Fare announced May 31 it is approved by the city to provide service at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Fare also operates in the greater Austin area. Offering a feature in its app that allows users to designate "preferred" drivers and schedule a ride up to seven days in advance, the ride-hailing company began operating in Austin on May 20.
“With the amount of demand the city has there is definitely room for a couple of players to be successful here,” CEO Michael Leto said. “I think with [the defeat of Proposition 1 and subsequent departure of Uber and Lyft] there are a lot of companies coming [to Austin]. ... It opens this market to really have these companies compete, and we’re looking forward to that competition.”
The Phoenix-based company, which launched in July, also announced plans in the coming weeks to move its headquarters to Austin. Leto said the company is eyeing a downtown office as its corporate headquarters and another commercial building to serve as a driver resource center.
More than 4,000 Austin drivers have started the process of becoming a driver for Fare, he said. About 1,000 drivers have completed the signup process. Leto said more than 25,000 mobile users have signed up for a Fare passenger account.
As per the city's ordinance on background checks and fingerprinting for ride-hailing company drivers, Fare and others working to fill the void left by Uber and Lyft must have at least 50 percent of their drivers fingerprinted by Aug. 1. Leto said the company's internal goal is to have around 75 percent of its drivers fingerprinted by that date.
Now Open
Fasten launched services in Austin in May. The rideshare company claims to provide more affordable trips for riders and more profitable trips for drivers than companies such as Uber and Lyft. The platform also does not feature "surge" pricing, or higher rates during peak traffic hours. The Boston-based company has signed up more than 1,000 Austin drivers, according to a marketing representative. www.fasten.com
Coming Soon
Rideshare nonprofit RideAustin will begin a phased rollout of services in June, according to its website. Coverage will be provided downtown and at the airport and will gradually expand until a full launch in December. RideAustin will start with an iOS app and launch an Android-capable app in July. www.rideaustin.com
