Pablo Viñado prefers to travel alone, says it gives him more independence. Again, He did the BlaBlaCar a few days ago and took three more to go to Marbella to see his family. At first he was considering other options “like train or even plane”, saying “I couldn’t get it” but decided to go by car.
But there was one problem: Gasoline was rising fast, and the amount he was paying was now beyond his limits. That’s why he decided to put his trip on the application and thus cover some of the round trip costs. “Considering that I spent a deposit on the idea and a deposit on the return, it’s better to share the payment,” he says. Because of gas prices, the company being on the road or environmental problems. There are many reasons that are driving more and more people to share a car to get around, but the most recent and dominant is economic.
For business or pleasure, near or far from origin, but BlaBlaCar is one of the most preferred choices. In the middle of summer, thousands of people take their long-awaited rest by car, but many did not do it alone, but rather shared a car with others.
more than 40,000 trips
Specifically, and according to the BlaBlaCar app, it is expected to register more than 40,000 trips in the Community of Valencia this summer, out of 350,000 trips in all of Spain, representing a 40% increase compared to the same period in 2019. Also, according to the company that connects passengers and drivers, 79% of users will bet on this medium for one reason: the impact of the increase in fuels on their economy.
On the other hand, this is one of the reasons why Iñaki and the two of them went to Malaga to see some friends. It was a seven-hour drive. “The main reasons I chose to share a car are that traveling alone costs me a lot, but also because I think it is more sustainable to reduce the number of cars on the road for environmental reasons, and I travel alone for seven more hours”, comment on this newspaper.
Users of all ages
There are many people like him. The increase in the number of users was noticed by Iñaki as a private individual, as it was a long journey this time, “many asked me even though the car was already full.” Actually, the return from Malaga has already been completed.
The reasons for transportation are not just for fun, but there are also people who are increasingly sharing a car to get to work. As several users consulted by this newspaper confirm, the savings on transportation never get old and BlaBlaCar users are of all ages.
According to Pablo Viñado, he believes ridesharing should be “a short-term solution to exorbitant prices” and the long-term solution should be “to set a cap that regulates prices internationally.” By the way, he already has several BlaBlaCar trips behind him.
“Travels are cheaper for me and the way things are going, I think you have to go there. It’s a beating because in the end it’s like you’re the driver, but because I’m still going to make the trip, it’s a rescue route”, reflects the young man from Valencia.
In this sense, a survey of users of the company, which currently connects 92 towns of the Valencian Community, also shows that the majority of platform users (71%) would prefer to use the shared car. compared to private non-shared vehicle (34%) or train (24%).
main destinations
On the other hand, the document reflects how the increase in fuel affects users, as 79% claim this reason for using carpooling in the summer. Also, among the preferences of Valencia residents their intention to engage in national tourism stands out with 79%, so the main registered destinations are Madrid and Valencia, Alicante and Madrid, Alicante and Valencia, joining the towns of Barcelona and Valencia. and finally Valencia and Zaragoza.
The company, which already has more than 7 million users in Spain and more than 850,000 users in the Valencian Community, recorded historical data in both travel publications and bookings in the first half of the year, and continues to break its own records by averaging. , 25% more activity than in the first half of 2019.
One of the reasons for this increase was due to the continuous increase in fuel prices, which increased by more than 30% in both gasoline and diesel. Although many users prefer this option because it means economic savings, environmental awareness and the preference of using collective vehicles instead of private vehicles are also valid in some cases. .