The BlaBlaCar platform launches, in a context of very high fuel prices, features that could well help carpooling enthusiasts save a few euros.
It has not escaped your notice that fuel prices remain particularly high, slightly below and sometimes well above two euros per liter of Diesel, SP95, SP98 or SP95-E10, depending on the station or department. While trips are linked everywhere in France to the rhythm of holidays and vacations of each other, many are turning to the solution of carpooling. BlaBlaCar, which has welcomed 200,000 more drivers in the country since the beginning of the year, is launching new features to help them reduce their gas bill.
A “Super Driver” badge for better visibility on the platform
Among the ten features launched by BlaBlaCar, we find the launch of the “Super Driver” status, which rewards the best drivers on the carpooling platform.
To obtain this badge, which is supposed to offer more visibility and help its beneficiaries, the member driver must meet several criteria and conditions, such as verifying his identity (using his CNI for example), but also publishing journeys most often. possible, to present excellent reviews and to report a logically very low cancellation rate.
BlaBlaCar specifies that the trips offered by members with “Super Driver” status will be highlighted in the application’s search results. Drivers, with this better exposure, should thus fill more of their free places and better cover their travel costs.
Relevant features, but increased competition between drivers?
Another tool implemented by BlaBlaCar: the calculator. This one answers a simple question: How much does carpooling save me? The tool, free and available online, can be used to simulate possible savings depending on the planned route. The driver only has to enter his city of departure, his destination and the number of places available in his vehicle to then obtain the result of the potential savings on the journey.
Remember that savings are the first factor taken into consideration by drivers who use carpooling, even ahead of social or environmental considerations. BlaBlaCar explains, for example, that a Lyon-Grenoble trip (about 110 kilometers of road) saves 12 euros in fuel costs (out of 14 euros), taking as a model a gasoline city car with 2 passengers.
Finally, BlaBlacar now displays the prices of similar journeys. It is thus no longer necessary to manually compare your journey with those of other drivers. The app does this automatically and helps its users set the best rate. They can then quickly choose a fair amount for their passengers, compensating as much as possible, in parallel, for transport costs.
Although useful and relevant, these features can raise the threat of greater competition between drivers and disadvantage those who will not be stamped “Super Driver”, especially if they have not been able to obtain this status because of a misadventure for which they were not responsible. Feedback is obviously eagerly awaited.
Source: press release
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