The Future of Mobility: Social, Mobile and Peer-to-Peer Transport
In 2011 carpooling.com transported 1 million people every month.
Munich, Germany, January 17, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Empowered by increased connectivity, smartphone technology and the proliferation of social networks, 2011 marked the beginning of new era of mobility. The growth in popularity of ridesharing platforms underscored a major paradigm shift in the way we experience transport. Moving millions across borders and across countries, carpooling networks have transformed the traditional commute to work into a vibrant form of peer-to-peer transport. Today, people are more willing to share, more mobile and more prepared to adapt their travel habits to ecological concerns – a trend that will continue to grow in 2012.
Markus Barnikel, CEO of Europe’s n.1 Carpooling Network says; “In 2011, carpooling.com transported 1 million people every month. The average distance of rides was 200km. To put these figures in more relatable terms, this means that in a year we could have relocated the whole population of San Diego city to Los Angeles more than 9 times.”
With 3.5 million registered users, carpooling.com is more popular today than ever before. In 2011, the company became Europe’s largest ridesharing network with solid growth internationally in all countries. Since 2010, for instance, there was a 320% increase in the number of rides in France and 180% in Italy.
According to Barnikel; “Today when people think of mobility, they don’t think of a vehicle. They‘re looking for the best way to get from A to B. They’re looking for a solution to their mobility demand. Carpooling networks are not a replacement for public transportation systems but rather the perfect complement. Unlocking the idling capacity of cars is a simple solution with enormous economical, ecological and social benefits. Since the creation of carpooling.com, for instance, 375 million liters of gas were saved and 725,000 tons of CO2 were prevented from entering the atmosphere.”
Travel behavior is changing. In a recent study of 18-24 year-olds, three quarters said they would rather live without their car than their smartphone.
Barnikel says; “Similar to the inventions of the automobile, train and airplane, the smartphone is radically disrupting traditional concepts of mobility. In 2011, we noticed that people are increasingly using their mobile devices to book and purchase their seats online. Our iPhone and Android apps have been downloaded more than 320,000 times. People are clearly more mobile today than ever before and are increasingly demanding last-minute travel options that are convenient, affordable and sustainable.”
With more than 1 billion cars in the world, traffic congestion is becoming an increasingly problematic issue – causing significant fuel wastage, increased pollution and costing billions to the world economy. By 2050, the average urban dweller will spend roughly 106 hours (or 4.4 days) a year stuck in traffic jams – three times more than today. The ensuing pressure to devise more efficient and more flexible transport systems has resulted in a significant surge in popularity for new forms of sustainable mobility such as carpooling and ridesharing platforms. Smartphones, social networks and intermodal transportation platforms are the future of mobility, changing the way we travel and the way we organize our lives. Getting from A to B has never been so interesting.
About carpooling.com:
Carpooling.com is the largest ridesharing network in Europe, transporting over 1 million people each month in 5000 cities and 45 countries. Carpooling.com offers reliable ride sharing opportunities that are affordable and easy to access by computer, mobile phone (iPhone, Android) or social networks (Facebook). Drivers and passengers can book a seat online and rate each other for additional convenience and safety. By sharing a ride, people save gas and money, reduce carbon emissions and meet new friends. Today the site counts 3.5 million registered users and gives daily access to more than 600,000 transport opportunities. Thanks to carpooling.com, 725,000 tons of C02 and 375 million liters of gas have been saved; not counting the millions of savings by users and the thousands of friendships created (including more than 10 marriages).
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Markus Barnikel, CEO of Europe’s n.1 Carpooling Network says; “In 2011, carpooling.com transported 1 million people every month. The average distance of rides was 200km. To put these figures in more relatable terms, this means that in a year we could have relocated the whole population of San Diego city to Los Angeles more than 9 times.”
With 3.5 million registered users, carpooling.com is more popular today than ever before. In 2011, the company became Europe’s largest ridesharing network with solid growth internationally in all countries. Since 2010, for instance, there was a 320% increase in the number of rides in France and 180% in Italy.
According to Barnikel; “Today when people think of mobility, they don’t think of a vehicle. They‘re looking for the best way to get from A to B. They’re looking for a solution to their mobility demand. Carpooling networks are not a replacement for public transportation systems but rather the perfect complement. Unlocking the idling capacity of cars is a simple solution with enormous economical, ecological and social benefits. Since the creation of carpooling.com, for instance, 375 million liters of gas were saved and 725,000 tons of CO2 were prevented from entering the atmosphere.”
Travel behavior is changing. In a recent study of 18-24 year-olds, three quarters said they would rather live without their car than their smartphone.
Barnikel says; “Similar to the inventions of the automobile, train and airplane, the smartphone is radically disrupting traditional concepts of mobility. In 2011, we noticed that people are increasingly using their mobile devices to book and purchase their seats online. Our iPhone and Android apps have been downloaded more than 320,000 times. People are clearly more mobile today than ever before and are increasingly demanding last-minute travel options that are convenient, affordable and sustainable.”
With more than 1 billion cars in the world, traffic congestion is becoming an increasingly problematic issue – causing significant fuel wastage, increased pollution and costing billions to the world economy. By 2050, the average urban dweller will spend roughly 106 hours (or 4.4 days) a year stuck in traffic jams – three times more than today. The ensuing pressure to devise more efficient and more flexible transport systems has resulted in a significant surge in popularity for new forms of sustainable mobility such as carpooling and ridesharing platforms. Smartphones, social networks and intermodal transportation platforms are the future of mobility, changing the way we travel and the way we organize our lives. Getting from A to B has never been so interesting.
About carpooling.com:
Carpooling.com is the largest ridesharing network in Europe, transporting over 1 million people each month in 5000 cities and 45 countries. Carpooling.com offers reliable ride sharing opportunities that are affordable and easy to access by computer, mobile phone (iPhone, Android) or social networks (Facebook). Drivers and passengers can book a seat online and rate each other for additional convenience and safety. By sharing a ride, people save gas and money, reduce carbon emissions and meet new friends. Today the site counts 3.5 million registered users and gives daily access to more than 600,000 transport opportunities. Thanks to carpooling.com, 725,000 tons of C02 and 375 million liters of gas have been saved; not counting the millions of savings by users and the thousands of friendships created (including more than 10 marriages).
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Contact
carpooling.com
Clea Baker
+49892877894470
http://www.carpooling.com/
Clea Baker
+49892877894470
http://www.carpooling.com/
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