UC Pairs Up Students Seeking Cheaper Rides

The Undergraduate Council (UC) pioneered its first matchmaking service just before students left for spring break.

But rather than shooting Cupid’s arrow, this electronic service  paired students with would-be traveling partners.

The UC launched UCRides.org on the Thursday night before spring break to facilitate student ride-sharing, and students planned 247 cab rides before spring break with the Web site.

The service, which was designed by a Seattle-based firm co-founded by former Campus Life Fellow Zachary A. Corker ’04, cost $1,000 in UC funds.

According to Corker, 223 students were registered on the program’s Web site as of March 27. He said he did not know how many of those users were successfully paired with other students during preferred time slots.

The service was advertised as a convenient way for students to find partners to share a cab ride to Logan airport, but students can use the service to seek a rideshare anywhere.

For Rafael F. Garcia ’09, the service was less about saving money on a cab, more about saving money on b.good burgers.

Garcia took advantage of the Web site’s offer of $5 b.good gift certificates for the first 200 students to be paired through UCRides.org by arranging a 2:30 a.m. taxi ride from Adams House to Mather House with his friend Daniel Carroll ’09.

After the Web site matched him and Carroll, a Crimson business editor, Garcia was guaranteed that the gift certificates would be delivered by mail.

“It was strange, because the site didn’t ask for an address or e-mail verification,” Garcia said. “But we also registered under two other e-mails and I hope that we get several gift cards.”

But the deal didn’t turn out to be so sweet for another student.

Darja Djordjevic ’08 said she wanted to use the service to arrange a ride home from the airport yesterday, but was unable to register on the Web site early yesterday afternoon. A "server error" page appeared after she clicked on the button to complete her registration.

"It was really disappointing and annoying," Djordjevic said. "I was looking forward to using it."

Corker said he was not aware of any server malfunctions, but said the Web site was down briefly on Saturday.

Tom D. Hadfield ’08, who sponsored the original UCRides.org legislation, said he was pleased with the initial performance of service.

"We’ve helped Harvard students save money getting to and from the airport," Hadfield said. "This is one of the best things the UC has done all year."

The creation of UCRides.org was one of Hadfield’s campaign promises during his bid for the UC presidency. He intended it to be a way for students to save money.

—Staff writer Nan Ni can be reached at nni@fas.harvard.edu.