Austin and its contemporary inhabitants have long been known for their active participation in shaping the ever-changing culture and dynamic of the city. From our slogans of “Keep Austin Weird” to “The Live Capital Music of the World”, every Austinite prides itself on being part of this empowering trend; not only actively contributing but also passively embracing the outcomes. Of the most prominent 21st century cities, many have veered from the traditional late 1900’s models of expansion and physical growth to a more efficient and sustainable life style. While North American cities reflex the symptoms of urbanization and migration from the central area to the suburbs, Austin rejoices in a downtown residential and commercial boom, evermore attracting residents to live and commute there.
The growth spurt can be experienced first-hand when sitting on MoPac or I-35, experiencing more and more traffic every day that affects the amount of time we must spend commuting.
But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here’s a fun fact: we’ve calculated an estimated 358,000 Austin residents drive to work alone every day. That’s about 76% of the population, or roughly over 900,000 empty car seats commuting most workdays!
If only one out of every four commuters was to utilize an alternate method to head to work daily, your and my time would be reduced noticeably.
Austin is getting more options like the CapMetro rapid transit (http://www.capmetro.org/metrorapid/) and Bikeshare (https://austin.bcycle.com/home/) programs, nonetheless these options alleviate but a fraction of the congestion. That’s where Carma comes in. Not only does Carma offer the possibility to reduce time, but also expenses, CO2 emissions, and a more sustainable lifestyle to all of us who pride in our city’s progress.
To our Austin friends and neighbors, check out the new app from February 20th, and see how real time ridesharing can help us get around town together!