Have you ever been in a rush to get to work and your car won't start? No problem. A new web and mobile service function, Commute Greener, now provides information on others in your area who travel the same route. In addition, the application can also send a ride share request to allow you to quickly make other travel arrangements. The service can also help find cycling buddies or the times of the best bus service.
Commute Greener was devised by Volvo IT to cut carbon dioxide emissions by commuting smarter. The service is now being given a new function called Ride Share, which helps connect people who travel the same routes. The service may actually redefine car-pooling since it does not only include car journeys, but can also help to find the best bus service or even finds someone to cycle to work with.
The service recently became free for private individuals who download it to an iPhone from the App Store, or by using it on other mobile phones.
"Getting started simply means to record the normal travel patterns to and from their jobs. This gives a baseline and users are then encouraged to set targets for travelling greener to reduce their carbon footprint. By riding a bicycle to work, for example, individuals can also improve their health while saving on fuel costs." says Magnus Kuschel, responsible for Commute Greener at Volvo IT.
A connection to social media, like Facebook, gives new ways to share experiences online.
In addition to individuals around the world using Commute Greener, customers are companies and organizations in cities such as Goteborg, Sweden, New York City, San Francisco and Mexico City, in order to ease the burden on the environment and the roads.
"We provide certification of cities and organizations as part of their social responsibility and environmental management systems. Furthermore, transport organizations can use Commute Greener to access data concerning real-time travel patterns. This allows for the improved utilization of public transport, while at the same time reducing congestion." Kuschel continues.
By encouraging teams to engage in friendly competition, Commute Greener has created enthusiasm for a "greener" lifestyle. As part of smart climate campaigns, many teams that have used Commute Greener have succeeded in cutting their carbon dioxide emission by more than 30%.
Niklas Wahlberg, CEO of Lindholmen Science Park, is one of those who have launched a campaign, which has given clear results: "We cross-fertilize modern media, intelligent transport systems and mobile internet. Commute Greener provides tangible business results as well as improves our travel behavior. Thanks to unique matching, a new way of finding a ride share is on the increase and the amount of collected Zero-Emission-Miles are equivalent to an entire trip around the world!"
