Carpool service Blablacar wants its users to start transporting parcels too. Co-founder Nicolas Brusson told NOS. "In Russia, people are already trying to use Blablacar to transport things. They book a seat in a car, but then show up with a parcel," Brusson said.
Currently, Blablacar operates only as a carpooling service. Users can 'sell' an extra spot in their car to people who want to ride along. Motorists can recoup fuel costs this way. This mainly involves longer trips, e.g. from Amsterdam to Paris.
"Our millions of users drive between all kinds of cities and towns," Brusson explained to NOS. "Those can also take parcels, letters and other things. The car drives anyway, so why not take a guitar from Amsterdam to Brussels. Now it costs a fortune to get that arranged within 24 hours." For now, it is just an idea. Eventually, the concept will have to be actually tested.
Less controversial than Uber
Blablacar is used by around 4 million people every month. While the service is often mentioned in the same breath as startups like Uber and Airbnb, it receives less criticism than these 'pioneers'. Blablacar, for instance, has not yet taken on any angry taxi drivers or lawmakers. According to Brusson, this is because drivers do not make a profit on using Blablacar. People who do try to make a profit are even taken off the site. "We don't have professional drivers. Driving for Uber is a job. We set a cap on how much you can charge for a ride and how many seats you offer. We make it impossible to make a profit. That is why we are left alone."
Editorial LogistiekProfs
Stay up to date
Sign up for the newsletter and receive the latest news, trends, innovations and developments from the sector.
