Social Carpool App (MVP)
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
Social Carpool App – Project Scope (MVP)
Project Summary
We are developing a social carpool mobile app that allows users to book a single seat or reserve all seats in a vehicle for a private ride. The experience is designed to be more social and familiar — riders can see other passengers, rebook favorite drivers, and select pickup/drop-off points from verified Points of Interest (POIs), like coffee shops or retail stores, rather than residential addresses.
The app will launch with two fixed intercity routes:
Austin, TX → College Station, TX
Austin, TX → San Antonio, TX
Each ride will consist of two legs (outbound and return), with a mandatory one-hour idle time between them. For example, a 7:00 AM departure from Austin to College Station arrives by 9:00 AM; the return trip cannot depart until at least 10:00 AM. Drivers are required to complete both legs of any trip they accept.
Testing & Pilot Plan:
To validate the MVP and refine the user experience:
David Gregory, project lead, will serve as the first test driver during internal testing.
A group of 60 early users from an existing database will be invited via email to serve as trial customers.
These users will test live functionality, including:
Ride booking
Social visibility (seeing fellow passengers)
Real-time driver tracking
Messaging and notifications
Payment and tipping
POI-based pickup/drop-off performance
Their feedback will be collected and reviewed before a broader rollout.
User Roles:
Rider
Driver
Admin
Core Features:
Rider Features:
Register/login using email, Google, or Facebook
Browse upcoming trips along preset city-to-city routes
Book:
A single seat (shared ride)
All seats (private ride)
Choose pickup/drop-off locations from curated POIs
View trip schedule, estimated duration, and idle time before return
See other passengers riding on the same trip
View driver profiles, ratings, and ride history
Mark favorite drivers and rebook with one tap
Access trip history and rebooking options
In-app messaging with drivers and fellow riders
Push/email notifications for confirmations, trip reminders, and driver updates
Live trip tracking powered by Google Maps API
Driver Features:
Register/login via email (with vetting during onboarding)
Set availability for scheduled trips
Accept two-leg trips (both outbound and return legs required)
View rider details, POIs, and trip schedules
In-app chat with passengers
Receive Stripe payouts per completed leg
Collect optional tips, instantly paid out after each leg
View earnings and trip history
Admin Features:
Dashboard (web-based or mobile-friendly) to manage:
Riders
Drivers
Trip schedules
Routes and POIs
Update and optimize pickup/drop-off POIs to improve efficiency and travel flow
Set and enforce 1-hour idle time between trip legs
Monitor all active trips, users, and system health
Review flagged accounts or messages
Send announcements or service alerts
Export user, trip, or earnings data as needed
Payments & Payouts:
Stripe is used for all transactions.
Riders pay at time of booking
Drivers are paid per leg upon completion
Tips are optional and paid out instantly after each completed leg
The platform will collect a service fee from each transaction
Mapping & Navigation:
Google Maps API will power:
Real-time driver/passenger tracking
Turn-by-turn navigation
Admin route setup and POI optimization
Trip duration estimates and live location updates
Trip Flow Example:
Route: Austin → College Station
Departure: 7:00 AM
Arrival: 9:00 AM
Return Trip: No earlier than 10:00 AM (1-hour idle required)
Trip Legs:
Leg 1: Austin to College Station
Leg 2: College Station to Austin
Drivers are paid per leg, with tips included if applicable
Tech Stack:
Frontend: Flutter (for iOS & Android)
Backend: Firebase or Node.js with Firestore/PostgreSQL (flexible based on developer input)
Auth: Firebase Authentication (Email, Google, Facebook)
Payments: Stripe (merchant account, payouts, tips)
Mapping: Google Maps API
Messaging: Firebase or real-time chat service
Notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
Timeline:
MVP target launch: 6–8 weeks
Trial period: Begins immediately after MVP deployment
Post-trial improvements based on user and driver feedback
Project Summary
We are developing a social carpool mobile app that allows users to book a single seat or reserve all seats in a vehicle for a private ride. The experience is designed to be more social and familiar — riders can see other passengers, rebook favorite drivers, and select pickup/drop-off points from verified Points of Interest (POIs), like coffee shops or retail stores, rather than residential addresses.
The app will launch with two fixed intercity routes:
Austin, TX → College Station, TX
Austin, TX → San Antonio, TX
Each ride will consist of two legs (outbound and return), with a mandatory one-hour idle time between them. For example, a 7:00 AM departure from Austin to College Station arrives by 9:00 AM; the return trip cannot depart until at least 10:00 AM. Drivers are required to complete both legs of any trip they accept.
Testing & Pilot Plan:
To validate the MVP and refine the user experience:
David Gregory, project lead, will serve as the first test driver during internal testing.
A group of 60 early users from an existing database will be invited via email to serve as trial customers.
These users will test live functionality, including:
Ride booking
Social visibility (seeing fellow passengers)
Real-time driver tracking
Messaging and notifications
Payment and tipping
POI-based pickup/drop-off performance
Their feedback will be collected and reviewed before a broader rollout.
User Roles:
Rider
Driver
Admin
Core Features:
Rider Features:
Register/login using email, Google, or Facebook
Browse upcoming trips along preset city-to-city routes
Book:
A single seat (shared ride)
All seats (private ride)
Choose pickup/drop-off locations from curated POIs
View trip schedule, estimated duration, and idle time before return
See other passengers riding on the same trip
View driver profiles, ratings, and ride history
Mark favorite drivers and rebook with one tap
Access trip history and rebooking options
In-app messaging with drivers and fellow riders
Push/email notifications for confirmations, trip reminders, and driver updates
Live trip tracking powered by Google Maps API
Driver Features:
Register/login via email (with vetting during onboarding)
Set availability for scheduled trips
Accept two-leg trips (both outbound and return legs required)
View rider details, POIs, and trip schedules
In-app chat with passengers
Receive Stripe payouts per completed leg
Collect optional tips, instantly paid out after each leg
View earnings and trip history
Admin Features:
Dashboard (web-based or mobile-friendly) to manage:
Riders
Drivers
Trip schedules
Routes and POIs
Update and optimize pickup/drop-off POIs to improve efficiency and travel flow
Set and enforce 1-hour idle time between trip legs
Monitor all active trips, users, and system health
Review flagged accounts or messages
Send announcements or service alerts
Export user, trip, or earnings data as needed
Payments & Payouts:
Stripe is used for all transactions.
Riders pay at time of booking
Drivers are paid per leg upon completion
Tips are optional and paid out instantly after each completed leg
The platform will collect a service fee from each transaction
Mapping & Navigation:
Google Maps API will power:
Real-time driver/passenger tracking
Turn-by-turn navigation
Admin route setup and POI optimization
Trip duration estimates and live location updates
Trip Flow Example:
Route: Austin → College Station
Departure: 7:00 AM
Arrival: 9:00 AM
Return Trip: No earlier than 10:00 AM (1-hour idle required)
Trip Legs:
Leg 1: Austin to College Station
Leg 2: College Station to Austin
Drivers are paid per leg, with tips included if applicable
Tech Stack:
Frontend: Flutter (for iOS & Android)
Backend: Firebase or Node.js with Firestore/PostgreSQL (flexible based on developer input)
Auth: Firebase Authentication (Email, Google, Facebook)
Payments: Stripe (merchant account, payouts, tips)
Mapping: Google Maps API
Messaging: Firebase or real-time chat service
Notifications: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
Timeline:
MVP target launch: 6–8 weeks
Trial period: Begins immediately after MVP deployment
Post-trial improvements based on user and driver feedback