Carma

Formerly known as Avego, the company was founded in 2007 by Sean O'Sullivan as a research and development division of the company Mapflow. In April 2009, Avego became a separate entity associated with University College Cork. Its real-time carpooling service first served the University community in the form of an iPhone application, with seats priced by mileage.{{Cite web |url=http://t4america.org/blog/2010/10/20/smarter-transportation-case-study-10-dynamic-ridesharing-in-cork-ireland/ |title=Transportation For America » Smarter transportation case study #10: Dynamic Ridesharing in Cork, Ireland |access-date=28 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007214904/http://t4america.org/blog/2010/10/20/smarter-transportation-case-study-10-dynamic-ridesharing-in-cork-ireland/ |archive-date=7 October 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/business/21novelties.html?ref=technology | work=The New York Times | title=Need a Ride? Check Your iPhone | date=21 December 2008 | first=Anne | last=Eisenberg}}

In January 2011, Avego and the Washington State Department of Transportation launched a pilot carpool program, called "go520," serving the Washington State Route 520 corridor outside Seattle. Financial subsidies of $30 monthly were available to both drivers and riders for the duration of the pilot.{{Cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110127005419/en/Real-Time-Ridesharing-Launches-SR-520-Save-Commuters | title=Real-Time Ridesharing Launches on SR 520 to Save Commuters Time, Money | publisher=Business Wire | date=27 January 2011}}

In October 2011, Avego began a carpooling pilot in the Arlington, Potomac Yard area.{{Cite web |url=http://www.avego.com/st/fast/index.html |title=Avego, FAST Arlington Potomac Yard Real-time Ridesharing Pilot Program |access-date=13 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118170129/http://www.avego.com/st/fast/index.html |archive-date=18 November 2011 |url-status=dead }}

In mid-2012, Avego implemented the largest carpooling project to date in Santa Barbara, Sonoma County, Contra Costa County, and Marin County, California.{{Cite web |url=http://blog.avego.com/blog/avego-news/avego-chosen-as-real-time-ridesharing-system-throughout-california/ |title=Avego Chosen as Real-Time Ridesharing System throughout California « Avego Blog |access-date=29 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127232442/http://blog.avego.com/blog/avego-news/avego-chosen-as-real-time-ridesharing-system-throughout-california/ |archive-date=27 January 2012 |url-status=dead }} It was administered by Caltrans and the MTC.

In August 2013, the company changed its name to Carma,

{{cite web

| url = http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/01/5616022/avego-relaunches-as-carma-empowering.html

| title = Avego Relaunches as Carma, Empowering Stranded Commuters to 'Get There Together'

| publisher = Sacramento Bee

| accessdate = 2 August 2013

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130802121627/http://www.sacbee.com/2013/08/01/5616022/avego-relaunches-as-carma-empowering.html

| archive-date = 2 August 2013

| url-status = dead

}}

unveiling a new corporate identity in the process.

In February 2014, Carma introduced an automated tolling discount program for carpoolers in Austin, Texas, in conjunction with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA).{{cite web

| url = http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2014/02/28/irish-carpooling-company-launches-in-austin.html

| title = Irish Carpooling Company Launches in Austin

| publisher = Austin Business Journal

| accessdate = 28 February 2014}} After unprecedented success, the tolling initiative then expanded to Austin's Manor Expressway in May 2014.{{cite web

| url = http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carma-carpooling-expands-in-austin-259933071.html

| title = Carma Carpooling Expands in Austin

| publisher = PR Newswire

| accessdate = 20 May 2014}}

In June 2014, Carma opened up its API to third-party developers and unveiled the Carma Prize Fund – a $2.5m stimulus program aimed at boosting ridesharing activity around the world.{{cite web

| url = https://techcrunch.com/2014/06/11/carma-api-prize/

| title = Carpooling Startup Carma Launches API, Offers $2.5M For Developers To Drive Ride-Sharing Adoption

| date = 11 June 2014

| publisher = TechCrunch

| accessdate = 11 June 2014}}

Carma produces real-time information and management systems that use GPS, GSM, Geographic Information System, Internet and iPhone technologies to facilitate a shift from single-occupancy vehicles to sustainable transport.

Carma's flagship product is a carpooling app that matches drivers and riders, enabling people to make car transportation more efficient and affordable. The company states on its website that Carma's mission is "to enable people around the world to break free from the tyranny of the modern commute".

According to the Carma Terms of service, proceeds of the rider(s) payment (consisting of fixed charge per trip and a variable per mile fee) is split between the driver (85%) and the company (15%).{{cite web | title=Carma | url=https://www.gocarma.com/ }}

The company introduced its "Shared Transport" app at the DEMOfall 2008 conference in September 2008.{{cite web

| title = Best of shows: Top 10 from DemoFall, TechCrunch5 – CNET News

| year = 2008

| url = http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10038846-2.html

| accessdate = 16 February 2009

}}

{{cite web

| title = DEMO 08 Goes Mobile – Fortune / CNNMoney.com article

| year = 2008

| url = http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/09/09/demo-08-goes-mobile/

| accessdate = 16 February 2009

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205072751/http://techland.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/09/09/demo-08-goes-mobile/

| archive-date = 5 December 2008

| url-status = dead

}}

{{cite web

| title = San Jose Mercury News article on DEMOFall 08

| year = 2008

| url = http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2613253

| accessdate = 17 February 2009

}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} It enables on-demand carpooling. It works by automatically matching a driver's spare seat capacity with a passenger's desire to travel the same route at the same time. Drivers are provided with a price incentive in the form of electronic micropayments from riders at the end of each journey.{{cite news

| title = High-Tech Carpooling to Ease Congestion

| url = https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/innovation/2008/1006/1222959320010.html

| accessdate = 16 February 2009

| newspaper=The Irish Times

| date=10 October 2008

}}{{cite web

| title = Around the Web in 2008 – ABC News

| website = ABC News

| year = 2008

| url = https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/SmartHome/Story?id=6543689&page=5

| accessdate = 16 February 2009

}} In December 2008, the iPhone app was released as a free download at Apple's App Store and was featured prominently in the New York Times and other major media outlets.{{cite news

| title = The Ride Board, Reborn on the iPhone – The New York Times

| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/business/21novelties.html?_r=1

| accessdate = 16 February 2009

| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110511111833/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/business/21novelties.html?_r=1| archivedate=11 May 2011| url-status= live

| first=Anne

| last=Eisenberg

| newspaper=The New York Times | date=21 December 2008}}{{cite web

| title = iTransport - Could iPhone apps change the way we travel? - Slate.com

| year = 2009

| url = http://www.slate.com/id/2228109

| accessdate = 3 June 2010

| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100612044840/http://www.slate.com/id/2228109| archivedate= 12 June 2010 | url-status= live}}

In April 2010, the app was awarded the ITS America Smart Solutions Spotlight Award by the Intelligent Transportation Society of America.{{cite web

| title = ITS America Press Release

| year = 2010

| url = http://www.itsa.org/awards_smartsolution.html

| accessdate = 3 June 2010

| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100605100742/http://www.itsa.org/awards_smartsolution.html

| archivedate = 5 June 2010

| url-status = dead

}}

• Shared transport
• Automatic vehicle location

{{Reflist}}

• [https://gocarma.com/ Official site]

Category:Information technology companies of Ireland