Ride sharing services, commonly known as carpooling apps, are a form of transportation where one or more than one person can share a ride in a single vehicle. This could be a one-way or two-way commute. The whole system is managed through one app, which can be downloaded on your phone from the google play store. The main aim of the operation is to connect the passenger and the captains. Ride sharing apps use the internet to fulfill their operations. GPS (Global Positioning System) connects the passenger and rider, and different online payment methods are used to collect the fares.
Ride-sharing services, such as Uber, Lyft, M-Rides and others, offer several benefits that make them a convenient and efficient commute. In this blog, we will discuss how ride sharing apps are the best way to commute.
Also Read: Why Ride Share Companies Are Way Forward
Other Commute Options In the Society
We need to travel from one place to another among our daily tasks. These include going to work from our homes and going to the airport to see off our loved ones. Trip to the shopping mall to catch the deadline sale on jeans. Apart from this, there are many other places and times when we need a reliable transport medium to commute.
Taxi Services
Taxis are a very soothing solution for you as they provide privacy and comfort as compared to a public bus. However, the taxi service is not an affordable factor if used on daily basis. Moreover, many harassment and theft complaints have been recorded as per the crime statistics of the state department.
Public Buses
Among many options, the public bus is one of them, and the aim when choosing public transport is to get an affordable ride. The public bus’s fares are comparatively low compared to other transport mediums. However, the disadvantage you get with a bus is the availability. The buses are not available for you 24/7, you have to wait for several minutes, and sometimes this waiting gets prolonged. This means you will have to wait if you have an emergency situation. Moreover, you must know traffic updates before going out as the bus gets stuck in the peak times due to rush.
Benefits Of Ride Sharing Apps
Increased convenience and flexibility
Ride-sharing services offer greater convenience as compared to other modes of transport. The main advantage is that it allows you to easily request a ride while sitting on your couch using your smartphone at any time of the day or night. This means you neither have to walk half a kilometre looking for a taxi nor you have to wait for a public bus.
Improved safety with ride-sharing
Unlike traditional taxis or public buses, ride-sharing services have several safety features which make you feel secure. These include driver verification, real-time GPS tracking, and in-app safety features like emergency buttons and live chat options. The second most important feature is two-way authentication, where passengers and captains share a code which ensures that the passenger is heading to the right car.
Another factor which makes these apps’ safety higher is the rating option. This allows them to rate each other after each ride, incentivizing both parties to behave professionally and courteously. This system also allows riders to avoid drivers with low ratings, while drivers can choose not to pick up riders with low ratings.
Cost-effectiveness of ride-sharing
The biggest advantage of ride-sharing services is their cost-effectiveness and budget-friendly fares. Rideshare apps are usually less expensive than traditional taxis and even more affordable than owning a car. How? We’ll explain it to you. When you travel with rideshare apps, you only need to pay for the distance travelled, making it a cost-effective option for commutes, unlike owning a car, where you additionally need to bear maintenance costs, oil changes, wear & tear charges and depreciation costs, insurance, fuel costs, and parking fees.
Ride-sharing services also offer various options for riders, such as shared rides, also known as a carpooling feature. This can be even more cost-effective for those willing to share a ride with others in the same direction. If four people working in the same office share a ride for commuting, it will save a lot of money, and each partner will share a small amount to reach the destination.
Also Read: How M-Rides Canada Has Changed The Taxi Service
Wrapping Up
We discussed all the possible travel options, including public transit, commuter rail, own conveyance, and ride-sharing apps. There are multiple benefits to travelling with rideshare apps. Now we leave this to you to decide which one you want to choose regarding efficiency and effectiveness.