Its 8:22pm, Tuesday, Feb 11th 2014.
Just got home and rushed to open my Mac to share (document) an open source idea I once had
when i didn't own a car in lagos and was tired of giving metro taxi so much money. This app is presumably for those who do not bus or like that sort of transportation.
Code Name : 'RidingWithMike'
What If : What if there was an app that I used to plan my next day's trip(s) ahead of time. Even the week's journey. I knew pretty well what my Sunday to Sunday looked like.. where I needed to be all week.
Then What: This app (solution) then matches me with my friends using the app and have their pre-planned trip(s) saved for the week. The friend who has no car (or simply chose not to drive) could tag along free or at least purchase free fuel for the other friend.
If my other friend whose pre-planned journey matched mine but had no car. We both then have to share a cab and split the fee.
Then What Else: How to encourage anti-app folks to use this;
- Rewards: Friends who enjoy a free ride can 'praise' friends. When a certain number of praise is collected. Such friend can redeem a fuel voucher card with an amount e.g (N4000 fuel) or meal voucher. Friend free to choose voucher.
- Grant Access to cab companies or registered taxi drivers to see people who have pre-planned their journey; these drivers can bid to get the passengers.
This is were the idea ends for now.
As always Punch Holes.
@air_meka
I do remember this clearly, you even warped this idea round bicycle renting, remember. But the issue of security x riding in strangers cars is a serious point of concern, yet how do we help people without cars still?
ReplyDeleteAha. No strangers...you can only ride with your friends. People you know real life ( using your social network). Also when pre-planned trips match: One person still has to initiate an invite and the other accept. Its safe.
DeleteNice name by the way.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bola. Someone asked me to please take the idea down that he will like to work on it. Lol. Told him: relax. It's execution that matters.
DeleteRiding with onlu friends makes it limited....thought about this idea even before uber and other crowdsourcing taxi company sprungup.
ReplyDeleteFor to attain commercialization, it needs to be able to accept strangers, which raises the security concern earlier stipulated by tobi
Sorry in Lagos/Nigeria/Globally, can't ride with strangers. Its uncomfortable. I won't either as the idea came trying to solve my problem. I don't think its limited cos its only as big as your (social) networks (but with real friends). This practise already happen daily. Friends hitch each others rides to work, fun places etc. The app just extended the range and sees far ahead.
DeleteAnd oh - not thinking about commercialisation..ibo man. It will take care of it self if growth is reasonable.
However to entertain the thought - to ride with strangers it will then have to be via proper registered and audited cab companies like Metro-taxi, RedCab , so system records driver, passengers, destination so takes care of security concern ?
To go around the strangers challenge...with the friends option still available, the app can let you stipulate your office location, register ur profile, with info about where you work..wc would be verified by ur employers....u can now ping a fellow worker who has a car n works around ur office location...i think that can help solve the stranger problem
ReplyDeleteHmmm, sounds to me tobi like a good 'cooperate/HR' solution/integration. That could work.
DeleteAyodeji, this is going more like you'll need your social friends in augmented reality space, so when you launch the app, you see an orbit/radar and with your friends around, see their geolocation profile and view their destinations.
DeleteHello
ReplyDeletewe are doing exact similar 3 application...please check our bid once
ReplyDelete