If you’re anything like me, your first exposure to carpooling came through the comic strip “Blondie”, with a hapless Dagwood barreling out the door late, forgetting something at home, getting stuck in traffic, or otherwise inconveniencing his car pool of co-workers. I think that’s pretty much how most people under the age of 30 view the car pool—about as tired and irrelevant as an 80-year-old comic strip. 

A new Cambridge, MA, startup is looking to change that perception. GoLoCo offers drivers a place on-line to post information on their commutes, along with seating capacity and any compensation they require.  The site takes after social networking companies like Facebook and MySpace, breaking down ride opportunities by community and interest group, and generating income by charging drivers a small commission on rider payments that are made through the site.

While the concept seems interesting, I really don’t see it taking off, especially when free communities like Craigslist already offer extensive services to carpoolers and sluggers in other cities.  Then again, slugging can be a drab, impersonal interaction; if you’re looking to make friends while you reduce your impact, GoLoCo could be your ticket to ride.