RRive: Ride instead of drive!

The Koblenz-based start-up RRive has announced the launch of its digital ride-sharing platform, which connects drivers and passengers in real-time using AI and an integrated navigation system to facilitate spontaneous, flexible, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and above all, short trips. Drivers keep the app's navigation system running on all their journeys to be available for passengers to find them, further elaborates the provider from Koblenz. Through the automatic calculation of ideal meeting points and detours, the match probability increases enormously. This also makes it possible to reliably cover rural areas for the first time. The company plans to enter the pilot phase in the Koblenz area soon and make the app market-ready by mid-year. This is also intended to increase the modest occupancy in cars, which stands at 1.1 persons per vehicle during rush hours. With more passengers on board, emissions per capita could be radically reduced.

"The idea of ride-sharing is not new, but we were surprised when we discovered the outdated systems available for arranging ride-shares. Who wants to spend days in advance planning a short trip, only to then depend on another person? There was no system on the market that made ride-sharing simple, spontaneous, safe, and at the same time affordable," outline the young entrepreneurs.

However, people should form ride-shares to manage their daily trips, as this is a cost-effective and more environmentally friendly alternative to driving alone, describe the Koblenz team in their brief. By forming a ride-share, not only do you split the costs for fuel and parking fees, but you also reduce the amount of CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere. Additionally, it can also be a good opportunity to meet new people and make social connections, the app developers continue to promote.

"We focus on everyday trips to the supermarket, to work, or to sports. Our first target group is the suburbs," explains Jan Loescher, one of the founders, to Zeit Online.

There, public transport is moderately developed, and on the other hand, there are so many cars on the road that there should be many ride-sharing options available. The preliminary booking fee for passengers has been set at one euro plus 25 cents per kilometer, of which the driver will receive a good 20 cents. This significantly reduces the costs without generating a profit. This is precisely how it differentiates itself from established ride service providers like Uber. "Only in this form is the system sustainable," Loescher states. He also points to some safety features for both sides. Accordingly, the driver must identify themselves in the app with an ID card, and the app provides an emergency button for both parties, covering scenarios from a "smoking passenger" to an "emergency call to the police."