CarpoolCrew

Inspiration

Traveling can be stressful, especially when it comes to getting to and from airports. As a frequent traveler, I often found myself struggling to coordinate rides with friends or relying on expensive ride-hailing services. That's why my team and I created CarpoolCrew, an app that makes carpooling easy and convenient.

What it does

CarpoolCrew is an app that allows users to find affordable and convenient rides with people going their way. With an easy-to-use home page, users can schedule a ride in just a few clicks, set their departure and arrival times, and even split the cost with their fellow passengers. Users can join or create trips with other users and choose whether to be a driver or a passenger. Once users are accepted into a group, they will be put in touch with the group via an automatically created group chat, making it easy to coordinate and communicate. Additionally, users can manage their payment options, view past trips, and rate their fellow riders on their profile page. CarpoolCrew is perfect for anyone who wants to save time and money on their travels and make their ride-sharing experience more enjoyable.

How we built it

We built CarpoolCrew using React Native for the mobile app and Mongo DB for the database. We also utilized Expo Go for the development environment.

Challenges we ran into

As a relatively inexperienced team, we faced a number of challenges throughout the development process. One of the main issues was figuring out how to integrate a map API to display the user's current location. We were able to overcome this hurdle by collaborating and brainstorming together to find a solution. Additionally, working with GitHub was difficult as many of us had little experience with the platform. However, our more experienced team members were able to guide us through merging, pushing, and pulling. Due to time constraints and scheduling conflicts, we had to submit our project before the deadline, which added additional pressure. Despite these challenges, we were able to work together and build a functional app that we are proud of.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the fact that, despite our limited experience, we were able to achieve a lot in a short amount of time. Specifically, we successfully implemented new technologies, such as the map API, that we had never used before. We also worked well as a team and overcame various challenges together.

What we learned

During the development process, we learned how to work together effectively and leverage each other's strengths to overcome obstacles. We also gained valuable experience in using React Native, Mongo DB, and Expo Go, as well as learning how to use a map API. Additionally, we learned the importance of time management and communication in a team setting, especially when working under tight deadlines. Overall, we learned that with hard work and determination, we can achieve great things even with limited experience.

What's next for CarpoolCrew

We have a lot of exciting plans for CarpoolCrew in the near future. Our top priority is to flesh out the scheduling feature, which will allow users to schedule rides in advance and get matched with other riders. We also plan to implement a feature that will show the start and end location of a trip on the map. In addition, we will work on connecting more of the front and back end, creating a user profile page, and implementing real-time messaging within the app. We will also focus on improving the app's aesthetics to make it more user-friendly and visually appealing. Beyond LAHacks, we are committed to continuing development on the app and hope to launch it in the app store in the near future.

Built With

• expogo
• figma
• location
• mongodb
• react
• react-native