7 Different People You’ll Share A Ride With In Malta
There’s a new carpool service in Malta and it is actually really Cool! After all, there’s nothing quite like the connection you make with a stranger when you’re sharing a ride with them. Whether you’re making your way home from the airport after a work trip, or somehow find yourself in the middle of a group of foreigners headed to a party, if you get talking, you know it’s going to be a memorable experience.
Here are seven different types people you’ll come across if you carpool regularly in
Malta.
1. The Chatty One
Two minutes into the journey and you know exactly where this person is going, what time they woke up in the morning, and why their Auntie Karen’s engagement party deserves to go down in history.
You don’t particularly mind the new best friend you’ve made, but you also have a bit of a headache.
2. The One Taking Selfies
There’s nothing wrong with taking a selfie or two (or ten) to be honest. Letting the world know you’re reducing your carbon footprint by opting for public car pooling is a noble thing.
Just maybe, you know, switch off the camera sound. It’s a bit annoying. *click*
3. The One Who Keeps Their Headphones In
If you come across this person, you only need to know one thing: they don’t want to talk to you. Or to anyone. This person comes in two varieties: music so loud you can sing along to the Lewis Capaldi song they’re listening to, or very obviously no music at all.
Regardless, respect this person’s choice to not socialise and leave them alone. Plus, they’re great when you’re tired and want to have a quick nap in the car.
4. The Party-Goer
Friday night is party night. Heck, Saturday night is also party night here in Malta. And getting in a cab anytime after 10pm is bound to bring you in contact with at least one party-goer.
You might even be on the way to the same party as them. In that case, congrats! You’ve just made a new best friend.
5. The Busy One
Screaming down their bluetooth ear piece, with files and documents leaping out of their arms, and probably wearing a suit. This person is carpooling to avoid wasting time by looking for parking, and you can appreciate that.
You can also appreciate that this might not be the best time to try and make conversation.
6. The Traveller
This person either comes in the form of a lone wolf, exploring the continent of Europe and discovering what it means to be an adult in this messed up world. Or else, they’re two people who are quite lost and forgot to wear sunblock.
Regardless, this is a great time to show off your knowledge of our tiny island and play tour guide for 15 minutes.
7. The One Who Falls Asleep Immediately
They jump in the car, put their bags down, headphones in, and wipe out. They’re confident in the driver’s ability to get them where they want to be on time, and waste no opportunity to squeeze in a few Z’s.
You, however, would be a lot more comfortable if they weren’t resting their head on your shoulder.
BONUS: The Driver
There’s nothing better than making friends with your cab driver, especially if you’re travelling on your own. Hearing their life story and discovering why they chose to spend their time driving people around is always exciting.
It’s better than staring out of the window in an awkward silence anyway.
A brand new ride-pooling platform has just landed in Malta, and it’s pretty darn Cool
(No but seriously, the new platform is called Cool.)
Cool Ride-Pooling is the first in Malta to offer the public the ability to share their own rides via an online app. Link up with other passengers that are heading in the same direction as you and share the cost, saving money and the environment. And its actually super easy to jump into the Cool Pool!
To get started, simply download the Cool Ride-Pooling App
On your Android or iPhone, register a new account and choose your payment method.
Choose your starting location and destination. Once you complete the booking, the app will select your closest pick-up point and guide you to it with its in-built map feature. The pick-up point will usually be the closest street corner, just a few hundred meters away from you.
It’s also possible to book a pick-up for multiple passengers. In this case, the price of each additional guest is 50% of the price of an individual ticket.
Cool Ride-Pooling is currently operating these select areas;
Attard, Balzan, Birguma, Birkirkara, Blata l-Bajda, Floriana, Gharghur, Gwardamangia, Gzira, Hamrun, Ibragg, Iklin, Imriehel, Kappara, Lija, Madliena, Marsa, Msida, Swatar, Swieqi, Paceville, Pembroke, Pieta, Qormi, San Gwann, Sliema, St. Julians, St. Venera, Ta Xbiex, and Valletta.
Make sure to be at your pick-up location on time, because drivers are instructed to wait for only 90 seconds
Drivers will typically arrive within a few minutes, so make sure you’re at the designated pick-up location when your ride arrives. To help make sure you don’t miss your vehicle, the app gives you a countdown clock for its arrival. It also sends a couple of notification texts, first when the driver’s two minutes away, and then again when your ride arrives.
Cool Ride-Pooling in the perfect way to get around Malta in order to save some cash and the environment.