Inspiration
The problem we chose to tackle was finding a way for CMU students without cars to get around. Many students, ourselves included, have found it difficult to get around Mount Pleasant at some point during our time at CMU. While some of us chose to walk everywhere, others of us have carpooled with friends and neighbors. Carpooling with our friends gave us an idea: what if we could carpool with people other than our friends? What if we could carpool with people who are going to our desired destination anyway? We decided to make plans for an app to bring everyone together.
What it does
The basic idea is simple: a driver tells the app where they plan to go and when. The app broadcasts this to riders. If a rider needs to go to said destination, they can request to carpool with the driver. When the driver accepts the rider, the rider is given the make and model of the car, as well as a 4 digit pin number. When the rider finds their driver, they tell the driver the 4 digit pin code to enter. Once that is all good, the driver can pick up more passengers or head straight to the destination.
How we built it
We didn't have time to build an app overnight, so we did the next best thing: we created a sample UI to show what the app might look like. We also created a powerpoint to show major points of how the app would work.
Challenges we ran into
A big challenge was thinking of safety features. We needed to be sure that students felt safe while carpooling. Some requirements a driver must meet are:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must be a CMU student
- Must have owned a valid drivers license for at least a year
Accomplishments that we're proud of
While talking to professors about our project, some have mentioned a ride board that CMU has done in previous years. Our solution is a modern and convenient approach to a long existing problem.
What we learned
We learned new ways to work on a team to solve a common problem. While we all had problems getting around Mount Pleasant at some point, we had different solutions and we had to work together to find the best one.
What's next for CMU Ride & Go
The biggest thing for CMU Ride & Go to work on is look for student feedback.
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