Pablo Alvéstegui, AllRide: more enjoyable and affordable transport

One of the ways to provide more efficient corporate transportation and to help preserve the environment is to connect people who frequently drive to work with riders who are heading in the same direction.
 

According to Pablo Alvéstegui Seelenfreund who is a co-founder of AllRide, the Mexican startup is currently providing a unique and flexible ride sharing model which does just this.

How did AllRide begin and what is its mission now?

Alvéstegui: The founders of AllRide, who were architecture and engineering students at the time, started the company as a hobby. However, we soon realized its potential and started thinking bigger, transforming our original idea into a profitable enterprise aimed at positively impacting the quality of life of millions of people.

Our mission Today, besides making daily transportation a more enjoyable and affordable experience for users, is to help reduce traffic jams and environmental pollution in large cities.

What is your coverage area and do you have any expansion plans?

Alvéstegui: We are currently operating in Spain, Mexico, Chile, Peru and Costa Rica and our mid-term goal is to expand throughout the rest of Latin America.

Could you tell me a little about the services you offer?

Alvéstegui: Sure, we provide carpool services to companies and universities to help them save money. This is done by optimizing the use of parking spaces and corporate buses. Besides improving the commuting experience of members (employees and students), our system reduces our client's footprint on the environment.
 

Members are given a license which allows them to use a private community which is run through a mobile app. It is a secure system which only permits community usage to those who have a valid corporate email. Members can also measure the performance of their community by way of an administration platform.
 

Alvéstegui: Members can keep track of the number of shared rides accomplished as well as the amount of CO2 emissions reduced through usage. A ranking of the most popular members is also kept, giving them parking preference so that corporate parking is optimized.
 

Empoyees can also monitor - in real time - the location of their corporate buses. Besides helping them organize their trips, the platform reduces down time from waiting  and efficiently identifying riders when needed. This data also helps corporate managers better manage the services.


Allride mobile app (source: Allride)

 What is the biggest challenge you are facing in your operations today?

Alvéstegui: Besides successfully testing tens of thousands of users through the Beta version of our new carpooling scheme, we have recently completed a funding round. As such, the biggest challenge we really have right now is growing quickly to build a strong user base in the countries we operate in. 

Could you highlight some of your clients?

Alvéstegui: We have agreements with more than 25 large enterprises and universities throughouth the five countries we operate in. Among them are US-based machinery company Komatsu, Mexican financial firm Sura, Chilean telecommunications company VTR, and Chilean/Peruvian telecommunications Entel, and we are in advanced negotiations with dozens more.

 

Finally, I'd like to say that through these agreements, we have helped our clients significantly improve the quality of life of their human resources. By using the app, wokers reduce their travel time by an average of 40% and driving costs by approximately 60%.