How I Would Solve Ride-Sharing at UIUC (Urbana-Champaign to Chicago)
During my time at UIUC, I created many projects. However, there is one project that I wish I had created — a ride-sharing platform to coordinate transportation between Urbana-Champaign and Chicago, and viceversa.
I could never figure out the right angle nor the impulse to do it so I never did it but I wish I did.
Here’s how I would go about it:
Cultivate Trust: Friends of Friends
Friends of friends only.
The foundation of any successful ride-sharing platform must be built upon an unwavering sense of trust. To establish this, I would implement a stringent “friends of friends only” policy.
However, this could potentially alienate freshmen who lack an established social network within the app. To circumvent this obstacle, I would institute a probationary period wherein new users must demonstrate exemplary conduct on at least three rides before garnering recommendations and gaining unhindered access to the platform’s broader community.
But if you’re an-incoming freshman, you probably know at least one upperclassmen.
Incentive structure: Status
Cheaper than both buses and trains.
Nevertheless, drivers should also be adequately compensated for their efforts, as the mere act of providing transportation to strangers warrants fair payment.
However, monetary incentives alone will not be enough, as individuals with personal vehicles often prioritize convenience over financial gain. In other words, if you have a car, you don’t probably don’t care about saving that much money.
To address this, I would explore alternative incentives that appeal to people’s desire for status and exclusivity.
This could manifest in the form of premium access to campus amenities, such as UIUCFreeFood Premium, exclusive bar privileges, dating platforms, or invitations to prestigious parties — a bunch perks available only through participation in the ride-sharing network.
Essentially, you give rides to people because you’re part of the “cool group” that gets invited to exclusive parties, or has a “Skip The Line” pass at all the campus bars.
Partnerships will be key.
Implementation: Don’t Create an App
I wouldn’t create an app.
I would opt for a more pragmatic approach by creating a simple website or, even more streamlined, a dedicated Discord channel or Instagram page. I could see this working out as a massive groupchat where you coordinate with people.
But I’d still go with Discord, or Instagram where anyone can follow and see everything, but to join the groupchats with the drivers, you need to send a $50 deposit and a recommendation/invite from an existing, reputable user.
Someone, please, go and do this!
Beyond addressing the critical issues of trust, incentive structure, and implementation, there are other things you need to think about such as unforeseen circumstances and potential liability concers. And sure, think about all of that. But also!!! if you try your best to have a good incentive structure, you’re chilling as the number of adverse outcomes will diminish substantially.
This is a super interesting incentive structure alignment question, which is why I wrote it out as an exercise, but also if you read this, and want to do it, DO IT please!
Again, I regret not making it, and I think it would be a massive opportunity, super helpful. And you could probably apply the same system / line of thought to other college campuses.
There’s the same problem in Chicago and people who live in the suburbs who commute everyday. At the limit, you’d get rid of driving and taking the train, you’d have this super fast capsule that takes people in and out.
But before we get there, if you can apply the same approach to thse problems, it would be a good market, and then of course everyone else from Chicago to Purdue, Notre Dame, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and I don’t know, wherever else people drive to, college, or whatever they need to do. This is how Lyft started before it was called Lyft, and what Uber and Lyft should and could have been. But I’d rather use whatever this becomes than an Uber or the bus, or the train.
Alternatively, there’s also the possibility that this does not need to exist because all you need to do is ask. Perhaps all that is truly necessary is for individuals to directly engage with their social circles, leveraging the existing networks of friends and acquaintances to coordinate rides organically, without the need for a dedicated digital intermediary.
But as you and I know, as people dont want to talk to each other, we need to create more apps to allow people to do shit. Because talking to people has become cringe!
Learn about the history of Zimride.