Driving for Peaks
No, you will NOT have to do this on a Peaks trip (unless you really want to). Image Credit: Ben Banet
We LOVE our drivers. You are the life-blood of Peaks.
Peaks is only possible because of our student drivers, and we are so so so grateful for you and all you do for us. If you can drive for us, we highly encourage you to do so. Our drivers make it possible for other students to participate and we appreciate you endlessly.
What Does Being a Driver Involve?
Driving for Peaks mostly consists of meeting up at TroGro, driving to the trailhead, and parking in a neighbourhood or parking lot. It is very rare that you'll have to off-road or do anything beyond being a simple carpool. Some of our more ambitious overnights may require off-roading, but that will be very explicit in the trip description and our day hikes rarely require anything beyond driving on average roads. In exchange for helping us out by driving, you get a reduced registration fee and you get reimbursed for gas.
Being Reimbursed for Driving:
We reimburse you for the cost of gas, parking, and park entry fees.
We want to make sure you get generously reimbursed for gas. We calculate your reimbursement using your trip’s round mileage, your car’s gas mileage (self-reported), and the current average gas price in Los Angeles. (As of September 2024, the average gas price in Los Angeles County is about $4.61. We round up.)
An example calculation:
100 miles / 20 miles per gallon * $4.00 per gallon = $20.00
Your trip lead will send you a gas reimbursement form to fill out after your trip is complete so we can reimburse you. If you don't receive this form within 1 week after your trip, please reach out to peaksandprofessors@gmail.com. This form will collect for your name, which trip you drove for, your car’s gas mileage/make & model, and your reimbursement information. Reimbursements are typically handled through Venmo. If you have any driving-related issues on the trip or feedback for how drivers are treated or reimbursed, please reach out to us (same email as above) - we want to hear from you!
Once again - thank you for driving. You make the outdoors affordable for all of us and for that, we cannot thank you enough.