Bitburg-Prüm, Germany Digital Ride-Sharing Bench

The Digital Ride-Sharing Bench is an innovative online matchmaking tool, where people needing support can access car owners offering rides in their area. The goal is to create a safer and more reliable solution than simply hoping a driver going the same way will pass by and offer a ride.

Initially aimed at securing a neighborhood mobility system, digital ridesharing provided rides for seniors or anyone without their own vehicle or other transport options.

Volunteers placed benches have been at locations along major country roads with signage allowing riders to select a destination from among neighboring towns. Passing motorists could stop and give a ride to the person on the bench. But the “system” was not very reliable, hampered by uncertainty that a car will pass traveling in the same direction.

The bench project was implemented in collaboration with the regional Bitburg-Prüm government, German Red Cross, Caritas Germany, volunteer groups from the region, and DevLabor Desk to Web Mobile. To helping improve the system and make it more secure and reliable, TMF supported by building a digital platform (App durch die Eifel) where people searching a ride can -arrange trips before reaching the bench.

The primary beneficiaries of this project are people with reduced mobility, including seniors or people with disabilities.           

The project was completed in 2023.