USBN Q4 2018

20 US BUSINESS NEWS / Q4 2018 , First multimodal trip planning app deployed across the continent capable of reducing carbon emissions andmeasuring themodal shift. Cowlines Extends Its Footprint to Launch in over Sixty North American Cities Cowlines, a mobility- as-a-service (MaaS) app, has recently announced it is now available for iOS download to 190 million people across 62 cities in the United States and in Canada including the metro regions of Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, San Diego, Toronto, NYC and others. After a proven pilot in the city of Vancouver this past March, Cowlines has now unveiled its app across North America in one of the largest and most ambitious app roll- outs in recent years. Cowlines users use the free app to plan their commutes by choosing a route based on what matters most to them. Users can plan their trip by selecting the fastest, cheapest or greenest route to take, combining any form of transportation available. Users can know the total cost of a trip, how long it takes them to get there and calculate their carbon footprint. Cowlines not only aggregates all transport options available but quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based on the route, using a leading proprietary methodology based on international standards and best practices. Cowlines is moving the needle forward by enabling modal shift for cleaner and more sustainable forms of transport in cities by integrating public transit, rideshare, bike share, car share and taxis into one personalized route. Jonathan Whitworth, Co-owner and Chief Strategy Officer of Greenlines Technology states, “Today’s urban mobility landscape is extremely complex with a gamut of mobility options that did not exist a decade ago. Traffic congestion is the leading source of GHG emissions in cities, and integrated mobility is the future of clean and efficient transportation. We are proud to deliver the first app that intuitively combines any form of transport across cities in the US and Canada to help residents and visitors navigate the urban landscape without relying on private cars, while reducing carbon emissions for each trip.” By 2030, it is expected 68% of populations worldwide are projected to live in urban centres (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs), increasing the challenges of congestion and urban density and climate change concerns. 23% of energy-related GHG emissions come from transportation (International Energy Agency) and if 1% of the population in each city uses Cowlines to regularly commute to work, 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 could be saved each year, an environmental impact that is the equivalent of taking 320,000 cars off the road. “We are seeing innovative mobility- as-a-service technologies transform the way people approach mobility and how they move around the cities. Cowlines has worked to bring a fresh new way to not only deal with making transportation more seamless but aim to make a direct impact on social and environmental benefits with their solution,” comments Greg Moore, former Chair of Metro Vancouver. “Municipal governments are aligning their policies towards the common goal of increasing the livability of city life and fighting climate change. I look forward to witnessing the positive impact Cowlines will have driving accountability to the choices we make in transportation options and the benefits of multimodal mobility on the future of our cities.” Fundamentally, Cowlines offers a highly scalable and low cost solution that puts the environment and the people first while fighting climate change. As part of their North American launch, Cowlines works with hundreds of transit agencies and private providers to accelerate a smart future for cities.