Abu Dhabi:With Abu Dhabi's tollgate system coming into effect on Tuesday, the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport's online service for carpooling is now at the fore of viable commuting alternatives for the capital's residents to save up on travel costs.
The online service can be accessed through darb.ae/Carpooling, where users will have two choices to either offer a ride or to join as a passenger looking for a lift.
To ensure a smooth and happy journey for passengers, the online service will also allow passengers to choose their preferences for the trip.
“Are you allergic to dog hair? Do you hate smoking? What language do you speak? You can add all these preferences to your carpooling profile,” states the online service. Drivers will also be required to mention the kind of car they are driving along with providing a photo of the carvehicle as well as the comfort level passengers can expect.
How it works
Explaining how the carpooling service works, the official website says everything is done through the online system.
“Driver and passenger/s contact each other before the journey and agree on meeting points and drop-off points. The confidentiality of both parties is protected through the internal messaging system. Once the journey has been set up, real life meetings are reliable and comfortable because both parties know exactly what to expect.”
The new service will also allow users, whether they’re a large organisation or just one driver to create their own groups. The private groups will allow the administrator to invite new members as well as passengers who they have previously offered a lift to.
In the case of major organisations and companies, the groups will be open to employees looking for a carpool ride to help reduce their travel costs to and from their workplace.
The new carpooling service comes just as Abu Dhabi is set to introduce its new tollgate system, which the city says is intended to reduce the amount of traffic on its roads and to encourage residents to use alternative means of transportation such as public transport. The carpooling service will now offer residents another cheaper way of getting around the city.
