Аha!CAR is one of the first in Bulgaria free of charge carpooling platforms for shared travel. Recently Aha!CAR received the Investment in Environment award. The award is granted to companies which launch and use environmentally friendly products and technologies, as well as for their active participation in the environment protection field.

We learn more about the shared travel and the platform itself from one of its founders Kaloyan Iliev:

“The culture of shared travel was introduced into this country by Bulgarian students who studied abroad.  Some very powerful platforms for shared travel have been functioning in Europe for a very long time”, says Kaloyan, “When these students returned to Bulgaria they tried to implement this new practice, the culture of sharing, not only with regard to travel, but also to all other types of resources. Perhaps, we impressed the jury with our interesting approach. We use mobile applications, in order to encourage our society to share the vacant seats when traveling across the city for instance. Thus, the CO2 emissions stemming from our daily trip from home to the office are reduced. This type of transport has a very good future in Bulgaria not only in our big cities, but also across the whole country.”

Aha!CAR is to attend the European Business Awards for the Environment.

Kalin Georgiev is one of the supporters of the shared travel. He has a Masters degree in Software Engineering and shares a travel most often from Sofia to his native town of Harmanli (Southeastern Bulgaria) and back. What made Kalin use this alternative travel method? More from Mr. Georgiev:

 
 “On one hand, shared travel is cheaper. On the other hand, it is much more convenient, because I do not have to carry heavy luggage to the bus stations. I often travel with the same people on my way home.”

Petar Manolov is another fan of this type of travel. He graduated IT at the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies. He is originally from Plovdiv, but he settled in Sofia some 25 years ago. He has been using shared travel for nearly two years. Here is what Petar told Radio Bulgaria about the advantages of the shared travel.

 “Firstly, it is environmentally friendly, because it saves a lot of CO2 emissions. Besides, people make new friends and time flies when they travel. This is a situation which benefits everyone.” 

Petar was the only one who recalled an unpleasant story during one of his shared trips when he was the driver of the vehicle himself. He came across bad companions on the Facebook. They were over 30 minutes late, demanded a lot of breaks during the trip and even used some light narcotics.

“If I traveled with them with the Aha!CAR platform I would share my experience with other users, so people are careful with such type of clients and avoid stressful trips.”

Valentin Staykov is from the town of Haskovo (Southeastern Bulgaria). He graduated the Technical University of Sofia. His shared travel experience started quite accidentally through the Facebook. Here are the rules observed in his private car.

 “Smoking is strictly prohibited in my car. Sometimes I let people take pets with them, although the seats are full of hair afterwards. However, I understand these people and let them travel with their pets, because I love these animals as well.”

The three young Bulgarians shared their travel experience with me during a shared trip, after we got in touch through the Aha!CAR platform.

However, there are still some people who like to use the traditional travel with unknown car. Bogdana Georgieva is one of those Bulgarians. She admits that she sometimes uses travel platforms, but the exciting hitchhiking will be always her first choice, because she has been using this type of travel since she was 16.

“Hitchhiking is a way to be on unknown places, meet with new people and make true friendships. It is always an adventure, an exciting memory which is kept long after the end of the travel.”

Bogdana advises women to avoid traveling alone, because sometimes they may face some dangerous situations. Nevertheless, the good old hitchhiking remains her preferred way of travel.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov