up to 75% on the cost of commuting. Photo: Carpooling.com

We’ve always known that carpoolers are an environmentally-conscious bunch, but they’re also highly educated, smart consumers and very active online, according to a new report from ridesharing site carpooling.com.

The site analyzed data collected from its 2 million monthly active users over a three-month period in 2011 and found that the average user is a 25- to 39-year-old woman with at least some higher education. 89 percent of users say they pay attention to price-quality ratio when shopping and 54 percent are active in online forums and chats.

70 percent of the site’s active users are single, though that figure may dip a tick in the near future – at least 10 married couples first met while using the service, according to the company.

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Carpooling.com boasts more than 3.6 registered users worldwide, a group that figures to grow as gas prices continue to climb. Registered drivers offer empty seats and passengers who live nearby can book a seat online like a bus or train ticket. After the initial booking, users arrange the terms of the rideshare, including where to meet and what each passenger is willing to pay.

In 2011, the site helped users save a combined 27 million gallons of gas and 205,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

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“There are a billion cars in the world today, and many of these drivers are looking for solutions to save money on transport, and many are equally concerned about our planet and how they can reduce their carbon footprint,” said Markus Barnikel, CEO of Carpooling.com, in a release. “Carpooling.com helps address these concerns by transforming the empty seats in people’s cars into an extensive transportation network.”

For an overview of the report’s results, check out this infographic: