Last month, in this post (on my personal blog), I pointed to the current trend wherein some of the successful consumer software products of today are coming not from software companies but from ‘fringe’ players like web design studios, usability companies, media companies etc. Well, I didn’t include NGOs in that list of fringe players, because it never occurred to me that an NGO was capable of building a (mass market) consumer software application. I am thrilled to let you know that from now onwards, I have a reason to add NGOs to that list.
For a Mumbai based NGO has created the world’s first SMS enabled carpool. I’m sure this is the first such instance in India. I would also speculate, that this must one of the few instances in the world (if not the first), where this is happening.
Mumbai Environmental Social Organization (www.mesn.org) is a registered NGO with a special focus on environmental and social issues. It has created KOOLPOOL, which is an organized and secure car-pooling system that runs via SMS. This is an attempt at facilitating car-pooling in Mumbai and other large metro cities of the country.
Jyoti Kalra, who is the project’s co-coordinator, has informed me that KoolPool is not a business venture. It is a ‘social experiment‘, that attempts to use technology to solve a common urban problem. It is commercial to the extent of suporting the basic operational cost.
This project is currently in its trial run and is due to be launched pretty soon. For this concept to succeed, its important to have locational clusters of interested members. It is also possible that carpool members may have apprehensions about sharing rides with complete strangers. Hence in the first phase, MESN is trying to create homogenous pools (i.e. members who know each other). They have contacted some of the big corporates in the business districts of Mumbai. Many companies like Philips, J P Morgan, Lintas, Johnson and Johnson, Castrol and HLL have shown interest in the concept. Its interesting to note that 52% of the people who have registered with KoolPool till now, happen to be women.
So how does KoolPool actually work?. Commuters would have to be register with KoolPool by paying an annual membership fee of Rs 350. They can participate in the carpool either as a ‘ride-giver’ or as a ‘ride-seeker’. All the members will be required to maintain a prepaid account with KoolPool. For every ride taken, 30 points will be deducted from ride seekers account and 25 points will be deposited in the ride givers account. These points can be redeemed at HPCL petrol pumps for free fuel. BUT for the first 90 days, KoolPool is offering a FREE TRIAL wherein members do not have to pay the membership fee and all rides are being offered free.
To know in detail about the system of routes, the accounting of points and how SMS will be used for tracking and scheduling the carpool, check out this link. And to ensure that co-travelers understand their responsibilities, they also have a guideline on pool ethics. I spent some time going through their website and I think that a lot of careful thinking has gone into the entire dynamics of SMS based carpooling and how to make it successful. Very commendable indeed.
KoolPool has received appreciation from the PCRA & Ministry of Urban Development and a large number of corporates are lending their support to this social initiative. It will initially be launched in Mumbai but soon will be moving over to other metropolitan cities.
I wish them all the success with this ‘technology enabled social experiment’.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Amit,
Koolpool seems to be really cool!!
A much needed service for the congested roads in the metros. It is interesting to see that an NGO has innovatively used technology for the cause of the environment. Very well thought of!
Good Luck to the koolpool team.
best
divya
True, the fact that an NGO is behind KoolPool is simply overwhelming. Its a very gutsy decision on their part. This project involves significant technological challenges.
I’d be interested in knowing whether they have done this inhouse or contracted this to some software firm. And making a software is not a one time job; it has to be maintained and upgraded from time to time, so its a continuing involvement.
amit
Hi Amit,
MESN team thanks you on writing such wonderful article on our project koolpool. You have covered it real well!
As all of us are victims of road congestion and ever rising fuel prices and grumble about it day and night.. MESN being an NGO with special focus on transportation issues, thought of taking some action and came up with this wonderful concept of carpooling via sms. Its founder is Mr. Joshua D’Souza who has been working on it with admirable patience for the last 2 years.
I would like to tell you that Times Internet Limited has developed the system for us and has been our backbone for long now. Also Radio city has agreed to be our official partner and are promoting koolpool for us. Even HPCL has agreed to let us use their petrol pumps as pool stops. Through your column we would like to thank all of them for standing by our side and helping us in promoting this noble idea.
It is really nice to see that people all over the world are taking such keen interest in koolpool. The good news is that koolpool has been shortlisted to present a paper on its operations at VI International Conference towards Carfree Cities in Bogota.
We plan to launch our project soon. Will keep you and your readers posted.
Hey
It is really nice of this NGO to take this initiative. It is an intelligent system and hope it works!! Traffic is no doubt a menace on the road and its time all of us support such organizations in finding a solution.
It’s a great project and I am glad to see support for each of these new initiatives taken.
Few opinions on Tezaa too gives a thumbs up to this service
cheers,
Shalin Jain
http://www.shalinjain.com
Hi,
Its great to see this enthusiasm about carpools picking up in the country. I have been carpooling since march and incidently made my carpool through indimoto.com. My take on these two sites indimoto and koolpool, well indimoto is a whole lot flexible giving us the opportunity to pool with anyone we feel like across India and its FREE. Koolpool is a good concept but it will be interesting to see how they get out of Mumbai to cover all India with this SMS model. And since its a paid tool i dont think many people would use it. All in all its too complicated. Anyways its the thought that counts.
Rgds
Gautan
Hey Friends,
Thanks for your valuable comments. Divya, Sanjiv, Shalini, Gautam… thank you for the kind words.
Gautam.. I went through the Indimoto website.
Indeed they have made a good effort. And its nice to see that they have fans like you
But I would like to inform all that Koolpool is not an incidental activity. MESN is an NGO and is totally focused on solving transportation problems of Mumbai. Koolpool is not a commercial venture. It is a social initiative taken by few people who share the passion of doing something for the city. We already are being encouraged to start it in Delhi, Banglore and Pune. But we prefer to make it successful in one city first and then move on to others.
Lot of thought is there behind this project. It gives real time database of the members traveling on your route at the same time. We are also making an effort to encourage ride givers to leave their cars behind by offering free 10 rides for every 20 rides they give. This would directly help in solving our objective i.e. to reduce number of vehicles on road.
Difference between paid and free is that we take responsibility of our members while other sites don’t. The charges are added for security purposes also. Koolpool works on prepaid basis, which is fair for both ride givers and ride seekers and saves one the headache and embarrassment of negotiation.
And at the end of the day, life is not all about money. It’s also about the thought that you are doing something for your nation and for your city… as you said “it is the thought that counts†J
Cheers!!
Jyoti Kalra
Project Coordinator
Koolpool
9320905547
Hi Jyoti,
I think the koolpool model is not complicated, infact it is comprehensive and has been thought through in great detail. The fact that it is paid and is not free, may actually be the very reason for its success. I believe that human nature is such that when you pay for such things you value it more and will try to make it happen!
I agree with you that its not only money that moves the world (though people belonging to this school of thought are becoming ‘endangered species’). I think people should appreciate the fact that technology can also be used innovatively for social development and social change through initiatives like these. But I think we often miss the woods for the trees; thats exactly what happens when we equate technology = profit making.
Anyways, hope that more such innovations happen in future.
best,
divya
hi,
this is a fantastic concept. this cocept if taken seriously and backed by the government by giving incentives, will save millions of litres of petrol, reduce pollution and save india plenty of moolah. we need more out of the box thinking like this.Hats off!
Just visited the website, koolpool.co.in, and tried to register myself. Guess what? They ask you for your photo ID proof, employment proof and what not!
Although, this sure gives extreme safety and credibility to the service, I think, this is unnecessary. Carpool communities are already very active on Orkut and other websites, and I’ve found them very effective and safe. A brief 5 min chat with the other person tells you whether he/she is genuine or a crook.
And.. who’s to say that these ppl won’t misuse these docs? U know, with these docs, they can get you a ‘free’ cerdit card, a new mobile connection, and pocket a cool commission.
Hi
Read all the comments. People who are trying to bring down such great concept need to get themselves treated. Instead of supporting the initiative, they are wasting their time finding faults. What can I say but…. GET WELL SOON GUYS
I am glad to see a service like this. I am a regular commuter between Pune and Bombay on a day trip and i will be glad to share my car with some of the members on no obligation basis. I do this commute at least 3-4 times a week and it can be very boring to do it all alone most of the times. I will be glad to have some new friends sharing this drive with me.
Warm reards. Ajay
This website looks a bit complecated for to be used by a non technical man. Why don’t you all try http://www.poolmycar.in This website is being used by hundreds of companies for corporate car pooling. I work in Adobe and even we use this for official carpooling. It has some emp code verification system which makes it very safe.. Just give a try to poolmycar.in
Hi Guys,
Koolpool seems to be off. So you can use smsCarpool.com
The service is completely free. It is new on the block but it uses very advanced technologies like google maps, iphone and mobile support and you can carry out virtually all commands via sms.
Cheers and happy carpooling
Roadsharing.com is a website dedicated to making single occupant cars a thing of the past.
If you want to hitch a free ride in a car share, get involved in car-pooling, or hitch-hike, roadsharing.com is for you.
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