the goan I network
PANAJI
The ‘Share Your Ride Goa’ concept which was started two days ago to help people hitch-hike within Goa in light of the taxi strike, has picked up pace on Facebook and Whatsapp, with more and more people giving lifts to commuters who wish to travel on the same route as them. The concept has turned into a movement of its own, and is turning out to be a solution to the overpriced taxi services in the State, as well as the ongoing strike.
Share Your Ride Goa was started as a Whatsapp group on August 3, and has since turned into a Facebook group to accommodate the sheer number of people who have been looking for lifts. The rides have come as a blessing not only to tourists, but to locals as well.
People who need lifts to various destinations in Goa, share a post on either one of the social media platforms with their phone numbers, where they wish to go to, and when. Those who own their private vehicles and are traveling on the same route, then pick up and drop off these people. The same works the other way round, where if someone knows they are going to be travelling along a certain route, they put up a post announcing the same, along with their contact numbers. The concept has been working well, especially helping those who need lifts from the Dabolim Airport.
‘Share Your Ride Goa’ now has a separate Whatsapp group only for airport rides. In addition, it has also branched off into ‘Share Your Ride Goa North’ for those travelling only within North Goa, and ‘Share Your Ride Goa South’ for those travelling only within South Goa. There is also a Panaji specific ‘Share Your Ride Goa Panaji group.’
These were started so as to be better organised, as too many people started joining the original whatsapp group, and the group reached its maximum capacity. One of the users on Monday suggested that people commuting on a certain route daily could carpool and share fuel costs.
Meanwhile, the founder volunteers of ‘Share Your Ride Goa’ intends to continue the movement even if private taxi operators get back on the road.
