Carpooling, the electronic paper way

BePooler, a Swiss company, is making strides in sustainable mobility by providing free parking spots to commuters carpooling to work, an important advantage in areas where parking is scarce. For the first time anywhere, these pre-booked parking spaces are clearly marked through the use of real-time epaper signs powered by Visionect.

BePooler has partnered with Visionect in promoting sustainable mobility through the use of real time, solar powered electronic paper parking signs.

What could be better than catching a ride to work from one of your colleagues?

Mobility from home to work is a huge problem globally, an enterprise gobbling up time and money, at a huge cost to the environment. Motor vehicles can collectively cause as much as 75% of a country’s carbon monoxide pollution, with a mid-sized car emitting 1.3 tons of CO2  per year just by driving you to your job. Practical public transport options are not always readily available around the corner.

BePooler knows these facts all too well. An innovative Swiss-based carpooling service, the company has partnered with Visionect in promoting sustainable mobility through the use of off-the-grid, solar powered electronic paper parking signs which reserve free parking spots for commuters in Bepooler’s Park & Ride scheme.

Promoting intelligent mobility, BePooler connects neighbours and colleagues in daily carpooling, supported by Park & Ride parking spots featuring advanced Visionect electronic paper signs. Ride sharing has really never been this simple and cost-effective.

BePooler’s P&R parking allows commuters to have a reserved parking space waiting for them when they continue their journey by train. For the first time ever, these parking spots display the licence plates of the vehicles participating in the scheme.

Electronic paper marks the spot

Currently in use by 15 European companies, the BePooler carpooling service generates over 300 shared trips per week and offers preferential parking spaces booked for those who join the service, an important advantage in areas where parking is scarce or costly.

At the moment, BePooler’s P&R parking allows commuters to carpool to Switzerland’s Ponte Tresa station and have a reserved parking space waiting for them when they continue their journey by train. A selection of reserved parking spots is available also to visitors of the Gambarogno sports center.

For the first time ever, these parking spots are clearly marked in real-time, displaying the licence plates of the vehicles participating in the scheme on solar-powered electronic paper displays. These would not be possible without Visionect technology, tried and tested in numerous demanding outdoor applications, from eink traffic signs in Australia to bus stops in London.

The Park Smart Signs have been developed to be independent from the electrical grid, using as little power as possible and supporting impeccable sunlight readability, connecting via 3G to receive content updates. Users can securely book the parking spot through the BePooler App wherever they are, with the licence plate of the car allowed to park showing up on the parking sign mere seconds later.

Users can book the parking spot through the BePooler App wherever they are. The licence plate of the car allowed to park shows up on the electronic paper parking sign just seconds later.

“Our goal is simple: to promote smart mobility,” explains Andrea Moglia, general manager of BePooler. “It would have been an impossible feat without the right technology partner. Visionect proved a perfect fit, opening the door for even the most demanding use case.”

Promoting smart mobility

Commute share cuts travel expenses and reduces carbon emissions, decreases traffic congestion and limits the need for parking spaces. In 2009 as much as 10% of Americans reported carpooling to work. The numbers are on the rise in Europe as well, with a quarter of Europeans believing that travel within cities could be significantly improved by creating incentives for car sharing.

Promoting intelligent mobility, BePooler’s online platform and free app connect neighbours and colleagues in daily carpooling. Catering to both municipalities and private enterprises active in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, the service can help individuals streamline their travels and assist companies in observing employee mobility needs, providing different inducements for smart and sustainable transit to work.

The result, BePooler reports, can be savings of as much as €120 ($130) per employee in a month in fuel and other travel expenses, with the ability to monitor usage in real time through comprehensive reports on trips made, costs shared and CO2 emissions reduced.

Implemented in collaboration with the communities or Lavena-Ponte Tresa, Italy and Ponte Tresa, Switzerland, the project is now making its way to France.

“By facilitating ride sharing we are creating carpoolers and partial transit riders of people who used to drive alone the whole way into work. Our goal is simple: to promote smart mobility,” explains Andrea Moglia, general manager of BePooler. “It would have been an impossible feat without the right technology partner. Visionect proved a perfect fit, opening the door for even the most demanding use case.”