Back in 2016, when Uber and Lyft abandoned Austin because of local regulations, a nonprofit ride-hailing startup emerged.
RideAustin, launched by CEO Andy Tryba and Trilogy CEO Joe Liemandt, filled the void left by the California-based giants for months.
When Uber and Lyft returned with more favorable regulations, it looked like RideAustin would face more competition than it could handle. But, despite a dramatic drop in demand, it forged on -- until now.
On Friday, RideAustin told users via email that it will temporarily suspend operations, starting on March 30 at midnight.
"As medical professionals and healthcare experts encourage social distancing, we believe that continuing operations would put our drivers and riders at risk," the company wrote. "Because there are still so many unknowns about the virus and the effects that its spread will have on the community, we want to be prudent and proactive in doing our part to follow the recommendations."
The nonprofit said it will notify users when it has a restart date to share.
RideAustin differs from Uber and Lyft in that it was formed as a nonprofit and prominently features a "round-up" option that allows riders to share extra change from their trip with select local nonprofits. Its website shows it sent $427,423 to nonprofits through August 2019.
