Imagined by Philippe Macé, a Mayenne entrepreneur from Louverné, the Stopngo application aims to facilitate carpooling between individuals thanks to interactive terminals, placed at strategic points, such as train stations, airports or at the entrance to towns and villages.
It looks like Blablacar. It sounds – a little – like Blablacar. But, it’s not Blablacar. Stopngocar is a carpooling application (the journey is paid for by the passenger) which connects passengers wanting to go from point A to point B and drivers. “I always drove a lot and picked up hitchhikers to help. But the current carpooling systems did not suit me,” indicates Philippe Macé, Mayenne entrepreneur based in Louverné.
He then imagined a carpooling system that he believes “simple and easy. No appointment required and inexpensive. My mission is to put everyone’s transport capabilities at the service of everyone. The potential for carpooling is considerable,” he believes.
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Making appointments in advance, fixed time and day, specific location… Philippe Macé believes that carpooling as it is proposed lacks flexibility. Both for the driver and those looking to travel. “Carpooling needs to be much more instantaneous. Currently, it is more the driver who plans his trip and schedules things. »
For him, carpooling must be thought of from the passenger’s point of view. As for the driver, he must be informed in an extremely practical way “by avoiding text messages”. Hence Philippe Macé’s idea of setting up large digital terminals, called ” carpool station “, in certain places “strategic” : in train stations, airports, exits from towns and villages, or even at motorway parking lots.
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One hour to find a driver
Via the Stopngo application, the passenger lets them know where they would like to go within the hour. Drivers who are registered receive a notification on their smartphone. Passenger requests are also displayed in real time, on carpooling station terminals, like a drop-down menu.
The passenger pays the driver for their trip via the application. The passenger pays ten cents per kilometer via the Stopngocar application. 18% of this amount goes to Stopngocar. The rest goes to the driver. “Thanks to geolocation, the driver will pick up the passenger where they are. After an hour, the request is deleted », explains Philippe Macé. “ The more terminals there are, the more this system will be able to develop. »
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To date, 2,500 people use the Stopngocar application. There are no digital carpooling terminals installed yet, but they are operational, assures Philippe Macé.
He presented his concept at the end of May in Paris, during the Île-de-France mayors’ fair, which focused on innovation and commitment to the climate. “We no longer have the means for the planet, for public finances, and those of the French to continue to drive alone in our cars,” comments Philippe Macé who hopes to contribute to developing carpooling.
