Real-Time Ridesharing

Description

From the Wikipedia:

"Real-time ridesharing (also known as instant ridesharing, dynamic ridesharing, ad-hoc ridesharing, or dynamic carpooling) is a service that arranges one-time shared rides on very short notice.

This type of carpooling generally makes use of three recent technological advances:[2]

• GPS navigation devices to determine a driver's route and arrange the shared ride

• Smartphones for a traveler to request a ride from wherever they happen to be

• Social networks to establish trust and accountability between drivers and passengers

These elements are coordinated through a network service, which can instantaneously handle the driver payments and match rides using an optimization algorithm.

Real-time ridesharing is promoted as a way to better utilize the empty seats in most passenger cars, thus lowering fuel usage and transport costs. It can serve areas not covered by a public transit system and act as a transit feeder service.[3] It is also capable of serving one-time trips, not only recurrent commute trips.[4] Furthermore, it can serve to limit the volume of car traffic, thereby reducing congestion and mitigating traffic's environmental impact.

One potential drawback may be economic harm to the auto industry due to sharing; however, some auto companies such as Daimler are quite supportive of real-time ridesharing research. Opposition may also come from taxi companies and public transit operators." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real-time_ridesharing)