Will people risk giving ride to strangers?

car owners in Delhi may be able to save up to 50 per cent travel cost by sharing rides under a citywide carpool scheme proposed by the Delhi transport department aimed at decongesting the city.

People who register with the Pan City Mega Carpool (pcmc) scheme can get in touch with other car owners taking the same route as them. A web-enabled programme helps them network with other car owners with similar travel plans on a daily basis. Those who give a ride get mileage credit that can be redeemed by availing a ride from any member of the carpool.

Members who opt for the scheme would be issued smart cards and would have to get their cars fitted with a device that has an ID-card reader, a global positioning system and a general packet radio service.