In New Delhi, carpooling system rewards members for giving rides

Eco & Sustainability Published on 25 June 2009 in Eco & Sustainability

With all the benefits of carpooling, it's no wonder the ride-sharing services are coming fast and furious. Hard on the heels of our recent stories about Galpshare and NuRide comes Mega Car Pool, a travel matching service in New Delhi that rewards drivers for giving rides.

Those interested in carpooling through Mega Car Pool begin by registering with the service, which will then conduct an identity verification process for security that includes a home visit and presentation of residential proof, driving license and citizenship ID. Prospective members also fill out a questionnaire with details about their regular travel habits and preferences in a travelling companion, including gender and whether or not they smoke. (No personal details are ever revealed to ride companions, and the service even has a "women's club" for all-female drivers and rides.) Members are then given a smart card with ID code, and a GPS device is installed in their car.

Next, information about members' routine trips—such as daily commutes to work—are fed into Mega Car Pool's computer for matching with members looking for rides; ride-seekers without cars of their own can become members only if referred by one who owns a car. Matches can be made for both routine and ad hoc trips; either way, each time a car-owning member provides a lift, the kilometres travelled are recorded by the installed GPS. Those kilometres are then translated into credits, which are added to the driver's smart card account and can later be used for free rides with another driver, or be donated to another member for rides of their own. In addition to matching drivers with those seeking rides, Mega Car Pool also provides additional services including a panic button, traffic updates and emergency assistance when a car breaks down.

Mega Car Pool is currently operated by infrastructure construction company HICC Ltd., and a similar concept is currently being considered for implementation by the Delhi government as a complement to public transport.

Website: www.megacarpool.com
Contact: feedback@megacarpool.com

Spotted by: Vikrant Rai

Comments on this idea:

The site megacarpool.com is blocked - warning message says it's hosting malware.

Same here. Firefox warns me of fraudulent site.

Interested & Surprised -- I'm not getting that message in Firefox, Chrome or IE. Might've been a temporary glitch?

How many people use alone their car for work, study or else, even several times a week? RoadSharing.com is an easy way to find someone to share a trip with, is a meeting point between those who offer and those who look for a lift and it is the best way to save money, pollute less and meet new friends!

Mega Car Pool is more than a car pool system. It is an alternative transport mode which can give you immense comfort and ease in traveling and reduce travel cost and time significantly. Mega Car Pool is your best solution to end killing road congestion and endless parking problem. It will cut down your driving stress and fatigue. So, breathe easy by sharing a car as part of Mega Car Pool. At Mega Car Pool we aim to make it a holistic family of happy travelers who can make our over-burdened city roads safer, greener and hassle-free.

The "Mega Carpool" is Carpool's latest endeavor to help people find someone to carpool. They are meant to be used whenever n wherever you have a ride to give or need a ride to anywhere imaginable. The forums are for a community of peop...le who want to save money on gas and help the environment. Wherever you go, think, "can I post this trip on Mega Carpool?" and you may save much more than just gas.

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