In New Delhi, carpooling system rewards members for giving rides

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. Spotted by: Vikrant Rai