Earth Miles: support sustainable travel
Last Updated: 10/09/2024 08:41 Created at: 10/09/2024 08:41
Final Presentation of NAVISP Project EL2-145 now available:
On Friday 06 September 2024, NAVISP hosted the final presentation of the EL2-145 project “Earth Miles”. SkipIt ApS conducted this event and presented the results they achieved.
“Miles” programmes are well established loyalty schemes in airlines and trains. The working principle is simple: passengers accumulate miles the more they travel with operators holding these programmes; those miles are then used as currency to gain access to additional benefits, including cheaper trips, discounts in brands or establishments associated, or exclusive events. Miles programmes’ returns are high: as an example, airlines generate more revenue through the miles programmes than through the direct sales of tickets.
SkipIt, a Copenhagen-based company operating a transport card for commuters in several European cities, identified an opportunity to create a miles programme to incentivise using sustainable public transport (trams, undergrounds, buses, bikes or shared EV vehicles). The programme works as follows: Once the commuter downloads the Earth Miles app on his/her phone, the commuter can purchase tickets or register his own personal bike or scooter for these trips. The app uses data from the commuter’s phone GNSS module to verify origin and destination, compute deviations w.r.t the planned route and award miles accordingly.
Earth Miles is not just a way to incentivise sustainable transport, but also a way to promote local and sustainable business advertised and geo-localised through the app. Besides the described main business model, the Earth Miles concept is attracting larger corporates: Following EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) companies with more than 100 employees will have to upgrade their reporting on emissions to include emissions caused by employees when commuting to work. By partnering with Earth Miles, these organisations can get access to data necessary for their reporting, and promote sustainable transport at the same time.
The project was part of NAVISP Element 2, which aims to maintain and improve the capabilities and competitiveness of the participating States' industry in the global market for satellite navigation and, more broadly, PNT technologies and services.
More detailed information can be found in the slides of the Final Presentation.