There’s a new ridesharing app in Arizona, but this one is a little different from others like Lyft and Uber. This one is actually legal.
According to KTAR News, Total Transit, which also owns Discount Cab, launched the app last month and began recruiting drivers for the service starting on October 23rd.
The app will offer similar services to other ridesharing apps, but drivers will have to meet the same standards that those who drive for professional taxi services do.
“It’s an identical service that you would see with Uber X or Lyft,” said Total Transit President Mike Pinckard. “Ours is exactly the same with the exception of it’s safe, it’s legal and it’s insured.”
The app has features like GPS tracking for drivers, fair quotes, and the ability to hail a ride and pay using a mobile phone. The difference between the Total Transit app and others like it is that Total Transit requires drivers to pass extensive background checks. The vehicles they drive must also be inspected and insured.
The service will be a little more expensive, says Pinckard, but this is due to the price of the added safety and assurance that commercial insurance offers.
Motorcoaches are one of the most cost-effective methods of traveling for individuals or for groups, but according to Forbes, ridesharing apps are positioning themselves to be a serious competitor of buses and other forms of public transportation.
According to Forbes, more than 75% of people commute to work alone, which means that there are a lot of empty seats in cars — needlessly using gas, costing money, and releasing harmful emissions into the environment.
Ridesharing is becoming more popular — and with it comes the rise of mobile apps to simplify the process. Although Total Transit’s service is slightly more expensive due to insurance costs, these ridesharing services are emerging as a viable alternative to public transportation.
Ridesharing is not necessarily something that works for everyone and, for many folks, isn’t a viable replacement for owning a car — yet. According to Forbes, we may see ridesharing services begin to gain traction in rural and smaller communities, since people are more likely to commute using them.