This App Could Be Key To The Noble Idea Of Carpooling That People Don’t Really Practice
Tripda aims to connect people looking for a ride with drivers who have empty seats in their cars.
By John Lim — 05 Jan 2016, 06:03 PM
With the recent surge of ride-sharing apps like Uber and GrabCar, many of us have forgotten the concept of carpooling - the sharing of car journeys so that more than one person can travel together to the same location
When was the last time you carpooled with someone? It was probably awhile back, right?
In a bid to get Malaysians to start carpooling again, Tripda, an online carpooling service from Brazil is offering Malaysian drivers the chance to provide rides to passengers going the same way
Tripda is a marketplace that connects people who need a ride to drivers who have empty seats in their cars. This enables people to meet new people and save money by sharing their travel costs, ultimately helping people to travel more while spending less! With fewer cars on the roads, we help not only people, but also the environment, as fewer cars means less carbon-emissions released into our atmosphere. The Tripda Ride is the smart way to roll, for your budget and the planet.
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Launched in May 2014, Tripda is now operating in 12 different countries including Singapore and Philipines, with Brazil being the first country it launched
Tripda is an online carpooling service that is now active in 12 countries (Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, and most recently in US and India) with Brazil being the first country it launched. Tripda Malaysia launched in September, 2014.
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The service - which is free to use - has been increasing in popularity as it has seen a 100% month-to-month growth rate. It is currently backed by Rocket Internet, the e-commerce giant behind Zalora and Lazada.
Tripda managing director (Malaysia) Victor Ang said that at least 80% of Tripda users (and riders) were aged between 18 and 28 years. The service is so popular that the company is seeing a 100% month-to-month growth rate, although Ang is reluctant to say how many users are in Malaysia.
thestar.com.myRocket Internet, the venture accelerator best known for taking proven business models and exporting them globally, launched Tripda in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
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Initially only used for daily trips to work, the service is now becoming popular for interstate travel
“(Now) the average length (of a trip) is about 30km to 40km. Even though short distance makes up the majority, long distance is really factoring in,” said Tripda managing director (Malaysia) Victor Ang.
thestar.com.myUnlike ride-sharing apps like Uber, Tripda runs on schedules set by the driver. For example, if a driver in Petaling Jaya is heading to Johor Bahru on a Sunday, he can put up the ride on Tripda for others to see.
Tripda helps people share their costs instead of helping drivers make a profit, and the rides you take with Tripda are way more fun than other means of transportation, not to mention the comfort of a car and the fun of having company throughout the whole trip!
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So, how does Tripda work?
Interested passengers would need to register an account by linking to their Facebook accounts. After that, passengers can look for trips by keying in destination and date of the trips.
You’ll have to first register for a Tripda account, using your Facebook credentials (to thwart fake accounts). You can either request/search for a ride, or offer one. After that, pick your preferred route, and enjoy your ride with your driver/passenger. When the trip is over, both you and the other party get to rate and review each other, and this rating is publicly viewable by others.
techattack.myAs for drivers, they would need to register their car by giving out details such as brand, comfort and number of passenger seats. Security and safety is of utmost importance to Tripda, which is why drivers would have to verify their contact details.
Drivers, on the other hand, would have to register their ride by providing the company with an optional photo, its brand, model, level of comfort, colour, and number of passenger seats available, among other information. They may also toggle option to allow for example, smoking, pets, music and even if they would like to engage in a conversation during the ride.
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It's good to note that the price for each ride is decided by the driver - the money would be used to cover petrol and toll
For example, a Tripda rider can pay the driver about RM20 for a one-way trip from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh.
We all know that carpooling is better for the environment and is a cost efficient method of transportation, but not many of us are doing it for many reasons, like safety and comfort.
Hopefully, with services like Tripda that prides itself in safe rides, we would give carpooling another go.