Waze, the Google-owned mobile navigation app, a company owned by Google, has started testing a new carpooling service in the San Francisco Bay Area. The test in the Bay Area follows a similar pilot that the company conducted in Israel last year. The service can be accessed using the Waze Rider app that’s available for both iOS and Android, currently users can only join if they receive an invite.
According to SFGate, the pilot will cover some 25,000 employees at select companies with which Waze has partnered. To use the feature, those looking for a ride can use the Waze Rider app to find someone already headed in their direction. Drivers can simply use the Waze app to accept additional riders. Riders and drivers will share the cost of gas, with Waze handling payments automatically.
The free app is called Waze Rider and the companies participating in the test include UCSF, Adobe and Walmart Global eCommerce. These companies were selected for the carpool test because they are close to Google's offices. Since Google had already tested Waze Rider with its own employees, adding these companies is sure to result in additional carpools since all of the firms are in close proximity to each other.
Waze is going up against ride-booking apps Uber, which launched "UberPool" in August 2014, and Lyft, which launched Lyft Carpool in March. Lyft Carpool tempts drivers with earnings of up to $400 a month. Riders pay $4 to $10 per trip. UberPool allows Uber users to cut their trip cost in half by enabling the Uber driver to pick up another passenger traveling the same route.
source: Waze
According to SFGate, the pilot will cover some 25,000 employees at select companies with which Waze has partnered. To use the feature, those looking for a ride can use the Waze Rider app to find someone already headed in their direction. Drivers can simply use the Waze app to accept additional riders. Riders and drivers will share the cost of gas, with Waze handling payments automatically.
The free app is called Waze Rider and the companies participating in the test include UCSF, Adobe and Walmart Global eCommerce. These companies were selected for the carpool test because they are close to Google's offices. Since Google had already tested Waze Rider with its own employees, adding these companies is sure to result in additional carpools since all of the firms are in close proximity to each other.
Waze is going up against ride-booking apps Uber, which launched "UberPool" in August 2014, and Lyft, which launched Lyft Carpool in March. Lyft Carpool tempts drivers with earnings of up to $400 a month. Riders pay $4 to $10 per trip. UberPool allows Uber users to cut their trip cost in half by enabling the Uber driver to pick up another passenger traveling the same route.source: Waze