Company:Poparide
| File:Poparide logo | |
| Formerly | HitchWhistler (2010-2015) HitchPlanet (2015-2016) |
|---|---|
| Type | Privately held company |
| Industry |
|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Flo Devellennes, CEO |
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
Area served | Canada |
| Products | |
| Website | https://www.poparide.com/ |
Poparide is an online marketplace for carpooling in Canada. Its website and mobile app connect drivers and passengers wishing to travel together between cities and share the cost of travel.
The platform has over 400,000 registered users in 2021[1] and is available in English and French. Poparide is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Concept
The service is a crowdsourced community that connects people who need rides with drivers that are already traveling on the same routes using the extra supply of seats that are on the road. Poparide operates as a carpool service where drivers receive compensation for gas and mileage from passengers but are not able to turn a profit, unlike ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.[2]
Service is accessed via a website and mobile app. Members create a personal profile with a name, phone number, email address, other information, and payment preference, which could be a credit card or debit card.[3] Cash payments are not permitted on Poparide.[4]
Once registered, members are given an online identity and develop a reputation by leaving reviews for other members.
Poparide offers customer service to its members 7 days per week.
Growth in Canada
HitchPlanet acquired Maritime Rideshare and its 8,000 members in April 2016.[5]
By August 2016, the company reached one million kilometres of shared travel and 36,000 members.[6]
In November 2016, HitchPlanet rebranded as Poparide.[7]
Competition
Poparide competes directly in the city-to-city carpooling business with Amigo Express in Quebec.
Impact on bus travel
In July 2018, Greyhound Canada announced that it would end all passenger and freight service in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba,[8] citing Poparide and numerous ridesharing services as reasons for its demise.[9] In May 2021, Greyhound Canada subsequently announced that it would permanently cut all bus routes across Canada.[10]
Legal
In June 2019, a Poparide driver lost a bid to claim civil and moral damages caused by passengers accusing him of being late and ill-equipped to deal with winter conditions. The British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal dismissed the claim, concluding that Poparide had not breached its agreement with the driver and found no improper motive behind Poparide’s clear discretion to suspend a member’s account.[11]
References
- ↑ "Poparide - Reliable City-to-City Ridesharing in Canada". https://www.poparide.com/.
- ↑ Kurjata, Andrew (March 28, 2018). "Vancouver-based carpool app makes pitch to replace Greyhound in northern B.C.". CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/greyhound-northern-bc-1.4596089.
- ↑ "What methods of payment are accepted?" (in en-US). https://support.poparide.com/hc/en-us/articles/231452928-What-methods-of-payment-are-accepted-.
- ↑ "Can I pay cash?" (in en-US). https://support.poparide.com/hc/en-us/articles/360024873611-Can-I-pay-cash-.
- ↑ Ross, Shane (April 23, 2016). "HitchPlanet gives P.E.I. ridesharing new life". CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-rideshare-hitchplanet-maritimes-1.3548263.
- ↑ "HitchPlanet drives past one million kilometre milestone, announces expansion | BetaKit" (in en-CA). 2016-08-29. https://betakit.com/hitchplanet-drives-past-one-million-kilometre-milestone-announces-expansion/.
- ↑ "From HitchPlanet to Poparide, the Rebrand Story" (in en-US). 2016-11-15. https://www.poparide.com/blog/hitchplanet-to-poparide-rebrand/.
- ↑ "Greyhound Canada to end routes in Prairies, B.C. | Globalnews.ca" (in en-US). https://globalnews.ca/news/4320944/greyhound-bus-service-western-canada-ending/.
- ↑ "Greyhound fingers ridesharing as a factor in its demise in Western Canada - Saskatoon | Globalnews.ca" (in en-US). https://globalnews.ca/news/4331789/greyhound-ridesharing-western-canada/.
- ↑ Bundale, Brett (2021-05-13). "Greyhound Canada to cut all routes, end operations" (in en). https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/greyhound-canada-to-cut-all-routes-end-operations-1.5426464.
- ↑ Proctor, Jason (June 17, 2019). "Rideshare driver loses claim for 'moral damages' caused by passenger complaints". CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rideshare-poparide-complaints-passenger-1.5176665.
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