eRideShare: Do some carpooling, guys!
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Carpooling is an excellent way of commuting. It not only reduces the fuel costs but is also environmentally friendly as lesser cars means lesser emissions. While the concept has taken firm roots in the West but in developing countries, it’s still a far cry in Asia – especially in South Asia.
eRideShare is a portal where carpool listings for each country along with tips on safety and travel listings are available. The section for Pakistan has got just one listing and that too from Islamabad (there are less commuter issues here as compared to Karachi or Lahore). I was wondering if we can promote this concept here as we are already in the middle of an economic recession. Gasoline prices, despite the international downfall, are still way higher while the CNG and Diesel prices going up. There are also rumors of ‘gas-shedding’ during winters which will effect the supply of CNG.
The better way of doing this is to first impose restrictions on private cars during rush hours. This will force people to think about carpooling, especially for those who can’t travel in the public transport nor can afford to pay fines on a daily basis (if we actually impose restrictions). The mass transit projects in Pakistan are still a distant dream and carpooling is a first step to ease that burden.
1:06 pm
And how would i know my driver won’t drug me and haul me to afghanistan for ransom.
2:16 pm
Oh, don’t be so gloomy, Midhat
6:27 pm
Midhat, kidnapping you has very low ROI. I wouldn’t try.
10:50 pm
we in Karachi have an efficient transport system – Buses with 2 floors of seating, riskshaw with 3 rows, use of trunk space in taxis, motorbikes seating up to 5 adults, even donkey, camel & horse carts. Even pedestrians cross the road during traffic flows to maximize individual efficiencies.
What do you have in ISL? None of these so you should look into it.
erideshare in Pakistan joins a long list of e-wishlist – MLS(real estate), autotrader, carfax, craigslist, paypal, amazon, ebay …
9:20 am
Nice explanation of Karachi’s transport system, Farzal
We have to examine the failure of ‘e-wishlists’ in Pakistan as we’re missing the opportunities these portals can provide.
9:56 am
Isnt pakwheels incredibly successful as an auto-trader?
10:03 am
Midhat, get to know them first in a public place, and don’t get in a car with someone you don’t trust. Check references if you’re still concerned. The cash and environmental savings are large, and many friendships form in carpools.