As more rural areas in Nigeria are fast assuming urban status, transportation is increasingly becoming a big challenge. Issues of traffic congestion and parking difficulties across major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu are becoming worrisome. Against this the backdrop, GoMyWay, a ride-sharing marketplace connecting passengers with ride owners going along the same route with free seats to spare – is offering a cheap, fun and safe solutions to this challenge.
According to the Managing Director and Co-founder of GoMyWay, Damilola Teidi, the essence of the solution is to create a green environment with multifaceted transport systems and build a community spirit, where people who live in the same neighbourhood get to know much about one another while on a journey.
[ad id=”1169″]“At GoMyWay, we believe travelling should be cheap, fun and safe, and we have built this platform to ensure it is. This is not another taxi service. It is simply regular people using their resources in a smarter way,” she explained.
Commenting on safety measures, the company has in place, different verification levels for all members and a dedicated support team to monitor activities on the platform.
“We have put different verification levels in place including valid ID verification. The more verification you have done, the more likely it is that your request to join someone’s ride will be accepted or that other people will join your ride. We also have a support team to monitor activities on the platform. Of course as time goes on, we will continue to build on this.
[ad id=”147″]”A co-travelers pays a ride owner an agreed contribution that will help cover some of the travel expenses – for example fuel costs. Aside, significantly reducing the travel costs whether as a passenger or ride owner, you get to make new friends, meet potential business partners and conveniently arrive at your destination. In addition, you get to contribute to protecting the environment”, she said.
Launched in June 2015 with over $70,000 funding from investors to develop the car-pooling infrastructure, GoMyWay offers passengers the cheapest and most convenient way to travel on long-distance trips across the country or simply to commute within a city. The platform has so far attracted over 1,500 members.