The company that, 14 years ago, was a pioneer in selling a solution that is faster and more convenient payment of tolls, now wants to enter (and innovate) in the business of mobility. A bet which started Friday with the launch of an application (app) to replace the parking meters in the parking lot to the surface and that, in brief, results in new solutions to ride the bus, metro, train or taxi. Of the motorists for all the people. So it will be the future of Via Verde.
The application announced Friday will be available from Monday, in six cities of the country where the Via Verde joined the Empark, a company that is already its long-time partner in the underground parking. In Vila Real, Oporto, Gaia, Figueira da Foz, Amadora and Portimão will be possible to pay only at the end of the month, the car that was used or who used other conductors associated with the registered profile on the platform. An innovation in the face of the current offer in the market, which requires the pre-payment, as happens with the solution created by the HONEY in Lisbon.
The idea is to increase the national reach, what you hope to achieve in the first two years. "We are already in talks with Lisbon and Cascais. The pace of enlargement will depend on the willingness of the cities and of the commercial effort. The most important thing is that there is an open door", explained to the PUBLIC the managing director of Via Verde, Pedro Mourisca. The company, which earns a commission on the transactions, believes that you’ll be able to attract new customers with this application, up to the fact that they can associate to the account of a third party, and not be required to have an identifier equal to those who are used to paying tolls.
Number of clients rises by 7.1%
Pedro Mourisca ensures that this is invested in mobility, which is already in a study four years ago, you do not want to give response to the fall of users of the Via Verde on motorways, but rather follow a "transformation that is underway and that forces you to change the vision to give the people what is offered to motorists". In fact, the number of active clients grew by 7.1% to more than 3.2 million in the first half compared to the same period last year. The number of transactions increased by 11.6% (to 276,6 million), which has had a positive impact on the revenues of the company increased by 9% between January and June, surpassing the 28 million euros.
Since 2002, the Via Verde is no longer just a business toll payment, as in this year extended to gas pumps, expanding the following year to the underground parking (already operates in nearly 130 parks) and more recently to the ferries and Mcdonald s. Now, "it is time to tread a path that allows us to be present in all modes of transport, following the industry or innovating," says Pedrou Moorish. At this time, the revenue with parking are worth 5% of the total, but the expectation is that, with the enlargement of the app the an important part of the country, this threshold will double. Already all the new business mobility might be worth "10% of turnover in the space of five years" is expected.
The strategy is proactive in the face of some major changes that are anticipated. "People are becoming less and less clinging to the car, there are more and more people use various means of transport to travel, there is all the technology, much because of the smartphone, and there is also a revolution very large in terms of restrictions on the movement of cars," summarizes the administrator of the Via Verde. "We had the courage to define the end of a cycle as managers of infrastructure to begin a cycle as managers of mobility", he adds. The company is owned 60% by Brisa and 20% by Ascendi, both concessionaires of motorways. The remaining 20% are controlled by Sibs, the company owns the Atm.
In negotiations with the taxis
There are other projects in the area of mobility already in an advanced stage, like the one that is currently in negotiations with the operators of public transport in Lisbon. In this case, it is an application that will allow you to use the bus, metro, boat or train without a physical ticket and with automatic switchover in the gates. One of the benefits of more relevant, in addition to comfort, is the fact that the platform automatically calculate if it is more economic to the passenger to pay trip-to-trip or a monthly pass with pre-or post-payment. The tests started already in September, at the Fertagus (train Bridge 25 of April) and the intention is to "achieve in the space of a year give an experience of full use to all the customers.”
There is another business where the Via Verde wants to get in, the taxi, with an application that allows users to book and pay for trips, such as those that already exist today. The advantage, in this field, will be the extensive customer base of the company and the "reputation" you have in the market, believes Pedro Mourisca. The objective is that the idea a reality already next year, but as the scope will be total, without exclusive to some operators, it is necessary that all "the industry of the taxis give you the jump you need". Already there are negotiations with two plants, in Lisbon and in Porto. "In the past it was the Breeze, now is the Empark. We need partners that have the vision that this is the future", stresses the manager.
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