“Our long-term goal is to get people out of their vehicles and encourage them to utilise ride-pooling, so we would have less traffic in the streets of Malta. This can only be done if we make mobility efficient and financially cheaper than maintaining a car, while the same convenience is offered for passengers,” Laura Jasenaite, CEO of Cool Ride-Pooling, tells BM.

The platform is powered by ride-pooling solution provider ViaVan, which application’s algorithms match passengers travelling in the same direction and finds the optimal route for their trip within a travel zone.

“Having a reliable and well-working technology is inevitable for reducing waiting times and offering a service that is quick and convenient,” Ms Jasenaite says when talking about the app their service uses.

“We would like to get people to use our services for everyday commuting. Businesses can join us in encouraging their employees to leave their car behind by sponsoring their commutes through our app with either buying trips for them or offering credits for our app as a benefit,” Ms Jasenaite adds.

Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, applauded the recently-launched service as an attempt to reduce the number of cars in the roads of Malta. “I welcome this initiative as one of the sustainable transportation options, which will contribute to reducing traffic on the roads. Today most of the private vehicle journeys are completed by a single person. Ride-pooling can increase vehicle occupancy and deliver tangible benefits for both passengers and the environment such as saved costs fuel and parking, cleaner air and decreased the need for parking,” the minister said.

Debono Group investment

Cool Ride-Pooling is a new project under the umbrella of the Debono Group. Following the launch of the GoTo car sharing platform in 2018, the mobility group has looked to deliver another first to the Maltese islands.

“Cool is our latest step in our endeavour to build a sustainable mobility ecosystem in Malta. Our aim is to make mobility on the island the most effective and efficient yet simplest in the world. We look to enhance the experience offered to customers by leveraging technology to deliver best in class solutions that cater to customer needs and requirements. Cool ensures that the quickest routes are calculated dynamically in real-time, allowing for quick and efficient shared trips without lengthy detours,” said Geoffrey Debono, the Group’s CEO.

“The group is looking to move the needle when it comes to local transportation options. We want to deploy a solution that makes shared transport a more appealing choice to everyone and we hope to onboard hundreds of commuters every day from across Malta — thus ensuring Cool can really be a game changer in the mobility space — making ride-hailing more accessible and affordable for everyone,” added Michael Debono, the Group’s Strategic Director.

“ViaVan is a global leader in the ride pooling space and today operates services in major global cities including New York, London, Berlin and Amsterdam. The company is redefining public mobility by providing fully on-demand and dynamic transportation solutions,” said Chris Snyder, CEO of ViaVan. “Malta is an innovation-forward country, so we’re delighted to launch this ground- breaking on-demand service in partnership with the Debono Group. Together we look to provide everyone, from residents to tourists, with a convenient, affordable and congestion-reducing transportation alternative. This is truly a great example of a country embracing the future of mobility.”

During the launch period, the vehicles will be operating within a fixed zone covering the Attard, Balzan, Birguma, Birkirkara, Blata l-Bajda, Floriana, Gharghur, Gwardamangia, Gzira, Hamrun, Ibragg, Iklin, Imriehel, Kappara, Lija, Madliena, Marsa, Msida, Swatar, Swieqi, Paceville, Pembroke, Pieta, Qormi, San Gwann, Sliema, St. Julians, St. Venera, Ta Xbiex, and Valletta areas. Following the launch stage, the service will be gradually extended to cover more and more localities in Malta.

Travelling within this zone costs €4.95 per ride, whole second passengers in the same booking will ride for €2.48, 50% of the standard price, the press statement says.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The present article has been uploaded with the comment made by transport minister Ian Borg, a crosshead has been added and the cover picture has been changed.

The post Cool Ride-Pooling service launches in Malta first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Employers who are members of the Malta Chamber of Commerce will be able to set an appointment and submit up to five applications a week. The officers, who are currently undergoing training with ID Malta, will only be accepting applications from those employers who will be directly employing the prospective applicants, as the press statement says.

This announcement was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and Simplification of Administrative Procedures Julia Farrugia Portelli, during a dialogue meeting for members of the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry with the Prime Minister.

Alongside this initiative, Ms Farrugia Portelli announced that a pilot project with two of Malta’s major economic pillars will make way for an online platform. This online platform, which will be gradually enrolled later this year, will enable employers to electronically apply for still-abroad applicants.

“These new initiatives will further smooth out the application process so as to meet customer demands better,” said Ms Farrugia Portelli.

The post Chamber of Commerce, Identity Malta to launch new service first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The number can be set up through their mobile app, and provides a locally-based virtual landline or mobile number. Users can decide the country and even the local area code they want their number to be based in. The new service Viber is offering is a subscription-based one.

The company says users of the service can use phone services at the local rates of the number, regardless of where they are physically located in the world. According Viber, their service is ideal for people who move abroad and want to maintain a local number of their home countries.

“Anyone who calls this number can reach you as they would with any other local number, and you will receive the call (and even regular text messages) through your Viber app,” the press statement says, as long as the mobile phone is connected to the internet.

The post Viber introduces ‘local number’ service first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The service is available for any travel claim and includes filling out an online form. Clients can upload photos of flight tickets, reports, receipts, and other documentation necessary. Atlas says they contact clients after the application, in related to their claims.

“With hundreds of clients making use of our recently launched online claims services for motor and health, we have now rolled out a similar online service for lodging travel claims,” says Keith Tanti, Personal Lines and Intermediaries Manager at Atlas.

“With these new easy to use online services, we are extending our client touchpoints to continue to offer the best and most convenient service possible to our clients, especially those who prefer online services,” Mr Tanti adds.

The post Atlas launches online travel claims service first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.