Jayride in the Queenstown Times
Written by James Beech, journalist for the Otago Daily Times and the Queenstown Times about the upcoming Jayride Challenge.
Online car-pooling service
A NEW online ride-sharing service aims to prove car-pooling works as a way to save money and the environment, by inviting anyone to join a ride from Auckland to Queenstown.
Jayride was founded by Auckland entrepreneurs Rod Bishop and Ross Lin. Mr Bishop will drive a car, courtesy of sponsor Ace, from the city on Monday and arrive in the resort on February 5.
If Jayride makes it from Auckland to Queenstown, filling spare seats for the whole trip, it will show Kiwis can share any ride they want, whenever they want, Mr Bishop said.
The Jayride Challenge will be blogged with photography from the road at news.jayride.co.nz.
Mr Bishop said the idea started with hitch.net.nz, a car-pooling service he started two years ago and based on a German model. The service’s popularity prompted the rename and launch of Jayride last December.
Jayride.co.nz was receiving 20,000 page views a month and 200 new members were registering every three weeks, he said.
It has become New Zealand’s largest public ride-sharing service, with more than 1450 members sharing 14.500 rides around the country. Registration and searches were free, and travel costs were met by ride sharers.
“In tight financial times, domestic travel is a cost-saving alternative to overseas holidays, especially when New Zealand’s greatest destinations are now cheaper than ever to reach with Jayride.” Mr Bishop said.
“Ride-sharing is a way for New Zealanders to save money on travel expenses and to reduce their carbon footprint. Emissions from motor vehicles are responsible for New Zealand being the sixth worst polluter per capita in the world.”
Tags: carpool, jayride, The Jayride Challenge
