Ridesharing platform BlaBlaCar may prove to be one of the best alternative during odd-even car days, here's why!

If there is one concept that can help the odd even days in becoming successful, it’s the way in which ridesharing platforms connecting private car owners and co-travellers will align themselves with the government formula and function starting January 1. Consider the fact that metros are already running at 80-90% capacity utilization. Extra coaches will be added only by mid 2016 while new DTC buses will be on the streets only by March next year. So with little capacity addition likely to happen to public transport till January, where will the extra crowd compelled to take public transport go? People will of course need alternate modes of transport which are fast, cheap and comfortable.

In such a situation, any system that helps in utilizing vacant seats in the 2.8 million private cars in Delhi would be the best idea. The biggest capacity expansion therefore would be by utilizing these private cars and the way it can happen is through ridesharing or carpooling. Realizing this fact is Raghav Gupta, India Country Manager of BlaBlaCar - one of the ridesharing platforms operating in India since January last year - who throws light on how portals like his can contribute to the odd even vehicle rule and the flip side - how the government initiative can prove a great opportunity for them to come into the spotlight. Notably, 1 million seats were offered on BlaBlaCar in the first six months in India suggesting that Indians have taken to ridesharing in a sizeable manner in the last one year.

How has BlaBlaCar aligned itself with the Delhi government’s odd even vehicle rule?

Delhi has about 2.8 million private cars as against 80,000 taxis. So, the capacity available in private cars is very large. The way Bla Bla is contributing to the odd even rule is by helping those people who are a part of the 1.4 million cars (that can operate on any given day), to put their empty seats on Bla Bla and take co-travellers plying on the same route along with them. Depending on their number plates, a car owner can select multiple dates in our app on which they would want to share their rides. So we are facilitating an easier and more efficient way of connecting them to co-travellers.

Have you thought of others ways to leverage the most out of this win-win situation for you as the new rule will leave several travelers at the mercy of alternate mode of transport, something that will be in favour of your business.

Companies are helping employees in finding ways to travel in the odd even days. What we are doing is getting in touch with them to help them understand how to share rides on BlaBlaCar. Also, we have introduced a widget which can be implemented on the company’s website. Instead of coming to our portal, employees can go to the company website to publish a ride and find co-travellers on the same route.

Considering Ola and Uber may be starting carpooling feature too, do you feel it will take away your existing as well as potential members?

What I expect will happen on BlaBlaCar during odd even days will be longer trips like Gurgaon-Noida, Rohini-South Delhi, South Delhi-Faridabad. Per seat it should cost a person no more than Rs 80-100. It’s not expensive, and at the same time would be a comfortable trip. Such commuters will definitely come to BlaBlaCar.

You connect travelers, but do not charge a free. Could you explain how BlaBla Car is benefiting from this ridesharing concept?

BlaBlaCar enables car-owners with empty seats in their cars to share them with co-travellers going the same way and share the cost of the trip. We are present in 20 countries, and have a global member base of 20 million people. In India, we have seen members enrol with us from across 700 cities! At this time, we don’t monetize in India. At a later stage, we will start charging a fee on co-travellers, however, for car owners it is a free service and would continue to be.

What kind of safety measures do you have to ensure security of both the parties?

We do some hard and soft verifications, but what works well in India is the rating system. So, when people are travelling with each other, they can rate each other on the experience. Every new person can see how the experience has been of fellow co-travellers with a particular person. Moreover apart from hardchecks, there are social profiles (showing music, interests, hobbies etc) for both the parties to see. So, in a 1-hour long travel, you want to have a comfortable journey. Lot of people with BlaBlaCar now end up travelling with owners who they share interests with and feel comfortable.