SEATTLE, Nov. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Handling a ride to the airport, hotel, restaurant or your next meeting shouldn't have to be an anxiety-inducing exercise, but rather a pleasant journey in the hands of a professional driver you can trust. asterRIDE, a new ride service company, hopes to revive the American ride with a new smart phone app and service that makes requesting a ride for business or pleasure convenient, safe and predictable with qualified drivers, all while supporting local cab and limo businesses.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141119/159651
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141119/159652

asterRIDE has rolled out its nationwide ride service in Phoenix and will be coming soon to Los Angeles, Seattle, Orlando, Chicago, Washington D.C., New York City, Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco and other metropolitan areas. The app for iOS and Android users provides convenient, safe and reliable rides to passengers by connecting them with taxis, limos, luxury sedans, SUVs and para-transit with one-click convenience.  Once users have the app, one tap gets you the quickest ride with asterRIDE's patent-pending technology and the fare is automatically handled through Braintree's (owned by PayPal) mobile payment system.

In the competitive ride service market, asterRIDE is a cut above competitors such as Uber X and Lyft because it offers a vetted service customers can count on. asterRIDE uses only commercially insured and city permitted vendors who have undergone detailed background checks.

asterRIDE customers also do not have to worry about sticker shock during holidays or special events. Uber has received much criticism for "surge" pricing that sometimes soars to many times the regular fare during busy periods – so bad that the Better Business Bureau rated Uber with an "F" rating.  It is worth noting that asterRIDE adheres to the industry standards of the taxi and black car industry during peak times and holidays.

"asterRIDE is the best choice for those who want a safe, easy way to get a ride. We work directly with taxi and limo companies and unlike other services, we offer only commercially insured, city permitted drivers, with advanced bookings and stable fares," said Seth Rudin, asterRIDE CEO. "The ultimate value proposition for our industry is transparent safety, and immediate availability."

"We are thrilled to be working with a ride-service company that is not only committed to supporting and protecting the taxi cab industry, but also wants to help it continue to grow," said Mr. Omar Bogor, the General Manager of Mayflower Cab. "We welcome any service that is able to connect more passengers to commercially-insured vehicles and permitted drivers."

asterRIDE works directly with taxi and limo companies, and offers both on demand and advanced bookings, which most competitors do not presently offer. Since Uber rides can't be booked in advance like asterRIDE, drivers at busy airports like LAX could end up waiting for a fare and customers could possibly be stuck waiting for 30 minutes or more.  The asterRIDE app does not compete against taxi and black car services, which has been a source of contention with competing services. Rather, it helps them get new customers by conducting the marketing on behalf its taxi/black car service partners.

LA Checker Cab's President, Yevgeny Smolyar – which is one of asterRIDE's partners in Los Angeles, added, "LA Checker is pleased to support a ride service that unites passengers with taxis and black cars in a manner that ensures the passengers are riding in fully insured and city permitted vehicles.  In the current environment, the passengers are not fully aware of all of the shortcomings of rideshare. asterRIDE should provide comfort to our taxi and black car riders along with providing an easy to use app with great features."

asterRIDE's goal is to help local businesses prosper. "We want to keep the American ride alive and well, and away from the commoditization effect that other ride-sharing services are moving towards. Rides by their nature are local, and each location is unique and known best by the local taxi and transportation companies," continues Rudin.

The company is also planning to take customer safety a step further with some upcoming features in the next couple of months to further reassure those who would generally have worries about hailing rides.

Key features of the asterRIDE app:

On the Go Features

• Book a ride at your fingertips using the instaRIDE™ feature – single tap booking
• No cash needed. Pay with one touch, and get an electronic receipt.
• Receive notifications about the status of the bookings (text, email and in app)
• Track your driver from the time the driver is on his/her way to the end of the ride.

Convenience Features

• Remembers last settings and past bookings, options to save favorites, make search recommendations with Yelp ratings and more
• Dispatching service is automated and driver status can be tracked
• Make reservations in advance with Advance Booking Feature

asterRIDE is available on iTunes and Google Play Store and works on both smart phones and tablets. Both passengers and interested cab or limo companies can learn more at http://www.asterride.com/.

About asterRIDE

asterRIDE™ revives the romantic notion of the local cab or ride service and adds true one-touch convenience with our patent pending technology.  asterRIDE™ unites passengers with taxis and black cars in a simple easy to use app designed by everyday passengers for its riders.  asterRIDE™ offers individual fares, group rides and corporate programs. asterRIDE provides true peace of mind. Our drivers are vetted, permitted, and commercially insured so you can ride in confidence. 

For more information, visit www.asterride.com

Media Contact: Len Fernandes, 1-888-317-4687 ext. 702, Email

SOURCE asterRIDE

Related Links

http://www.asterride.com