One of the applications and services that we use the most is BlaBlaCar, a platform that allows us to share a trip and, with it, expenses to travel more cheaply. But how does BlaBlaCar work?
If you have never used it before, but it catches your attention and you would like to try it, here we will talk about it and all the information you should know about the platform. Go for it?
What is Blablacar
The first thing we would like you to understand is what BlaBlaCar is. We are referring to an online ride-sharing platform. What it does is connect drivers with space available in their cars with passengers who need to travel in the same direction.
In other words, and giving you an example. If you live in Malaga and need to go to Madrid, BlaBlaCar puts you in contact with drivers who, at a specific time that day, are going to travel to the Spanish capital. In this way, you share the car and with it the expenses, making the trip cheaper.
The objective of BlaBlaCar is none other than to ensure that drivers cover the expenses of the trip by "renting" the seats that are available in their car for people who go to the same place. Thus, they earn money, but also the passengers save because they do not have to spend as much as if they were alone (we are talking about driving, fuel and maintenance of the car).
The origin of BlaBlaCar
BlaBlaCar was born in France in 2006. Currently, it reaches more than 22 countries around the world and is one of the most popular in Europe. In fact, millions of trips have been made on it and many people have used the platform to organize their trips and thus save money.
How BlaBlacar works
Now that you have a basic understanding of what BlaBlaCar is, the next step and why you have surely opened our article is because you want to know how it works. And we're not going to keep you waiting.
In general, we can tell you that this platform works as follows: drivers sign up and publish the trips they are going to make, with their date and time of departure. At the same time, they also notify the number of available seats they have and the price of these to travel, that day and at that time, to the destination they have.
Passengers, who also register on the platform, can request one of these seats from the driver and it is the driver who accepts or rejects that user. If he accepts it, then the passenger gets the travel information: meeting address, driver's phone.
Payment is always made through BlaBlaCar.
Now, if you have never used this service, you may be afraid to do so because of the security it has. You should know that the company always tries to guarantee that security and trust, in such a way that all drivers must verify their identity, in addition to having the user profile completed. The passengers themselves can rate it, to know if it is a good driver (and person) or not. Of course, in the case of passengers, drivers also rate them.
Besides, BlaBlaCar has a help service in case there is any eventuality in the trip (before, during or after).
How to use BlaBlaCar as a driver
Do you know how BlaBlaCar works if you are a driver? To start, you have to create your profile on the platform and it must be complete, in addition to verifying your identity. If you don't, you won't be able to work with them. Once the correct profile is in place, you will only have to publish the route you are going to make, both on the date and at the time of departure that you plan to do. You must specify the seats that are available and the price that each of them will have to make the trip.
All this is always done through the BlaBlaCar application or its website. When users request one of your seats, before accepting or refusing, you can look at this person's profile and see the comments (if any) of other drivers or passengers of this person. If you accept it, the seat is reserved for that person and the data is sent to them so that they are in the right place at the right time so that you can pick them up and start the trip.
If you reject it, you will continue with your free seats until you accept the person you want.
One of the aspects that you should take into account is with the luggage. It is important that if you have a lot of seats, but little space for luggage, that you do not rent all of them, because then you may find that there is no space in the trunk. In addition, you must respect the speed limit as well as traffic signs.
At the end of the trip you can value the passengers, just as they can value you. And finally, the payment is made through BlaBlaCar (from there you can transfer it to your account).
How Blablacar works as a passenger
In the case of being a passenger, the operation of BlaBlaCar is not difficult either. You have to have the app on your mobile (or look at it through the website). It is also necessary to have an account on the platform.
As a passenger, what you will need is to put the location where you are and the destination where you want to go. In this way, the search engine will find a series of results that are ordered by date, departure time and price. Once you value all of them, you can request a seat where it suits you, but you must bear in mind that before accepting you, the driver can review your profile and decide whether to accept you or not (in this case it is the driver who decides, but just in case).
If the driver accepts, then you will have to pay for that seat you have reserved and you will always do so through BlaBlaCar. At that time you can have the details of the trip: the meeting address, the driver's phone number, etc.
The day at the agreed time you must be there. You should take the app with you so that the driver can verify that it is you, as well as your ID to back up that information. And now all you have to do is enjoy the trip, arrive safely and assess how everything went.
How much does a Blablacar charge
You should know that BlaBlaCar does not charge any fees, neither to drivers nor to passengers for using the platform. It is the drivers who establish the price they want to charge for each free seat in their vehicles. And it is the passengers who pay through BlaBlaCar.
Now, in reality, BlaBlaCar does receive money for being an intermediary in that transaction. Depending on the country you are in, you may be charged between 10 and 20% of the price per seat.
To make it easier for you to understand, if as a driver you decide that a seat of yours is worth 20 euros, BlaBlaCar could keep between 2 and 4 euros if you end up covering it with the platform.
Now that you know how BlaBlaCar works, do you dare to use it? Have you already used it? What do you think of her?