Mobility: Telepass is by the side of Italians in the summer of the restart

“This summer, which has come after difficult months, we thought of a special - I would even call it historic - offer on electronic tolls to welcome new customers. But restarting with us means so much more: From vouchers on refueling to the rental of electric vehicles with free Telepass Pay for the first half hour. All these initiatives are implemented following our mantra: make your travels free, sustainable, and safe”. These weeks, Telepass CEO Gabriele Benedetto is more committed and enthusiastic than ever.

Telepass for the mobility of Italians

The leading mobility group is launching several initiatives to support Italians in their need to move and enjoy a vacation after months of forced lockdown. From a special offer for those who subscribe to Telepass until 31 August (5% discount for the whole of 2020 on tolls, an unprecedented reduction that is guaranteed by Telepass to the various motorway operators), to tips on how to discover the most beautiful corners of the country with "T va di partire," a digital space with ideas and suggestions to actively enjoy summer 2020. “Our vision for the restart is also evident in projects like this developed with excellent partners such as Booking.com, Boscolo, UTravel, and Lega Ambiente”, says Benedetto. "Because tourism and Italy's recovery depend also on the synergy between companies."

Everything in one App: Towards intermobility, integration of services in a single experience

While developing its proposal for safe and sustainable mobility, Telepass has built a constantly evolving platform of digital services on demand (there are 26 already and the number is destined to increase). From payments for fuel and train tickets, to renting an electric scooter, to signing up for an insurance policy. In short, a true revolution where people, not vehicles, are front and center: An App that lets you buy everything you need to move from point A to point B using different means of transportation and eliminating the risk of any contact both during booking and payment.

The first summer after the pandemic is certainly different. As expected, infection concerns, fear or difficulty of traveling abroad led to a return to private cars. According to Mobility DataLab, a platform created by InfoBlu with Octo Telematics, cars and motorcycles traveled 70% less kilometers during lockdown, especially on highways. With the start of Phase 2 from 4 May, trends have started to change. Light vehicles circulation immediately increased by 70%, but at the end of spring it was still 40% lower than in the pre-Covid period. Meanwhile, according to a survey carried out between April and May, nearly 67% of Italians said that they planned on using their cars to travel, while only 11% said they were ready to travel using public transport.

The advantages of the electronic toll, with a 5% discount

With the arrival of the summer holidays, traffic has intensified, especially on highways. Analysts and experts agree that Italians will move mostly within national borders. The 5% discount on tolls offered by Telepass is therefore a concrete step to facilitate the return to a new normal and to promote the use of a service - the electronic toll - that is safe (because it avoids contact between people or with objects) but also sustainable (because it has been proven that not stopping at toll booths reduces carbon footprint).

“T va di partire?”, a blog to discover Italy

The restart is right at the center of the new Telepass communication project. T va di partire? is an editorial space with tips, ideas, suggestions, and itineraries for this Italian summer, with many exclusive advantages for users thanks to the collaboration with excellent partners, such as Booking.com, Boscolo Tours Spa, Utravel, Legambiente, getyourguide, Fidenza Village and many more to come.

Even though 28% of Italians have decided to give up their summer holidays (due to concerns related to the pandemic and the difficult economic environment), 70% of those who are going on a holiday will choose national destinations. Due to COVID-19, there will be a continuous tendency to favor local tourism, both to rediscover (and support) Italy, and because longer journeys may be complicated. So, to help our fellow citizens rediscover natural and artistic local treasures and to promote the restart of the tourism industry, here is a blog that tells you all there is to explore: From art to food, from nature to local events.

The "integrated" summer according to Telepass

A single tool to move around: It's the Telepass “integrated” proposal. What does it actually mean? It means that through the Telepass Pay App, a person can pay for tolls without stopping at the booth, enter and exit participating car parks without a ticket or queues at check-out, access Area C in Milan or purchase a ferry ticket for Messina. The same App allows you to pay for street parking for the actual minutes of parking, refuel without needing your wallet, rent scooters, bicycles, and electric scooters, and even have your car washed where you parked it or buy tickets for train and public transport.

Let's picture those who are going on a holiday using their car this summer 2020, subscribe with Telepass, pay their tolls taking advantage of the 5% discount, stop in a cultural city recommended by the blog "T va di partire," get back on their car and arrive for example in Bari where, from 6 July, 250 latest-generation Helbiz electric scooters are waiting for them on streets around the city. They get on a scooter and reach the port, where they jump on a ferry, which they will pay for without having to reach for their wallet. Star of this entire journey: a single App. In this sense, Telepass could be considered sort of like Netflix for mobility: through an App, it provides various types of services with a subscription that includes pay per use, with the goal of making Telepassers move in a simple, safe, and sustainable way.