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.
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:
Later, I returned to car ownership — and shared those reflections in:
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.