A new car service promises to make getting around New York City a lot easier without having to use the subway or spend more money than necessary for a taxi.
Chariot car service aims to get you to your destination for less and without the hassle of crowded subways or busses, or the ridiculously high rate of other popular car services.
The company will provide shuttle service with 14-seater vans that will take riders to areas that are in high demand.
The car service is already available in Austin, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area. This fall, the shuttle service will become available in New York City.
Much like Uber, Lyft and other car services, it works through an app available for iPhone and Android devices. You will be prompted to create an account using your email address and a valid phone number.
According to the company, once you book a ride, you are guaranteed a seat in one of their Wi-Fi-enabled vans. The only catch is you have to go to one of their designated pick-up locations, but it could work in your favor if the location is close by.
The cost of Chariot is slightly cheaper than a MetroCard. According to the Chariot site, an all-access 30-day monthly pass will cost $119, which comes out to less than $3 per ride.
The New York City service will launch with two routes – one from the East Village to Midtown and another route from Greenpoint to Dumbo.
Users will be given the opportunity to crowdsource new routes that are in high demand. If Chariot notices people are requesting a particular route, they will add it to their list of available routes. This feature could come in handy if it appears that several people are going to a particular event or location at the same time.
The idea of the service is that it could provide New Yorkers with another option to get around town when the subways are having issues and car service rates become way too high.
