Whim announces packages ahead of UK launch in West Midlands

Helsinki-based Whim has released packages and pricing for its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform ahead of the UK launch in the West Midlands, on the 5 April 2018. The MaaS Global solution is designed with the intention of integrating journey planning, reservations, payments and subscriptions into one app. Offers include a pay as you go option as well as the Whim Everyday £99 ($139) per month package which comes with unlimited public transport for taxis and car hire availability. In addition, the Whim
April 4, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

Helsinki-based 8727 Whim has released packages and pricing for its Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform ahead of the UK launch in the West Midlands, on the 5 April 2018. The MaaS Global solution is designed with the intention of integrating journey planning, reservations, payments and subscriptions into one app.

Offers include a pay as you go option as well as the Whim Everyday £99 ($139) per month package which comes with unlimited public transport for taxis and car hire availability. In addition, the Whim Unlimited £349 ($491) per month offer will provide Midlanders with unlimited public transport; all taxi rides within a three-mile radius of their location and up to 30 days car hire per month.

The project is supported by mayor Andy Street and organisations such as Transport for West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Whim’s app is said to fit together with the Swift travel card to deliver smart travel solutions that meet a user’s preferred method of transportation. In addition, commuters will have access to a fleet of 5,000 next bike-share cycles.

As part of the launch, Whim is now seeking the first 500 people to sign up to the scheme and as a visual gimmick will bring a three-storey house the size of a parking space to the centre of Birmingham.

Sampo Hietanan, Whim founder, said: “We like cars, we’re certainly not anti-car, and we still offer access to cars when needed, via taxis or through hire. But we are showing people that they don’t need to be so reliant on car ownership. Once people realise this, the benefits are huge – less traffic, less pollution, less stressful journeys, more space in our towns and cities thanks to fewer cars parked on the road.

“Whim will also reward people for greener, healthier options such as walking more and having car-free days. People will also soon start to realise the positive health benefits of walking a little more and driving less - not to mention the time and money freed up by not having to maintain a car or having to sit behind the wheel in a traffic jam. It just makes more sense."

  • Full story will be available in ITS International’s May/June issue.

Related Content

  • IBTTA summit hits right notes in Salzburg
    December 5, 2018
    In the birthplace of Mozart, Colin Sowman found that delegates at the IBTTA’s inaugural World Tolling Summit were playing a variety of interesting tunes The first World Tolling Summit took place in Salzburg, Austria this autumn. Created and organised by the International Bridge Tolling and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), the event was supported by its European counterpart Asecap and hosted by Austria’s tolling authority, Asfinag. The transfer of views, experience and practice both ways across the Atl
    Read More
  • Auckland Airport improves city-to-gate passenger flow via BlipTrack
    February 9, 2018
    Beca’s BlipTrack solution has been extended across Auckland Airport’s road infrastructure to help manage both passenger and traffic flow. The solution is designed with the intention of measuring traffic between the Central Business District (CBD) and the airport, delivering real-time data on reliability, vehicle counts and travel time. BlipTrack provides data about the mix of staff and passengers using Park and Ride facility to help the airport to better understand the performance and regularly review
    Read More
  • Uber introduces bus service in Egypt
    December 17, 2018
    Uber has launched its Uber Bus service in Egypt as part of a strategy to provide commuters living in Cairo with an affordable transportation option. The service can be accessed via Uber’s standard app. Uber groups passengers travelling in the same direction to make the service more affordable and reduce the number of stops per trip. Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO, says: “We are committed to broadening access to the Uber platform with a range of low-cost options that will move more people around town an
    Read More
  • Mexico City seeks solutions to improve air quality
    December 6, 2017
    David Crawford ponders prospects for one of the world’s most congested and polluted cities. In 1992, the United Nations named Mexico City as the world’s most polluted urban centre. In the first half of 2016, following the updating of pollution alert limits to meet international standards, Mexico recorded 115 days where ozone concentrations exceeded the acute exposure health limit.
    Read More

Highlighted Content