SideCar hits the streets of DC

Hey there,

So I've been approved to be a driver and ambassador for SideCar. "What's SideCar" you say?

Well, in case you don't know, SideCar is an app. It's a ride-sharing app. It's a ride-sharing app that allows the passengers to chip in with a donation to help out the driver with gas for and general maintenance of his or her vehicle.

Some see it as an evolution of slugging, with that next stage being the actual involvement of a monetary exchange. But I digress.

I've been approved to drive, and I'm going to a SideCarU session this evening. So I thought I'd just share some articles I've come across that I would say is recommend reading, if you'd like to know more about this app which started its life in San Francisco, and has made its way to DC.

This first quote is from Riding with Strangers: SideCar Is the Best Thing to Happen to Hitchhiking Since the Invention of Thumbs:

The first time I used SideCar, a new app-enabled car-sharing service that began in San Francisco and started operating in Seattle four months ago, I was excited by the fact that the driver was not only a complete stranger but he also owned the car. I was entering the stranger's private space. This is not what happens when I enter a bus; the driver doesn't own it, and so the bus is a neutral space. With SideCar, private space becomes connected with public space.

Read more here.

The next quote is from Dr. Gridlock at the Washington Post, SideCar, a new ride-sharing service, arrives in D.C.:

The premise is simple: Travelers can use the app to hitch rides with nearby drivers, while drivers who sign up can get paid for giving these rides. There’s no set fee, so passengers can pay the drivers any amount. (The app does come with a suggested donation, but riders can pay more or less if they want.)

Read more here.

And the final quote is from WAMU, Ride-Sharing Service, SideCar, Opens In D.C.:

"It's very simple," says Nick Allen, co-founder of the technology-based service. "You pinpoint your location, where you are and where you're going, and it sends out a request to drivers in your area. And they see where you are and where you're going, and they make a decision if they like to give you a ride. At the end, you make a voluntary donation and go on your way."

And not only can you read, but you can listen to more here, as well.

Anyway, that's that. You can be sure I'll be sharing more about my own experience with it. Definitely looking forward to meeting my fellow drivers.

And, yeah, there's the rational concern for safety and security, which I'm sure they'll address. In the meantime, let me know what you think, especially if you've used this app before in other cities, or even in DC.

Do so in the comments, especially if you're another driver,

JR