In times of rising ticket prices, striking pilots and increasing delays on the train, more people are using their cars for longer journeys. Of course, petrol is also becoming more and more expensive, which is why it makes sense to offer ride-sharing and split the fare between several passengers.
Another reason for the boom in traveling with strangers is the ecological aspect. Drivers and passengers can be found on the relevant online portals.
Rideshare video, how does it work?
How do ridesharing agencies work?
All ride-sharing portals on the web are structured in a similar way. Drivers can create offers to find passengers for their trip and people who want to travel with them publish a request if there are no offers for their travel destination. Most ridesharing portals are free, but users must first register. The driver can set the price for the journey himself. This consists of a fee for the transport and a flat rate for petrol of five to seven euros per 100 km. A fare calculator calculates the approximate fare for the passenger, taking into account the current petrol price and the fuel consumption of the respective vehicle. The fare is usually paid in cash before the start of the journey, some providers also allow online payment before the start of the journey.
After registration, the user can search through the existing offers or create one himself. He determines the available spaces in the vehicle, date and time as well as the start and destination of the journey, including any intermediate stops. As soon as the created offer for the ride is online, potential passengers can access it and accept it with binding effect. The driver and passenger then receive each other’s contact details by e-mail and can personally exchange information about the meeting point and other details of the journey.
How much does it cost to use a ridesharing agency?
Some ride-sharing agencies offer their service for free, while others retain a percentage of the pre-determined fare. Some portals allow you to sign up for a premium membership. For a monthly fee, your own ads are highlighted and access to the contact details of other users is possible. Apart from that, the providers of carpooling set their prices individually.
Important: Drivers may only use the portals to cover the costs of their trip. Pursuing commercial goals is prohibited by law due to the regulations in the Passenger Transport Act.
Are ridesharing really safe?
The ridesharing agencies take several precautions to protect their members from danger. First, your e-mail address and phone number will be checked for accuracy after registration. Some providers also require a copy of the ID card. In addition, each member has the opportunity to rate their drivers and passengers. It is also possible to only accept women as passengers. The personal profile also says a lot about a driver or passenger. Some portals offer the opportunity to make your own profile informative by providing personal details, information about the vehicle and uploading a photo, thus creating a basis of trust. In addition, the portal operators recommend passing on the name and contact details of the driver as well as the license plate number to friends or family members before starting the journey, and always having a cell phone within reach during the journey and having someone pick you up at your destination.
As a driver or passenger, you do not have to worry about insurance cover. If the driver is at fault in an accident, the liability insurance will cover all damage and also pay compensation for pain and suffering for all vehicle occupants.
Passengers who have found each other via a carpooling service on the internet. Photo ©BlaBlaCar
Which car sharing agencies are there?
One of the largest providers of ride-sharing opportunities in Germany is the portal mitfahrangebote.de. However, the platform offers its services in several European countries, including Great Britain, Poland, France and Spain. The provider charges a fee of eleven percent of the fare for the successful mediation. The driver must pay this fee. Another special feature are the payment options. The driver can choose to pay online. In this case, the passenger must pay the fare online and the driver receives the money even if the passenger does not start the journey at short notice. Smartphone and tablet users also benefit from the provider’s app, which can be downloaded free of charge from the Play Store or the App Store.
At the mitfahrzentrale.de portal, drivers and passengers can choose between a free basic membership and a paid premium membership. Premium members get access to all contact details. In addition, your offers are highlighted so that passengers can be found more quickly.
With 10 million members is blahblacar a particularly popular portal for drivers and passengers. The provider focuses on security and customer satisfaction. In addition to verifying cell phone numbers and other contact details, as a member you can earn levels of experience that document their reliability and trustworthiness. The promotion to a higher level can be achieved by the member receiving positive reviews, completing their own profile and writing reviews themselves. The duration of membership can also have a positive effect on your own classification. The detailed profile should also help drivers and passengers to find each other who get along well. Therefore, you can also be given preferences with regard to your taste in music. You can also show other users in your profile whether someone would like to have a lively conversation while driving or prefers to remain silent. Drivers can choose to receive their passengers’ money in cash or online.
Car sharing centers on the Internet
- www.blablacar.de Use the carpooling service and cut your fuel costs by more than half. With more than 65 million registered users, Bla-Bla-Car is the largest provider of carpooling in Europe and has a near-monopoly in Germany.
- mitfahrzentrale.de bought from BlaBlaCar. Mitfahrzentrale.de has been arranging car pools online since 1998. Over 700,000 people across Europe trusted this service provider.
- Mitfahrangebote.de bought from BlaBlaCar. Mitfahrangebote.de was an independent ride-sharing agency
on the Internet for arranging carpooling opportunities in Germany and Europe. - www.mitfahren.de
- www.mifaz.de
- www.pendlernetz.de The site is a community for regional car pools. As a solution for municipalities, citizens or for companies as a supplement to internal mobility.
- mitfahrclub.adac.de
- fahrgemeinschaft.de white label of the ADAC site
- www.bessermitfahren.de
- www.flinc.org