SHARE Transforms Transportation in Columbus and Beyond
What if you didn’t have to drive to work every day? What if instead, you rode in a safe, clean, comfortable minivan driven by a well-vetted and well-paid driver who enjoyed the work? And what if your employer offsets some or all of the cost of that transport as an employee benefit?
You wouldn’t be paying for gasoline or the wear and tear on your car. In fact, maybe you wouldn’t even need a car.
That’s just one of the win-win possibilities with SHARE, a technology company in the transportation industry that is changing the ways people get from here to there.
Transforming the Opportunities for People in Cities
“SHARE is a software company that operates a microtransit service,” said Ryan McManus, SHARE CEO. “We are developing a platform for a world where, ultimately, everyone is a passenger.”
SHARE’s customers include commuters who share rides by choice. The service also fills a gap in cities where employees lack reliable access to transportation. If potential employees can’t get to work, they can’t take a job.
SHARE also serves senior living centers; students and educators at schools, colleges, and universities, as well as communities and individuals with special needs.
“We provide access for seniors which allows our customers to provide services and improve the quality of life for residents in senior communities. This is also important for independent seniors and those living with family,” McManus said.
Customer desires and attitudes are shifting more toward shared transportation, especially with Millennials.
“There is a great propensity among Millennials to share,” said McManus. “That’s just the way they look at the world. We are also seeing a massive shift in employers’ attitudes as they envision how to satisfy employees’ transportation needs over the next ten years.”
Efficiency, Environmental Stewardship, and the Human Connection
“Our business is all about maximizing the efficiency of vehicles and filling the seats,” McManus said. “We are the ridesharing service for the rides you take most—to work, to school, or for healthcare.”
The company combines unique software with connected car data, shared vehicles, and professional drivers committed to customer happiness to economically meet transportation needs.
SHARE is a transportation network company (TNC) regulated by the state, but beyond that, there are important differences from other ridesharing services.
SHARE utilizes a network of trusted vehicles, some through fleet leasing programs and others that are shared vehicles. The shared vehicles come from customer organizations that outsource their operations to SHARE.
SHARE’s drivers are vetted and trained to deliver customer service and happiness.
“They are the most important part of the business,” McManus said. “Our technology makes them safer and smarter on the road. No other operator is using real-time connected data to compensate drivers the way we are now.
The firm’s proprietary software platform manages all aspects of the microtransit operation. SHARE leverages data and artificial intelligence to make dispatching more efficient. For example, scheduling routes is a challenge for any transportation business. SHARE turned a 40-hour task into a 5-minute process. The platform gets smarter and more efficient as more riders join.
The result? More shared rides with fewer vehicles on the road.
Growing Exponentially, Planning to Expand
Columbus, as the winner of the Smart City challenge, is a leader in rethinking mobility. “This city was the ideal location to found and validate this business,” McManus said.
SHARE aligns very well with the goals of Smart Columbus.
“Transportation is a huge enabler,” said McManus. “Columbus is creating a plan that other cities can follow. Inside that plan, we are demonstrating how a microtransit service can be more than just a ride and transform the organizations we serve.”
SHARE looks to partner with public transit. “We think the future is multi-modal,” McManus said. “We are specifically focused on the regularly scheduled, recurring rides that can be shared. These are the type of rides that will be ideal for self-driving cars in the near future.”
SHARE’s growth strategy includes expanding beyond Columbus to a second city by the fourth quarter. Cities with populations of about one-million that have robust ridesharing activity are optimal.
