AsterRIDE
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation, Technology |
| Founded | October 2014 |
| Founder | Seth Rudin |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | United States (multiple metropolitan areas) |
| Products | Digital platform and mobile applications for taxi and limousine referral services |
| Website | asterride |
asterRIDE functions as a referral service that promotes transportation options for limousine and taxi providers in various American cities. Its digital platform and mobile applications (available on iOS and Android) facilitate connections between passengers and taxi drivers. By June 2015, asterRIDE was active in ten metropolitan areas such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, and Seattle, with intentions to extend operations to Las Vegas, New York City, Houston, and Philadelphia.
History
Established in October 2014 by Seth Rudin, a Seattle-based entrepreneur and alumnus of Arizona State University, asterRIDE was developed to solve issues Rudin encountered when arranging ground transportation during his business travels.
AsterRIDE app and services
The asterRIDE application connects riders with drivers who are commercially insured and licensed by their respective cities. Taxi operators and individual drivers handle ride requests through a specialized driver app. Users have the option to select taxis, limousines, or for-hire vehicles, booking trips either instantly or ahead of time. Additional functionalities include saving preferred destinations and viewing Yelp reviews for guidance.
InstaALERT
Among its features is instaALERT, which allows passengers to inform a trusted contact immediately after accepting a ride via the app.
Preferred Driver
The platform permits riders to designate favorite drivers, while drivers can invite new users to participate for shared ride opportunities.
Pricing model
Rather than employing surge pricing, asterRIDE imposes a booking fee combined with customer service charges on passengers.
Reception
The company has earned favorable media attention. In December 2014, Upstart Business Journal recognized it as one of the "30 Must-Know Upstarts." Later, in May 2015, Entrepreneur Magazine listed it among "100 Brilliant Companies." It is acknowledged as a taxi-friendly alternative compared to ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft.