A new ridesharing startup in Chicago wants to provide an alternative Uber and Lyft, and it plans to do it by taking an eco-friendly approach.
G-Ride, a startup that's currently raising funding with plans to launch in the coming months, is building a ridesharing service in Chicago that only uses hybrid and electric cars. And it plans to plant a tree with every ride taken.
G-Ride thinks there's enough of the ridesharing pie to go around, and the startup believes there's enough environmentally conscious riders and drivers who would be willing to make a switch to a fuel-efficient alternative to Uber, said founder Stephen Cutter, who spent time as an Uber driver himself.
"I realized right away there was no real (eco-friendly) concept in the rideshare industry," Cutter said. "The goal is to put green in peoples' consciousness, being aware that something they’re doing is making the world a better place."
Cutter thinks he can pull hybrid and electric car drivers away from Uber and Lyft by offering a few incentives: First, G-Ride claims it will offer drivers up to 10% higher pay. It plans to offer drivers equity in the company and a seat on the Board, while also offering student loan repayment options and a way for riders to leave tips--which Uber doesn't do.
For riders, aside from using G-Ride for the environmental benefits, Cutter said there won't be any surge pricing.
Cutter said that the company will plant a tree with each ride, and every 100 rides will save an acre of rainforest.
With a focus on the environment, and increased benefits for its drivers, Cutter believes riders will be willing to give the service a try.
"Drivers are treated like indentured servants with Uber and Lyft," he said. "You don’t see too much good PR on either one of them."
All the cars in G-Ride's fleet will do at least 40 miles per gallon, and Cutter said more than 30 drivers have already signed up to use the service. He expects the app to be live in the next two months, with an expected launch soon after that. He's also looking at additional revenue streams, such as in-app advertising from environmentally conscious brands where riders can purchase deals to earn free rides.
"If we can show that we care, it doesn't matter what Uber and Lyft do," Cutter said. "People will see what company they really want to work with."
