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Pierre-Paul Roy, a federal public servant, created iHopOn, a free carpooling website exclusively for public servants commuting to Ottawa offices. The site has about 750 subscribers, with roughly 500 verified public servants matching and more than a dozen carpool trips since launching two weeks ago.
A federal public servant has built a free carpooling website designed specifically for government workers in Ottawa. Pierre-Paul Roy created iHopOn, found at ihopon.com, to help public servants find colleagues to share their commute as more workers spend additional days in the office.
Roy said thousands of public servants travel the same routes every day. Many drive alone, pay for gas and compete for the same parking spots. He told CTV News Ottawa that commuters are not just carpooling with anyone in the area but with fellow colleagues who face the same issues. Users verify themselves with a government work email.
How IHopOn Matches Government Commuters
The system then calculates an overall fit percentage based on where they live, where they work and how many days they are in the office. Roy said the goal is to make introductions between potential carpool partners easier. Roy said the website has been live for two weeks. It already has about 750 subscribers, with roughly 500 verified public servants matching and more than a dozen carpool trips completed.
Sharing the driving can reduce wear and tear on vehicles and save money on maintenance. Julie Beun, managing director of communications and public relations at CAA North and East Ontario, said the cost of car repairs has increased at twice the rate of inflation over the past three years. She said that means people are actually delaying getting their cars repaired. Some public servants have found carpool partners on their own.
Bob Piromnam, a federal public servant who commutes from west Ottawa, said he was lucky enough to talk to his neighbour, who also works downtown. He also carpools with his wife, who worked downtown. Roy said the website automates the process for those who are not as fortunate. He described it as an easier way to get introduced to other carpoolers.
Project Launches As Office Days Increase
He said he started the project because he believed there must be a better way and knew he was not the only one facing the challenge. The launch comes as federal public servants spend more days in the office, increasing demand for commuting options. iHopOn remains free and is limited to verified government workers. A photo dated Sept. 25, 2026 shows Roy presenting the ihopon.com website. The story was reported by CTV News Ottawa.
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CTVToronto:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
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