SideCar Brings Carpooling Services To Washington D.C.

SideCar is a service that arranges a carpool between two people in an easy-to-use app. The service has been available in San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia, Chicago, Boston, and Brooklyn, but has now just launched in Washington D.C. The app simultaneously gets more cars off of the road while also offering passengers easy, and cheap, access to transportation.

Drivers can make quick cash by offering other users a ride, and users can avoid the high-fees of a cab with this app. Drivers can set a "suggested donation" for the ride, however passengers can choose to make a higher or lower donation depending on their generosity. The fee is pretty set in stone, so even if there is high-traffic, or a delay, you won't have to worry about a "meter" charging you by the minute.

As for the safety concerns revolving the app, SideCar states that all drivers undergo a full background check. Drivers also have to verify that their driver's license, insurance, and registration are current. All of the rides are tracked as well through the GPS system in the app. Many users have stated that they love the service, and that they meet interesting and nice people everyday through it.

At first, SideCar will only be available in Washington D.C. on Fridays and Saturdays from 5:00PM to 3:00AM, however as soon as it becomes more popular, it will be available everyday at any hour (depending on the number of drivers available). The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. The service has received generally favorable responses, and has already facilitated over 100,000 rides.

[via SideCar]