Is Ridesharing Right for You?
Part 1: Are you a Rider?
I didn't choose the rider life... the rider life chose me. -- Patrizio Murdocca
Really fast video walk through of the diagram.
When I first thought of this post, I imagined it being mostly funny, however, I realized that this question raises some very valid concerns. In a post-Uber world, and especially in a city like Nashville where ridesharing is very popular, it can be easy to forget that not everyone is on board with the concept. So, if you have ever had any thoughts about whether or not rideshare is right for you, or if you already do engage with ridesharing but want a laugh, you've come to the right place. To illustrate this concept, I have created a poorly drawn whiteboard diagram which I will annotate throughout this post. I will emphasize poorly drawn, and take this as an opportunity to advertise that we are actually really looking for a graphic design expert. Seriously. Contact us please.
Preliminary Question: Do You Need a Ride?
Are you trying to be moved, or do you want to move people? If your answer to "Do you need a ride?" is 'Yes', then you will continue down the Rider pathway to the left of center in the diagram. If you answered "No", meaning you probably own a car, then you will travel through the Driver pathway -- to be covered in Part 2, which will be available here on Sept. 14th.
For information on engaging with Drover as a Rider, click here.
Rider Question 1:
Do You Have an iOS or Android Smartphone?
The premise of ridesharing is that it's easy -- so easy, that you can hail a ride right from your smartphone. By extension, you actually need to have a smartphone to use Uber, Lyft, and soon, Drover. Uber and Lyft *might* be in other app stores, but for the foreseeable future, Drover will be exclusively available on the iOS App Store and the Android Play Store. So, if you don't have a smartphone, you need one in order to download the Drover app to hail a ride within seconds.
YES :) proceed downward along this column // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 2:
Do you have a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or some other commonly accepted way to get your money online?
Drover, and other rideshare apps require an electronic payment, typically via debit or credit card info which you enter at one time in the app. This is ultimately for your safety and convenience; Drover rides will be totally cashless transactions. Again, this practice is to save you from having to awkwardly count cash. Instead, the app will automatically deduct the ride fare from your connected payment method and transfer it to the driver. It is precise, instant, and totally secure.
YES :) proceed downward to the next question // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 3:
Are you OK with getting into a practical stranger's car?
I don't want to scare you, but this is a real concern that warrants discussion. When you hail a ride, you will be picked up by a stranger in their car. You will likely never have seen this person before and, unless you exchange contact information, you will likely never see them again. Given this transitory relationship, how do you trust your Drover? How do you feel safe in their car? Drover conducts the most thorough driver assessments and screenings of any rideshare service currently available. First, we conduct a standard motor vehicle history report and background check. Then, provided that the prospective driver passes these checks, we meet them in person to get a feel for their driver's side manner and to see their car in person and make sure it is aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, and safe. Then, provided that the driver passes this in-person check, they will be cleared to accept rides. Finally, in every new driver's first few rides, their passenger will actually be an undercover Drover inspector, in an effort to get as accurate a look as possible at the driver's manners and driving safety.
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 4:
Do you/would you like an affordable personal driver?
One of the coolest things about rideshare is that you get a fleet of personal drivers who take you from point A to point B at your command! I think it is safe to say that, without ridesharing, most people would not be able to afford to pay someone to drive them around!
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 5:
Is/are car payments, gas, and insurance too high for you to justify owning your own car, but you feel that you need one to get around?
You may need the functionality of a car to allow you to travel to and from work or around the city, and you also may be unable to take any standard public transportation like a bus or train either because of the time, or inconvenience of the route. Yet, many people in this condition also cannot justify the cost of a car. To solve this, consider using Drover for rideshare... you can hail a person driving their own car who will come pick you up and take you wherever you want to go.
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 6:
Do you hate paying for parking or parking downtown?
Parking can be a pain; especially when you have to parallel park downtown or pay $20 for a mandatory 3 hours when you really only need a spot for 1 hour. Drover and other rideshare platforms actually just drop you off at your exact destination, then drive away... so, you no longer need to worry about finding or paying for parking!
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 7:
Do you hate taxis?
I think this one speaks for itself. I have only taken two taxis in my life. One was technically a limo service in Canada; i needed to get from my uncle's house in the country to the Toronto airport, and he had a friend who always takes him for that trip. The driver was really nice and the ride was smooth (he had one of those classic black Lincoln short limos), but it was really really expensive... The second time was in my hometown in Florida. My city doesn't currently have an app-based rideshare service, and I had to make it to an important appointment, but my sister and my mom had the cars. So, I bit the metaphorical bullet and called a taxi. The guy was really sketchy, the car was worse, and he didn't let me sit in the front because he had his clipboard there, meanwhile every Lyft and Uber driver I have had let me sit in the front with them. As far as taxi horror stories go, I am pretty sure that I am much less scathed than most.
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 8:
Are all of your destinations within roughly 30 miles or less of each other?
I don't know if most rideshare services, or even Drover to be honest, has a maximum limit on distance, however, we must consider that more than 30 miles would be excessive. Two come to mind immediately: 1) think of it from a consideration-to-your-driver perspective... do you really want to drag the poor guy or woman out over 30 miles from their original coordinates? 2) think of how much a ride longer than that would cost?! I think the longest Uber/Lyft ride I have ever taken was 9 miles, and that was about $15... If you are going to consistently take rides longer than 30 miles, (as an aribrary number by the way), I would seriously consider if it is still the most cost-effective solution.
YES :) continue downwards // No :( :( :(
Rider Question 10:
Do you want to be able to ride in cars of different shapes, sizes, and styles anytime you want?One of the coolest aspects of rideshare is that you can request different sizes and styles of cars. Here at Drover, we hope to offer rides in many makes and models of four-passenger cars (sedans and small SUVs), 6-passenger cars (minivans, and large SUVs), and also electric four/six passenger cars. Think about it this way, short of a test drive at a dealer, when will you get to ride in an electric car for a couple of bucks?! Moreover, the ability to hail different styles of vehicles works to your advantage... Need to just get across town? Ride in a sedan and pay accordingly. Need to move some boxes into storage? Ride in a minivan or large SUV, pay more for that ride but avoid having to physically own a much more expensive, larger vehicle. You could even use a Drover 6-passenger to travel with friends or move things if you do own a smaller car.
Yes? Woo hoo! You would love using the Drover app as a Rider!
Want to know if you have what it takes to be a Driver? Stay tuned for that article next week, which will be available here after Sept. 14th 2016.
For more information on riding with Drover, click here.
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Patrizio Murdocca is Chief Web Developer at Drover Rideshare, a student at Vanderbilt University, and President of Interfaced Ministries.
