Crowded subway stations and train delays can ruin your morning and set a bad tone for your entire work day. Every now and then, you might want to consider alternative methods for getting to the office, and fortunately, there are a number of local startups dedicated to the cause. Check out these startups helping your morning commute run smoothly and efficiently.
Motivate is a company that goes behind the scenes to help set up bike-sharing systems across the country, and it might even work with some of the bikes you’re already using. While the concept of bike sharing might seem simple, there’s a lot of paperwork and planning that needs to happen beforehand and throughout. The company handles things like regulation, bike maintenance and more so you can have a healthier, easier commute that caters to your schedule.
Via is a ride-sharing system that lets riders pool together on trips that are headed in the same direction. Riders will typically have to meet at a destination a block or two away, but the benefits are worth it: Fares are often cheaper than other ridesharing apps, and you might even meet some cool people in the process.
At this point, you’ve probably seen Ford’s Chariot Shuttle zipping around Brooklyn or the Lower East Side. Launched in August 2017, Chariot runs on two pre-planned service areas that go from the Lower East Side to Midtown and Greenpoint to Dumbo for a flat rate of $4. Users reserve a seat on the app, meet at the pickup point and hop in.
Cargo can’t necessarily help you get to work, but it can make your ride more convenient. It’s an in-car service that lets you buy products on your phone, directly from your rideshare driver. Everything from snacks to beauty products are available, meaning deodorant, energy drinks and anything else you need in the morning can be purchased without adding any time to your commute.
If you’re running late or just don’t feel like dealing with the subway, you can always hail a cab. But rather than wait on a corner like a peasant, you can open the Arro app, which lets technology hail a taxi for you. Think of it as Uber for cabs — but without the surge pricing.
If you have a car of your own, you might avoid driving to work every day because of the city’s limited parking availability. BestParking is a service that shows you a map of free, metered and garage spaces, and lets you reserve a spot where applicable. Beyond NYC, it shows the cheapest, closest spaces in 105 cities and 115 airports all over the country.
