With the increased awareness of our environment and the negative effects of carbon emissions, people are preferring greener alternatives these days. Relatively, there is a huge market growth seen for ride-pooling.
In a recent development, a new ride-sharing service Cool has been launched in Malta. It offers ride-pooling services in the central region of the island. It is a solution, which reduces the number of cars in Malta’s heavily congested roads.
Powered by ViaVan!
Cool is a new ride-hailing service powered by ViaVan in partnership with Debono Group. This new on-demand shared transit network is efficient and affordable. It started offering shared rides in Malta from July 10. Besides these benefits, Cool is also eco-friendly and lets users commute across the island.
This is the new project under Debono Group. Prior to this, the mobility group had launched GoTo, a car-sharing platform last year. Now, it has turned to ViaVan to service the Maltese islands. ViaVan is a leading provider of innovative on-demand shared transit services in Europe. It was founded in 2017 as a joint venture between Via, the world’s leading provider of on-demand public mobility and Mercedes-Benz Vans, the leading manufacturer of cargo and passenger vans.
“ViaVan is redefining public mobility across Europe, seamlessly integrating with public transport to provide fully on-demand and dynamic transportation solutions,” said Chris Snyder, CEO of ViaVan. “Malta is an innovation-forward country, so we’re delighted to launch this groundbreaking on-demand service with Debono Group, providing everyone from residents to tourists with a convenient, affordable, and congestion-reducing transportation alternative. This is truly a great example of a country embracing the future of mobility.”
Works with a companion app
The Cool app lets riders hail a shuttle directly via their smartphone. It is powered by ViaVan’s advanced algorithms that enable multiple riders to share a single vehicle seamlessly. The technology directs passengers to a nearby stop for pick up and dropsdrop off. Also, this technology routes the vehicles dynamically in real-time paving way for efficient and quick shared trips sans inconvenient and lengthy fixed routes and schedules.
Fixed charges
The Cool app is compatible with both Android and iOS platforms and is powered by Via. For rides within the zone, the service charges a low flat fare of €4.95. If there are additional passengers, then it will charge €2.48 each, which is half the fixed price.
To be expanded in future!
Initially, the vehicles offered by Cool will be operated within a fixed zone spanning across select regions in the Maltese islands. Later, the service will be extended to additional areas around the islands.
“Cool is our latest step in our endeavour to build a sustainable mobility ecosystem in Malta,” said Geoffrey Debono, the Group CEO. “Our aim is to make mobility on the island the most effective and efficient, yet simplest in the world. We look to enhance the experience offered to customers by leveraging technology to deliver best in class solutions that cater to customer needs and requirements. Cool ensures that the quickest routes are calculated dynamically in real-time, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours.”
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