Not public transport but shared car pooling done on a strictly commercial basis could be the answer to avoid traffic jams and save our national energy bill.

Nobody needs to do rocket science to know that in India it is the lack of effective mass transport system that has given rise to millions of private vehicles on the road. To quote The Bulletin of Energy Efficiency (June 2002) “The share of private vehicles (two-wheelers and cars) in the total no of registered vehicles increased from 65 per cent in 1971 to 82 per cent in 1997. Energy consumed per passenger kilometre by a car can be as high as six times that of a bus. Poor road quality and poor maintenance of roads in urban areas hinder the smooth movement of traffic, leading to congestion, which also increases energy consumption.”

The rapid increase in fuel cost is increasing our petroleum import bill. In such a scenario public transport seems to be the answer but this is not a very cost effective for the nation. Instead, we should attempt to utilise the personal vehicles to increase the low occupancy rate and reduce energy intensity in these vehicles.

This may sound difficult or even impossible but with the right kind of a system in place this can be realised. It has been suggested and taken off in some places but not successful simply because it was not adopted in a commercial manner.

Almost all of us have tried car pooling with colleagues. But the car pooling has its own well-known limitations due to which it has not found favour with most of us.

We often travel alone, which is not only expensive but also unsafe. Many a times, we are travelling to distant places all on our own. Ideally, we would have preferred known company who could also share the petrol expenses! Almost at the same time another person is also travelling alone in the same direction. But both are unaware about each other’s programme.

Similarly, within the city we are all travelling everyday in the same direction without a chance to share our vehicles.

The lack of information forces us to use our own vehicle which not only increases personal expenses on petrol but also increases vehicular traffic on the road leading to pollution and traffic jams and increase in travel time.

The most interesting spin-off is that people initially unknown to each other will have a chance to meet for personal and business alliances! It is needless to mention here that only those commuters, who have a vehicle and a mobile will be allowed to join.

How it can be done?

Thanks to IT revolution and mobile telephone services, it is now possible to start a “Pre-paid lift service”. It will operate like this: Initial awareness will be created about the service and tariff for pre-paid lift services will be fixed.

Those who are interested to avail the service — to give and take lift — will be asked to submit their normal travel routes and travel destinations. The members shall give an undertaking that at least for three days in a week they will avail the service.

Pick-up points (like bus stops) will be identified. With the help of a mobile service provider, information will be exchanged about who is looking for lift in a particular direction and who is interested in giving lift.

Both the persons will send the message to the mobile service provider as soon as both the parties have met.

This is also necessary from a safety point of view.

The mobile company will credit/debit the amount in the respective person’s account and charge a certain percentage to both the persons. The mobile service provider will maintain the record and adjust the amount in the mobile bill.

Benefit to members includes reduced fuel bill, reduced maintenance cost of the vehicle, reduced stress, ready help in case of breakdown/flat tyre and a chance for fixing personal and business alliances.

Benefit to the mobile service provider will be increased direct revenue; indirect revenue from the operation of pre-paid lift service and more publicity.

The biggest benefit is to the country with reduction in fuel import bill, increased employment potential and reduced road congestion and pollution.

(December 14 is observed as National Energy Conservation Day)