Ridepooling conquers Zurich

Stranded in Zurich in the evening with no bus or tram in sight? No problem! Night owls can now get about sustainably and conveniently courtesy of a professional mobility service called i&any. And lessen pressure on their wallet by sharing rides. 

15.05.2023

  • Mobility

The opera’s come to an end, the party’s over – or maybe the bag full of ingredients for tonight’s communal supper’s just too heavy? People often need a convenient and cost-effective alternative to public transport in the evening and late at night. Once the buses and trams stop running, they resort to hailing taxis or calling an Uber-type service and travelling alone. But why not share the ride with other people to protect the environment and save money? It’s a concept that’s being rolled out by Mobility sub-brand i&any â€“ initially in the city of Zurich. 

People can now not only share rides, but also benefit from a professional driving service based on car sharing specialist Mobility’s electric cars. This ridepooling scheme operates every Thursday to Saturday from 6 pm through to 4 am, i.e. when it’s most needed.

So what’s ridepooling?

This where a pool of passengers share a private hire ride, i.e. they travel together with others who are going in the same direction. Journeys are shared and as many seats as possible are occupied in one car. This type of mobility already exists in some European cities – and now Zurich. Pooling saves money: it costs somewhere in the region of, or below, other ride services. Another advantage is that the set price applies even if there’s a traffic jam or a diversion.

How does it work?

Simple: you use an app to book an electric vehicle to get you from A to B. The professional driver picks up passengers at virtual stops spread throughout the city of Zurich. If other people are going the same or a similar way, they get picked up along the route. It’s great for meeting like-minded individuals: “We appeal to anyone who needs to get around Zurich city centre in the evening and in the early morning,” says Franziska Schär, Product Manager at i&any. What the passengers have in common is that “all want to get from A to B flexibly, sustainably and cost-effectively.” 

Cars used for Mobility’s car sharing during the day

Through pooled rides, e-vehicles and fair working conditions for drivers, i&any is making a useful contribution to the quality of life and sustainability of the city of the future. This way of complementing public transport and the private car helps reduce congestion and emissions. i&any uses only electric vehicles powered by green electricity – the ones made available to Mobility car sharing customers during the day. This makes perfect use of all the cars. 

Intelligent algorithms coordinate the bookings and ensure that drivers are shown the most efficient route. The system also keeps empty running and downtime to a minimum. Sharing rides with strangers never been so safe or so sensible. 

Details: www.iandany.ch

What makes it special? Three benefits at a glance

Pooled rides, e-vehicles, fair working conditions for employed drivers – i&any by Mobility helps drive sustainable mobility in the city. 

  1. Eco-friendly: pooled rides in a Mobility e-car. 
  2. Fair: the drivers are employed through Mobility and receive fair pay and comprehensive social benefits. 
  3. Cost-effective: cheaper than a taxi. What’s more, the price doesn’t change once set. Even in traffic jams. 

Your browser version is no longer supported

Update your browser or use an alternative. We recommend using Google Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox.