GoManitoba Reshapes the Daily Drive
The Good Place: A free, convenient ride-matching platform is helping Manitobans save money, cut emissions and make more sustainable commuting choices. | By Kate Rae
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Winnipeg, at 48 percent of community-wide emissions, and one of the top sources overall in Manitoba, at 37 to 40 percent of the province’s total emissions. Most of that can be attributed to personal vehicles, according to the City of Winnipeg’s most recent findings. In Winnipeg alone, more than 80 percent of trips take place behind the wheel. That’s a lot of engines idling, plenty of traffic — and a significant impact on the climate. But there’s good news, too. Many Manitobans genuinely want to drive less, says Mel Marginet, workplace commuter options program co-ordinator at Green Action Centre.
“We know that Manitobans ranked very highly on being very concerned about GHG emissions,” notes Marginet. The challenge is turning good intentions into action. Take carpooling for example. It sounds simple, but the uptake is low, she explains. “Carpooling is easy to understand on the surface, but you’ve got to find somebody who lives relatively close [and is] going to roughly the same place at roughly the same time.”
Sustainable transportation
Enter GoManitoba, a free, easy-to-use website and app designed to support sustainable commuting by connecting drivers who have similar commutes. Users create a profile, enter their route and schedule, and the platform matches potential carpool partners. Much more than a trip planner, GoManitoba includes tools for messaging, coordinating schedules and even splitting costs, as well as safety tips and advice on finding a good match. The platform enables businesses, schools and other organizations to create a private portal where their community members can match with each other.
Interested in ditching the drive altogether? The app goes beyond carpooling, showing users the best cycling, walking and transit routes, too. It can even match you with a fellow commuter to serve as community mentor if you’re looking for route tips or simply company on your ride.
An initiative of the Winnipeg-based non-profit Green Action Centre, GoManitoba launched in 2017 and now has about 4,000 users, most of them in Winnipeg. Marginet hopes to see both the membership pool and regional reach continue to grow as people discover the platform’s many pluses, from significantly reduced commuting costs (gas, parking, maintenance and wear and tear) to the environmental benefits of lower emissions and better air quality.
Users are also benefiting from unexpected perks beyond the cost-saving, air-saving and stress-saving that carpooling can offer. GoManitoba strengthens communities, introducing people who live or work near one another and turning daily commutes into opportunities for connection. “Trying something new, being a little more active, expanding your social circle,” says Marginet. “Those are the kinds of stories we love to hear.” CAA
GoManitoba connects drivers who have similar commutes so they can share the ride, reducing traffic — and GHG emissions — on the road. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF GOMANITOBA
(From left) Not just carpooling — GoManitoba also provides insight on the best cycling routes; the GoManitoba website and app are easy to use and provide services to help reduce the volume of traffic on the road. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF GOMANITOBA
“Trying something new, being a little more active, expanding your social circle. Those are the kinds of stories we love to hear.”
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GoManitoba connects drivers who have similar commutes so they can share the ride, reducing traffic — and GHG emissions — on the road. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF GOMANITOBA
Not just carpooling — GoManitoba also provides insight on the best cycling routes; the GoManitoba website and app are easy to use and provide services to help reduce the volume of traffic on the road. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF GOMANITOBA
GoManitoba Reshapes the Daily Drive
The Good Place: A free, convenient ride-matching platform is helping Manitobans save money, cut emissions and make more sustainable commuting choices. | By Kate Rae
The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Winnipeg, at 48 percent of community-wide emissions, and one of the top sources overall in Manitoba, at 37 to 40 percent of the province’s total emissions. Most of that can be attributed to personal vehicles, according to the City of Winnipeg’s most recent findings. In Winnipeg alone, more than 80 percent of trips take place behind the wheel. That’s a lot of engines idling, plenty of traffic — and a significant impact on the climate. But there’s good news, too. Many Manitobans genuinely want to drive less, says Mel Marginet, workplace commuter options program co-ordinator at Green Action Centre. “We know that Manitobans ranked very highly on being very concerned about GHG emissions,” notes Marginet. The challenge is turning good intentions into action. Take carpooling for example. It sounds simple, but the uptake is low, she explains. “Carpooling is easy to understand on the surface, but you’ve got to find somebody who lives relatively close [and is] going to roughly the same place at roughly the same time.”
“Trying something new, being a little more active, expanding your social circle — those are the kinds of stories we love to hear.”
Sustainable transportation
Enter GoManitoba, a free, easy-to-use website and app designed to support sustainable commuting by connecting drivers who have similar commutes. Users create a profile, enter their route and schedule, and the platform matches potential carpool partners. Much more than a trip planner, GoManitoba includes tools for messaging, coordinating schedules and even splitting costs, as well as safety tips and advice on finding a good match. The platform enables businesses, schools and other organizations to create a private portal where their community members can match with each other.
Interested in ditching the drive altogether? The app goes beyond carpooling, showing users the best cycling, walking and transit routes, too. It can even match you with a fellow commuter to serve as community mentor if you’re looking for route tips or simply company on your ride.
An initiative of the Winnipeg-based non-profit Green Action Centre, GoManitoba launched in 2017 and now has about 4,000 users, most of them in Winnipeg. Marginet hopes to see both the membership pool and regional reach continue to grow as people discover the platform’s many pluses, from significantly reduced commuting costs (gas, parking, maintenance and wear and tear) to the environmental benefits of lower emissions and better air quality.
Users are also benefiting from unexpected perks beyond the cost-saving, air-saving and stress-saving that carpooling can offer. GoManitoba strengthens communities, introducing people who live or work near one another and turning daily commutes into opportunities for connection. “Trying something new, being a little more active, expanding your social circle,” says Marginet. “Those are the kinds of stories we love to hear.” CAA