RubyRide, a new driving service, started cruising around the Phoenix metropolitan area with the release of its smartphone application on Wednesday.
The Phoenix-based company’s app gives customers the ability to set up and schedule a ride with a particular driver or request spontaneous trips around Phoenix.
Founder Jeff Ericson said that his target audience includes a broad range of people.
“From retired people that need help driving at night to young people, working people and people who just need to go to the store,” Ericson said.
Ericson founded RubyRide because he noticed that the transit system in Phoenix does not fit the type of city Phoenix is, he said. The city’s sprawl cannot just be covered by light rail and buses like New York or Chicago, Ericson said.
Other mobile platforms for ridesharing and public transportation, such as Lyft and Uber, have launched over the past two years.
However, he said the goal is to add to the public transit system in Phoenix, not compete with it.
“It is important to have a real alternative for the little trips, not just going to work or large events,” Ericson said.
The payment system is a flat rate that will be due either monthly or weekly. The company would have an off-peak plan with special price breaks for customers who use the service during low-demand times, Ericson said.
RubyRide just wrapped up a short testing phase with three cars in service. Customers in the test group said they had no issues with the service, except for it not getting up and running any sooner.
“I wish they had more coverage of the Phoenix area, but I know that will grow over time,” said Kristine Woolsey, one of the pilot customers.
Woolsey is also a businesswoman in the architecture industry and used the service throughout the business day to get from meeting to meeting. She said she loved the service because it was convenient, immediate and eco-friendly.
“One day I had meeting after meeting all day long,” Woolsey said. “I sent them an email with my schedule and they showed up to every location early and never missed one stop.”
When she had downtime in between stops, Woolsey stayed in the car and checked emails or just relaxed, she said. By using the service, Woolsey said she also feels as though she is helping the community by riding in a hybrid vehicle.
Adrienne Garcia, another pilot customer, also said she loves that the car is hybrid. The quality of customer service she received helped make her experience a great one, Garcia said.
“The people were nice. They were on time, and they took me right to where I needed to go,” she said. “They even made sure I was on time by calling me to make sure I was ready because they were on their way.”
Garcia is fairly new to the Phoenix area and said she quickly learned how spread out the city is when using public transportation. To save money, she doesn’t drive, but using public transportation and taxis became a hassle.
“It’s great because I can actually get around in a timely fashion,” Garcia said.
Each of RubyRide’s drivers went through extensive background testing and training. Job openings will increase now that the testing period has ended, Ericson said.
Ericson said he wants customers to use RubyRide as a means for transportation that is cheaper and more convenient alongside other forms of transportation.
RubyRide runs only in the Phoenix metropolitan region for now, but going forward they will expand across the Valley.
“I am cautiously optimistic,” Ericson said. “So far it is going smoothly.”
Contact the reporter at asia.poole@asu.edu
