Pembrokeshire is a great place to live and work, but transport can be a problem particularly if you need to travel in the evening or off the main bus routes. A lot of people are happy to give someone a lift if they are stuck for transport – but how do you know who needs a lift?
Take Me Too! is a scheme especially designed to tackle this problem in rural areas like Pembrokeshire. We match someone who needs transport with somebody who is going their way anyway and who is happy to give that person a lift. The scheme works by having a great network of drivers that we can get in touch with when we receive a journey request.
For example:
Adam lives in Llangwm and doesn’t drive. He would like to visit his mum in Withybush hospital on Thursday and then do some shopping before catching the service bus home. He enters his journey request into the Take Me Too! website and a notification then goes out to all drivers who may be able to help.
Dorothy lives in Llangwm and has received the notification and happens to be going to Haverfordwest on the same day. She checks the link in the notification to see Adam’s Take Me Too public profile, to find out a bit more before offering him a lift. She has a spare seat in the car and is happy to drop Adam to the hospital. She therefore accepts the journey request and we notify Adam.
Dave also received the notification, he lives in Hook and will be travelling to Haverfordwest on Wednesday instead of Thursday, but if Adam is flexible on days then Dave would also be happy offer him a lift. He also accepts the journey request, with a note about the day he can offer a lift, and we notify Adam.
Mandy lives in Llangwm and receives the notification. She will be travelling to Newgale beach to walk her dogs on the same day. She will pass through Haverfordwest on her way to Newgale and would be happy to drop Adam off on route, she accepts the journey request as well.
Elaine has also received the notification, but she won’t be travelling anywhere on Thursday, so she ignores the notification.
We then notify Adam that 3 people have accepted his journey request and we send him a link to each of their Take Me Too Public Profiles, so that Adam can find out a bit more about the people who have offered him a lift. Adam then has a look at each one, he sees that Mandy will have her dogs in the car and chooses not to travel with her on this occasion. He appreciates Dave’s offer but it needs to be Thursday this week. Dorothy’s offer is the best option so he chooses to travel with Dorothy. We then put Adam and Dorothy in touch with each other to arrange pick up time/location between themselves. A suggested journey contribution amount is then sent to both Adam and Dorothy, based on the journey mileage, which Adam then pays Dorothy when she picks him up.
We’re looking for more drivers like Dorothy, Dave, Mandy and Elaine to sign up with Take Me Too! so that we can help more people like Adam. Take Me Too! is available throughout Pembrokeshire, and we will try to find a match for any journey request – going to a gig or a show, getting to an important appointment, a lift to work, anything!
The more drivers who sign up, the better our network of possible lift-givers, and the more chance of finding a match for every journey. To find out more, please check out our website at www.takemetoo.org.uk.
