Uber and Lyft are all well and good, but for your everyday commute, it might be easier to catch a ride with a colleague instead. SPLT is trying to do just that, by bringing ridesharing to the corporate world.
Originally launched in Detroit as part of TechStars Mobility, SPLT kicked off its expansion plans by launching in San Francisco this week.
Instead of pairing you with random strangers who happen to be heading the same way, SPLT is targeted at large organizations to help ease the logistical and environmental impact of ping-ponging back and forth between the home and the workplace. In the process, the company aims to maximize the side-effects of its service, such as encouraging mentor sessions to foster internal employee growth, or connecting employees from separate departments in the hope to create an opportunity for sharing and developing new ideas.
One of the biggest challenges with launching a marketplace business is to grow the supply and demand at the same pace, but the ingenious thing about SPLT’s model is that the starting position is a win-win for users: When a company signs up to SPLT’s service, it starts with an over-supply of drivers — who would be commuting to work anyway — but as more and more people within the company start using SPLT’s platform, supply and demand should stabilize and find an equilibrium with the “right” number of drivers and passengers.
The platform also includes more advanced features, such as enabling users to share rides with companies located in similar areas or along common corridors.
“The product works as a 21st-century smart carpool service for employers seeking to provide a much-needed transportation solution to employees,” says Anya Babbitt, SPLT’s CEO. “The platform records the amount of CO2 emissions reduced as well as miles saved, helping companies meet CSR requirements.”
SPLT is trying to change behaviors by making ridesharing a perk and by suggesting that the companies signing up to the service offer rewards for committing to ridesharing.
