Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1174220
S4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 OCTOBER 2019 ELDERLY CARE AS Malta's newest transport service, Cool ride-pooling, cel- ebrates its first three months of operation, we look back on the journey so far, assess where Cool is headed next, and pre- sent a fantastic new offer that will help hospital visitors in par- ticular. What do you get if you cross a cab with public transport? Finding that transportation sweet-spot between the com- fort and timely convenience of a cab, and the low price of a public transport, has long been the dream of many commuters in Malta. In July this year, at last, just such a transport solution ar- rived. Enter Cool, the first on-de- mand ride-pooling service avail- able in Malta, which offers pas- sengers the chance to travel in the same car as other travellers who are all headed in the same direction. The corner-to-corner service - so the car will collect you from a nearby corner and drop you to another near your destination, with an average to- tal walking distance of around 100 metres. And all this for only €4.95 per ride, bookable via a dedicated mobile phone app. In just three months, Cool has already captured the imagina- tion of Malta's travellers and commuters. "We have received very positive feedback from the general public so far. As well as avoiding the need to find park- ing, they like the price, particu- larly, as it is fixed and unaffect- ed by time of day, time spent in the vehicle or traffic delays," ex- plains Laura Jasenaite at Cool. "We are currently carrying out around 500-600 trips per day, with most of those trips taking place during peak hours, such as the morning and evening rush hours. This shows that people are using us for their commute, so we are already helping con- gestion. Having three people in a Cool vehicle means at least two fewer cars on the road, which also goes towards reduc- ing each person's carbon foot- print." In order to test the local ap- petite for such a concept, Cool launched, and still currently operates, in a limited zone comprising: Attard, Balzan, Bir- guma, Birkirkara, Blata l-Bajda, Floriana, Gharghur, Gwarda- mangia, Gzira, Hamrun, Ibragg, Iklin, Mriehel, Kappara, Lija, Madliena, Marsa, Msida, Swa- tar, Swieqi, Paceville, Pembroke, Pieta, Qormi, San Gwann, Sliema, St Julian's, St Venera, Ta' Xbiex, and Valletta. As the service becomes more popular, however, Cool plans to expand coverage to the whole of Malta. Meanwhile, a new offer, which reduces the rate-per-ride to just €3.95 from €4.95, promises to assist passengers travelling to and from one important des- tination: the hospital. "Since parking is tricky both at Mater Dei Hospital and at St Luke's Hospital, we feel that this is something we can do to give back to the community," con- tinues Ms Jasenaite. "This way, passengers have the conveni- ence of a cab, especially if they need to carry anything with them (although we advise that if you are taking big luggage, to call and let us know). We hope that it will make getting to and from the hospital much easier, cheaper and more efficient, while also reducing congestion in this crucial spot." To find out more about Cool ride-pooling, and to download the mobile phone app, visit www.cool.mt Cool ride-pooling launches special offer for hospital passengers