Volvo IT launch redefines car-pooling

Volvo IT launch redefines car-pooling

Have you ever been in a rush to get to work and your car won't start? 
No problem.  A new web and mobile service function, Commute Greener, now
provides information on others in your area who travel the same route. 
In addition, the application can also send a ride share request to allow
you to quickly make other travel arrangements. The service can also help
find cycling buddies or the times of the best bus service.

Commute Greener was devised by Volvo IT to cut carbon dioxide emissions
by commuting smarter. The service is now being given a new function
called Ride Share, which helps connect people who travel the same
routes. The service may actually redefine car-pooling since it does not
only include car journeys, but can also help to find the best bus
service or even finds someone to cycle to work with.

The service recently became free for private individuals who download it
to an iPhone from the App Store, or by using it on other mobile phones.

“Getting started simply means to record the normal travel patterns to
and from their jobs. This gives a baseline and users are then encouraged
to set targets for travelling greener to reduce their carbon footprint.
By riding a bicycle to work, for example, individuals can also improve
their health while saving on fuel costs.” says Magnus Kuschel,
responsible for Commute Greener at Volvo IT.

A connection to social media, like Facebook, gives new ways to share
experiences online.

In addition to individuals around the world using Commute Greener,
customers are companies and organizations in cities such as Göteborg,
Sweden, New York City, San Francisco and Mexico City, in order to ease
the burden on the environment and the roads.

“We provide certification of cities and organizations as part of their
social responsibility and environmental management systems. Furthermore,
transport organizations can use Commute Greener to access data
concerning real-time travel patterns. This allows for the improved
utilization of public transport, while at the same time reducing
congestion.” Kuschel continues.

By encouraging teams to engage in friendly competition, Commute Greener
has created enthusiasm for a “greener” lifestyle. As part of smart
climate campaigns, many teams that have used Commute Greener have
succeeded in cutting their carbon dioxide emission by more than 30%.

Niklas Wahlberg, CEO of Lindholmen Science Park, is one of those who
have launched a campaign, which has given clear results: “We
cross-fertilize modern media, intelligent transport systems and mobile
internet. Commute Greener provides tangible business results as well as
improves our travel behavior. Thanks to unique matching, a new way of
finding a ride share is on the increase and the amount of collected
Zero-Emission-Miles are equivalent to an entire trip around the world!”

14 September 2011

Facts: Commute Greener!™ was launched less than two years ago by Volvo
IT, Volvo Bus and AB Volvo as a web and mobile phone-based service to
measure and motivate cutting carbon dioxide emissions. By logging
journeys you can see the amount of emissions produced and get incentives
to reduce emissions. You also improve your health while reducing your
fuel costs. Commute Greener is being developed in an open innovative
system, meaning that many players are allowed to join in, such as
customers, students, researchers and other players.

Websites:

Commute Greener: www.CommuteGreener.com (http://www.commutegreener.com/)

Youtube demo about Ride Share:
www.youtube.com/CommuteGreener (http://www.youtube.com/CommuteGreener)

Volvo IT: www.volvoit.com (http://www.volvoit.com/)

Lindholmen Science Park: www.lindholmen.se

Images. Please type Commute Greener in the search box:
http://icp.llr.se/CumulusE_Z/VolvoGroup_ImageGallery/Login2.jsp (http://
icp.llr.se/CumulusE_Z/VolvoGroup_ImageGallery/Login2.jsp)

Caption: Magnus Kuschel, responsible for Commute Greener, says that
using new technology and social media is important for directing us
towards a climate-smart society.

For further information, please contact:

Jan Strandhede, Corporate Communications, tel +46 31 323 37 15,
jan.strandhede@volvo.com (jan.strandhede@volvo.com)

Volvo Information Technology AB is a wholly owned subsidiary of AB
Volvo. With its roots in the automotive industry, the company today
delivers IT solutions and services for all types of companies and
organisations. Its customers include AB Volvo, Ford Motor Company, Volvo
Car Corporation, SCA, Assa Abloy, the City of Stockholm, the City of
Göteborg and other large operations across multiple industries,
including the public sector. In 2010, Volvo IT's global operations
generated a turnover of SEK 7.5 billion and the company had more than
5,000 employees at more than 35 locations in Europe, North America,
South America and Asia.