A transit-hailing service in Rita Ranch will be expanding come early October.
The Amore Service was funded through a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The grant allowed for the service to start up operation in the Rita Ranch community.
Currently, those in Rita Ranch who want to use the service have to sign-up online, however, come early October the Amore service will transition into an app on the app store, giving access to more Rita Ranch community members.
A #FREE rideshare type service in Rita Ranch? It’s true! Details on the #AmoreService on @kgun9 at 6
— Veronica Acosta (@VeronicacostaTV) September 20, 2018
The overall purpose of the service is to get people who live in the Rita Ranch community to their destination while revolutionizing the way people think and use public transit.
"The chemistry of the app is in the back end where we've got a proprietary algorithm that's going to help us match customers and allow them to ride in paired rides, that's a little unlike Uber and Lyft where they typically offer a single ride to an individual. Our goal is really to try and pair customers together for maximum efficiency and in that way it's a little bit more like public transportation," said James McGinnin, the Transit Services Manager, "we're calling it transit hailing instead of ride sharing."
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Drivers for the service are hired through RubyRide and all undergo background checks as well as carry professional liability insurances.
"A key component of the service has been that we hire drivers within the community," said McGinnin.
Drivers are also paid differently than a typical rideshare service. Instead of getting paid by miles, drivers are paid during the entire time they are working.
