Waze Carpool

Author: Kaitlyn Short

From the company that brought us the Waze navigation app that helps drivers find the fastest route through traffic comes a new app where drivers and riders can connect based on common destinations.

The difference between Waze's carpooling service and ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber is that Waze doesn't pay drivers. You are getting a ride from someone who is driving, not a working driver. Drivers and riders split the cost of the ride to a common destination. It is not meant to be a form of income for drivers.

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The Good

• Price
• Special Groupings
• Promotions

Price

Waze Carpool calculates a price based on your route and the number of riders that makes commuting more affordable. Currently, service fees are waived, so the only money changing hands is paid from passengers to drivers. The maximum value of any ride is $25. That is certainly not the case with other ride sharing services.  

Special Groupings

Waze carpoolers can choose the people they want to ride with based on their daily route. Your home and work addresses are used by the system to match drivers and riders going the same way, but those addresses are kept private. There are even special filters like same-gender and coworkers only.

Promotions

If you refer a friend, you can earn a $20 bonus to your carpool balance by inviting a friend who uses one ride. You can do this a maximum of ten times for up to $200 in credit.

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The Bad

• Availability
• Payment Schedule
• Driver Eligibility

Availability

Waze is a community of users who share updates about traffic jams and car crashes to help users navigate driving to work. The carpooling app is live nationwide, but its usability will still be based on local users who need to go to the same destination at the same time as you. This service doesn't have drivers who are waiting for rides; rather its drivers are looking for passengers with a common destination. This service may not be readily usable as an on-demand service outside of the nation's largest carpooling cities. 

Payment Schedule

If you are looking for a quick way to make cash, this is not it. Drivers are not paid until the 15th of the next month. If you gave people rides to work in October, for example, you get paid November 15th. It is meant to help you save money on your commute, not to earn an income like Uber or Lyft drivers.

Driver Eligibility

In order to register as a driver and give people rides, you need to have a valid driver's license, a roadworthy, legal vehicle, and insurance coverage. You also agree to terms about driving safely and not using the service as a business to make a profit. There are no official background checks and Waze doesn’t supplement insurance in case of an accident.

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The Bottom Line

Waze Carpool is an app that matches commuters and travelers based on their destinations. It helps to split the cost of your ride to make it more affordable. It may be hard to get a ride through this service if it is not widely used in your area.

The price is going to be affordable because there are no service charges. You can save money, and possibly time, by using the carpool lane. 

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