Under the new scheme, we use the TRIPS app, which you can download from the App Store or Google Play.
What is TRIPS?
TRIPS is a car-sharing app. You can use it to find others heading in the same direction and arrange pick-up and payment directly within the app.
Here’s how it works:
- Download the TRIPS app
- Select ‘I’m driving’ or ‘I’m looking for a lift’
- Find someone going the same way
- Arrange a pick-up point and time
Passengers pay nothing for the journey – AKT covers the driver’s compensation through the city agreement (page in Norwegian).
More about TRIPS (English version below on the TRIPS page)
For those who want to drive
As a driver, you set the rules for the journey and decide who can come along, and you set the price based on the app’s algorithm. You create the journey, agree on a pick-up location and time with the passenger(s), and can leave a review after the journey which other TRIPS users can see.
What do I get as a driver?
- 300 kroner for your first journey, paid directly into Vipps
- 100 kroner per journey for the next nine journeys
- The payment is not taxable (see Section 20 of the Professional Transport Act on non-commercial transport – the amount is intended to cover the driver’s expenses and not to generate a profit)
Where can I use TRIPS?
The service is available to anyone travelling within, or to and from, the urban growth municipalities: Kristiansand, Birkenes, Lillesand, Vennesla and Iveland.
A journey between UiA’s campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad is therefore possible and eligible for compensation, as it starts or ends in Kristiansand. Journeys entirely outside the urban growth area, e.g. Arendal–Grimstad, are not covered by the pilot scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How many passengers can I carry? Maximum 3 passengers.
Is this legal, and do I have to pay tax on the compensation? Yes, it is legal, and the compensation is not taxable (Section 20 of the Professional Transport Act).
What is the age limit? Driver: over 18 years of age. Passenger: over 16 years of age.
Is it safe? We check that the car is EU-approved and that you have a valid driving licence. Identity verification is carried out via Vipps. The route and everyone’s identity are stored in the app.
What about insurance? It is the driver’s own responsibility to have valid, statutory third-party liability insurance.
What if I fall ill or am unable to drive/travel after all? TRIPS is based on trust – let us know via the app as soon as you realise you won’t be able to make the journey.
Is TRIPS meant to replace the bus? No, TRIPS is not intended to replace the bus, but to complement it.
Is this just for UiA? No. The service is open to anyone travelling within, or to and from, the urban growth municipalities (Birkenes, Lillesand, Vennesla, Kristiansand and Iveland). However, during the pilot period, AKT is primarily targeting UiA.