Lifelong friends launch innovative ride-finding website RickyRides.com
SAN DIEGO, California; October 3, 2011— RickyRides.com, a free, interactive website for event-based carpooling that launched on Monday, Sept. 26, connects carpoolers across the nation with its user-friendly, Google-integrated web application.
During its initial testing in February 2011, RickyRides attracted more than 1,000 users in just the first few weeks. The website administrators of Bonnaroo and Coachella, two of the largest music festivals in the U.S., selected RickyRides’ thread to place at the top of all other entries on their ride-finding forums.
By taking advantage of Google Maps technology, and the communication power of Facebook, RickyRides converted the problematic “forum atmosphere” in traditional online carpool searches to a visually appealing application anyone can use.
“As simple of a concept as it is, and as easy as it is to navigate, RickyRides is truly an extraordinary website,” said RickyRides Co-Founder and Web Developer Ricky Keirsbilck, 25. “With this interactive, collective approach to online ride finding, we’ve simplified a process that in the past has been very tiresome and flooded with dead-ends.”
The problem with searching for carpools online is that the only “tools” available are complicated forums that require a considerable amount of time and effort. Keirsbilck and his best friend, RickyRides Co-Founder and Marketing Director Nick Schwarz, wanted to make this process simple and accessible to everyone.
“We tried to carpool on numerous occasions to various music and art festivals throughout the country and more times than not we were disappointingly unsuccessful,” said Schwarz, 26. “With RickyRides, this will never be a problem again. Not for us. Not for anyone.”
RickyRides has a growing database with more than 100 music and arts festivals. The website displays its users’ locations with two icons: “needs a ride” and “offering a ride.” It also allows them to send personal messages to one another, and displays clusters of “Drivers” and “Riders” while the user selects their own routes.
The co-founders conceived the idea for RickyRides in 2009 when Keirsbilck, then a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), designed the website for his senior project. Following their recent move to San Diego, the RIT alumni decided to expand the idea and develop the project for mass appeal.
Although RickyRides was initially created for music and arts events, its application can accommodate virtually any event, including conferences, conventions, exhibits, concerts, sports games, etc. The goal of RickyRides is not just to provide a platform for accessible, easy, and inexpensive carpooling options, but also to reduce society’s carbon footprint by limiting the amount of gas emissions.
RickyRides offers event coordinators, band promoters, and marketing agents a unique opportunity to create their own event pages to generate interest in their musical acts and events. More important to its co-founders is the fact that it connects music lovers and festival enthusiasts nationwide, so its users can share exciting and memorable experiences, and form long-lasting, meaningful relationships.
Visit www.rickyrides.com for an unmatched, interactive online ride-sharing experience.
For more information:
Nick Schwarz
Marketing Director
585-230-3084
marketing@rickyrides.com
William Matthias
Media Consultant
585-472-4585
media@rickyrides.com