Why My Wife and I Choose to Share One Car in East Palo Alto
When my wife and I got married, we were offered the gift of a second car — and we said no. In car-dependent East Palo Alto, that choice might sound odd, but sharing one car has brought us closer, saved money, and made our daily commute an intentional part of our life together.
When my wife and I got married, we were offered the gift of a second car — and we said no.
That might sound surprising, especially living in a place where car ownership feels almost like a necessity. But for us, sharing one car has become one of the most rewarding and intentional choices we’ve made together.
Our story has been a bit of a journey. A few years ago, I sold my car and lived car-free in East Palo Alto from July to December 2022. I wrote about that experience in:
Christopher Kao
Later, I returned to car ownership — and shared those reflections in:
Christopher Kao
Now, I’ve landed somewhere in between: carpooling with my wife.
Why We Said No to a Second Car
When we were given the opportunity to be gifted a car, we thought carefully about it — and ultimately decided against it. Here’s why:
- My wife doesn’t love driving, and I don’t mind doing it. Driving her to work speaks to her love language — acts of service — so our commute is more than just a drive; it’s quality time.
- Car insurance costs add up fast. A second car would have added nearly $3,000 in annual insurance premiums.
- Parking in East Palo Alto is limited. We didn’t want to add another car to already-crowded streets.
- Maintenance takes time and money. With one car, there’s less to worry about.
- Our commutes align well. Her job is in Mountain View and mine is in Sunnyvale — both along Highway 101, just a few miles apart.
- Carpooling saves time and money. Express Lanes on 101 are half-price for two people, which feels like a little reward for sharing the ride.
- It’s better for the environment. Fewer emissions, fewer vehicle miles traveled.
- We just got married. We genuinely enjoy being together, even in traffic.
How We Make It Work
It took some adjustments. I now wake up earlier to match her schedule, but with flexible work hours, I start and end my day earlier — and avoid rush hour in the process.
We’ve built a small ecosystem of options around our one car:
- I might drop her off at her work in Mountain View, then continue to my office in Sunnyvale. It helps a lot that my office is only a 10 minute walk from the Sunnyvale Caltrain station.
- Some days, she drops me at the Mountain View Caltrain, and I take the train the rest of the way.
- She could drop me off at my other office in Mountain View, and then she continues to her office.
- Occasionally, I’ll bike or Uber to meet her after work and drive us home together.
- Since we both have EV charging at work, keeping one electric car charged is simple.
We even keep one side of our garage open for non-car uses — workouts, bike storage, and weekend projects.
One of the other hidden things that makes this work more seamlessly is that we share some calendar events with each other; that way I know where she needs to be for a workout class or she knows if I'm going to be in San Mateo for a coffee chat.
The Joy of a Shared Commute
Sharing a car has reshaped how we move through the world. It’s not just about saving money or reducing our carbon footprint — it’s about rhythm, patience, and presence. The drive itself becomes a small pocket of the day where we check in, talk about work, or sit quietly together.
It’s also a reminder that car ownership doesn’t have to be binary. There’s a spectrum between being fully car-free and owning multiple cars — and for us, one shared electric car in East Palo Alto feels just right.
Next time you’re stuck in traffic on 101, look around — maybe the person in the next lane is also finding joy in sharing the ride.
