Why did we start CollegeWagonTrain.com?

“See a need, fill a need.” The website's (self-appointed) 'Trail Boss' recognized that there was a need for a free, online college ride sharing website that would allow college students, their parents, and their friends to easily coordinate and communicate with each other for purposes of ride sharing to and from college. This recognition of a need grew out of the Trail Boss's own frustrations in trying to coordinate rides back and forth to college for his own college student.

How did we come up with the concept and name for the Company?

The company was conceived with the desire to build a site that would allow college students and their parents to easily coordinate transportation in a simple and secure online environment. The site would also allow for the development of an online community that would enable a free exchange of information and experiences related to all aspects of college ride sharing. We wanted College Wagon Train to be the best of its kind, meaning simple ride sharing coordination, a free exchange of information, and a little fun thrown in to boot.

The name was an outgrowth of the subject line 'Wagon Train to College’ that was used in a string of emails between the Trail Boss and other parents trying to coordinate ride shares for their students to and from upstate New York and southern Virginia. The mental image of multiple vehicles traveling many hours along I-81 from New York to Virginia invoked other mental images of old west wagon trains plodding along in a line as they traveled to their future across the vast western stretches of a young America. When the concept of an online ride sharing forum was conceived, the email subject line was modified to College Wagon Train and thus the name was born. This 'Old West' wagon train theme has been carried through the website while the motto 'Ride Share To Your Future' and the main website graphic remind everyone that they are headed on a trail to their future.

Why did we feel there was a need in the market for another ride sharing website?

Because we couldn't find a website that addressed the specific ride sharing needs of college students in the specific manner that we were looking to address them. CollegeWagonTrain.com is very different than typical ride share websites run by individual colleges for the exclusive use of the students of that school. It is also different than public websites run by governmental municipalities for local carpooling purposes. College Wagon Train is not restricted to use by students within a single college nor is it restricted to servicing only local carpooling needs. Rather, College Wagon Train can be used by all colleges and universities listed on it's ride sharing forums. Students can also coordinate inter-campus rides between colleges listed on the forums. And the list of colleges included in the ride sharing forums is growing all the time with anyone being able to request that a college or university not already listed on the forums be added.

How else is CollegeWagonTrain.com different from other sites?

Well, specifically, College Wagon Train is free. For security reasons, we do require that users join the site as members (Trail Riders) but actual use of the basic website is free. Other ride sharing websites sell ride sharing connection information, whereas we provide that service as part of our free ride share forums. Also, other college ride share websites restrict either their membership or the geographic reach of the website. While use of College Wagon Train is restricted to college students and their families, membership is not restricted to a single college or university system and there are no geographic restrictions. Finally, College Wagon Train offers the only online Ride Sharing Community that we have seen to date.

How do we fund a free ride sharing service such as CollegeWagonTrain.com?

Although website development and maintenance costs as well as website advertising fees are high, through the use of banner advertising, member donations, and the member verification process, we are able to keep the service free for the end user, which is a feature that defines us and that we feel strongly about maintaining.

What is the Dream for CollegeWagonTrain.com?

The big dream for the future is to reach the college masses and to provide free, online ride sharing services to all college students and their parents at campuses all across America. We currently have 64 colleges or universities listed with us and we are rapidly growing with more schools and members being added each week. We are receiving hundred’s of page views every month, and with our new website now live, we anticipate experiencing tremendous growth over the next year.