Carpool app launched to help Lankans to ride through fuel crisis

Supporting citizens navigate the challenges faced by the ongoing fuel crisis, Aventage Labs, part of St. Anthony’s Industries Group, has launched a timely and value-driven project through the launch of the Aventage Carpool app, to support the public ride through the crisis ‘worry free’. 

Aventage Carpool is an app that can be accessed completely free of charge and allows users to publish rides, book rides or do both, including roundtrips whenever they want, in a fast and easy way and connects them for a convenient travel experience on a single platform.

Ideal for any type of vehicle, including cars, SUVs, vans, three-wheelers and motor bikes, the approximate fuel cost for each type of vehicle is up to the vehicle owner and passengers to split in the event they wish to charge a nominal fee.

After matching with a driver or a rider, users receive a notification that they can use to ensure that they are getting into the correct vehicle. Student commuters have the option to match exclusively with other students on the app. There is also an option to choose a gender preference for the passengers or driver of a vehicle. 

Users will also be able to publish their ride by selecting pick up and drop locations, where a user can chat with ride publishers within the application, to discuss any further details such as estimated times of arrival and return times. 

A local language option that includes both Sinhala and Tamil as well as a facility to upload a vehicle image is further supported by the app. Other features include location sharing and providing price per seat suggestions.

The app therefore enables passengers enjoy lower fares compared to regular taxi rides, as the cost is divided among the riders, where car owners too can recover some of the fuel costs by allowing people to travel with them and get paid. 

“The need to explore technology-enabled, citizen-driven models to provide convenient modes of transport and ease the challenges faced by our people, due to the fuel crisis, is the key driver that led to the birth of this concept,” stated Aventage Labs CEO Dez Erskine. “The app is not intended for profit and the company is currently making no money from the app and doesn’t intend to do so as well. The main aim is not financial profit but it’s more our way of helping our fellow commuters, which includes students, to go about their daily activities without any disruptions.”

Carpooling is one of the most effective forms of mobility in the modern era to reduce fuel consumption and is an ideal strategy to address a range of climate, environmental and congestion mitigation goals.