The way people in Mexico travel from A to B has changed dramatically in recent years. One newly popular method of getting around is “ridesharing,” also known as “carpooling.”
BlaBlaCar is the world’s largest long-distance ridesharing community is offering 15,000 seats over Easter, representing savings of up to 45 percent compared to using a coach.
The idea is to connect drivers with empty seats and passengers headed to the same destination, so they can travel together and share the cost of the journey.
According to one study published by the Center for Public Opinion in the Universidad del Valle de Mexico, four out of ten Mexicans visit a tourist destination over Easter. Hardly surprising then, that traffic jams are common.
Ridesharing allows drivers to cut down on congestion, with the knock on effect of cutting CO2 emissions and reducing waiting times.
In addition to the environmental and financial benefits of ridesharing, it also affords opportunities to socialize and meet new people.
“More and more Mexicans are sharing their cars during the holidays,” said Alberto Padilla, the general director of BlaBlaCar in Mexico. “Because of this, BlaBlaCar is one of the most popular methods of travelling on the highway during the great exodus of Holy Week.”
The most popular trips advertised for this season are Guadalajara to Mexico City, Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico City to Leon.
People keen to carpool can download the free trip-sharing application for smartphones or visit the website blablacar.mx.