Top 10 upcoming ride sharing companies in 2022

Two companies may come to mind when we think of the ride sharing industry. However, in recent years a second wave of smaller ride sharing enterprises have entered the market.

With open mobility tech becoming more and more accessible, ride sharing entrepreneurs with a unique business model or an eye on a gap in the market can launch faster than ever. They are often geographically focused, operating in areas where Uber and Lyft aren’t available, but a number of them also stand out from the bigger names with various niche offerings that pull the tide — such as all-electric vehicles or offering services that respond to real-time events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, a number of ride sharing startups are differentiating themselves by using employees as drivers, instead of gig workers who often lack benefits or face unstable wages.

Read on for a list of ten of the top ride sharing companies we’ll be watching in 2022!

1. Earth Rides

Going green

A pain point facing the ride sharing industry is its corresponding increase in pollution. However, a number of new ride sharing companies are addressing this by powering their services entirely with electric vehicles (EVs), such as Nashville-based Earth Rides. Their tagline — “Like Uber but with Teslas” — gets to the point: they offer all the convenience and bells and whistles of a standard ride sharing company, but with a reduced carbon footprint. “Our mission is to make being healthy cool. By bringing Earth Rides to Tennessee, I hope to expose electric vehicles to a whole new audience and create a healthier environment for us all," said founder Raven Hernandez.

Earth Rides also supplies their drivers — who are all employees, not freelancers as with Uber and Lyft — with company-owned electric vehicles. This gives the company complete quality control when it comes to the rider experience, as they ensure the vehicles are properly cleaned and maintained, and also allows them to vet and train their drivers.

While initially launching with an all-Tesla fleet, as Earth Rides grows they are beginning to include other EVs, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Polestar 2, which not only provides riders with the unique opportunity to experience EVs beyond Tesla — it also brings awareness to the growing range of EVs that continue to emerge.

2. Alto

Prioritizing driver well-being

As the leading employers in the gig economy, Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft have come under criticism for the insecure work and low pay often faced by their gig workers. Meanwhile, some ride sharing companies, such as Alto, have made it a core part of their business model — and branding — to operate with a base of employed drivers who are fully trained, work stable hours, receive competitive compensation, and receive benefits packages.

“Classifying the drivers as W-2 employees is at the core of our ride share experience, allowing us to prioritize safety and consistency at a time when it’s more important than ever,” said Alto founder Will Coleman.

3. Kaptyn

Combining luxury and convenience

CEO Andrew Meyers describes Kaptyn as a “concierge on wheels” and is looking to bridge the gap between the on-demand convenience of traditional ride sharing and the luxury of black car and limousine services in Las Vegas. Their drivers are all full-time employees who are trained to provide top-notch customer service.

There are different tiers of rides available at a range of different prices — and Kaptyn does not practice surge pricing so customers can expect the same level of service at the same price each time.

4. Whistle!

The home-court advantage

In the winter of 2020, Whistle! became the first ride sharing company to get approved in British Columbia. It launched in Whistler, at which time neither Uber nor Lyft was allowed to operate in the province (this has since changed), providing Whistle! with the opportunity to fill an in-demand gap in the market and create a loyal customer base.

And, as their name suggests, their homegrown roots inform their branding that’s all about location. The company now runs in Whistler and Tofino, two popular tourist destinations, where it makes sense to have local drivers who have knowledge and passion about their cities to ferry around both visitors and locals alike.

Learn more about how Whistle! has continued to rapidly scale its business since its 2020 launch.

5. Fetii

Filling a gap in the market

When it comes to hailing an Uber or Lyft, groups of seven or more passengers are typically forced to split up into two vehicles. In Texas, Fetii is changing the ride sharing scene by allowing groups of up to 15 passengers to book on-demand or scheduled trips. As passengers enter the van, they scan a QR code that seamlessly splits the cost of the trip among the group.

In addition to the convenience provided by riding in a single vehicle are the sustainability benefits: congestion is reduced by minimizing the number of vehicles needed to service a single group of people.

6. Lumi

Customer service is king

Lumi doesn’t describe itself as a ride sharing service, but as a “peace of mind” business. According to the Melbourne-based company, their drivers live in the communities they serve, hold a Working With Children Check, undergo police checks, and are thoroughly vetted.

Lumi’s drivers are employees as opposed to gig workers and are trained to provide customer service for elderly people and students, minors, as well any passenger looking to book a ride. Lumi’s focus on community-based drives provides the service with a personability not always achieved by global companies that can tend to feel more anonymous.

7. La Wawa

Expanding the definition of ride sharing

In Caracas, Venezuela, city buses are known to be unreliable and a common site for pickpockets. To provide the population with a safer and more reliable option, La Wawa launched a bookable fixed-route service in 2021.

Just as people can use an app like Uber to book a ride, La Wawa allows users to book a seat on one of their well-maintained buses that cover three different routes throughout the city. Each bus is equipped with security cameras and on-board security staff, air conditioning, and ventilation to ensure a positive and safe experience.

As with other ride sharing companies, riders can also track the bus so that they’re never stuck waiting around.

8. Beat

Constantly evolving

Despite being home to some of the most urbanized cities in the world, many of Latin America’s metropolises, like São Paulo, Mexico City and Bogota, have limited transportation infrastructure, as well as intense traffic congestion and pollution.

In response, Beat (which was already one of the fastest-growing ride sharing apps in the continent), launched an all-electric ride sharing service in Mexico City in 2020. This included 150 Tesla vehicles and two charging stations. “Traffic congestion and pollution in Mexico City are among the worst in the world. It was important for us to be a first mover in sustainable ride hailing,” said COO Sanja Ili.

This isn’t the only time Beat has been quick on its feet in adapting services to respond to evolving market needs and issues. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they launched Beat Bus in Peru and Argentina, a service that transfers medical staff to and from hospitals in cooperation with local pandemic guidelines.

9. Revel

Going the extra mile to electrify mobility

Similar to Earth Rides, Revel is a ride sharing company with a business model that revolves around all-employee drivers using company-owned Teslas. While the company was already known for renting electric mopeds and e-bikes in New York City, its ride sharing services were added to the app in 2021 as part of a movement to electrify transportation.

However, according to CEO and co-founder Frank Reig, there is a missing ingredient when it comes to electrifying rides hare in big cities like NYC: a lack of charging infrastructure. In Reig’s words, “It doesn’t exist.” He adds, “It needs to be built, and it needs to be built now or else no city will meet their electric vehicle target. None of them will.”

So Revel has gone the extra mile in helping ensure the success of all-electric ride sharing by building a “Superhub”: the largest universal fast charging hub in North America. Located in Brooklyn, the 25 fast chargers aren’t just reserved for Revel’s fleet; they can be used by any EV. Revel has also kept accessibility in mind by keeping access to the Superhub free — the only fee is for the actual vehicle charge.

10. Kari

Putting community connectivity first

Launching in Prince Edward Island in 2020, Kari offers traditional ride sharing services booked through an app. However, as co-owner Matthew MacLeod notes, one of the benefits of being a local startup is the ability to pivot easily and by dynamic in the services offered: “If we can provide something efficient and get people to keep our drivers busy while also fulfilling a need, we will step up and do it,” said MacLeod. To that end, the Kari app offers various bookable services beyond ride sharing, such as snow removal, dog walking and food delivery.

However, their community-minded business model goes beyond Yellow Pages-type on-demand services. In 2021, Kari partnered with T3 Transit (a public transport company operating buses throughout the capital region of Prince Edward Island) to provide mobility access to parts of the municipality not currently connected to transit routes. Riders can use the Kari app to book a shuttle bus up to the night before their desired trip. The shuttle bus will arrive at their door at the scheduled time and bring them to a nearby bus stop so they can connect with public transit.

This is a great time for ride sharing entrepreneurs. There are many situations where smaller or regionally-specific services currently make more sense than larger TNCs like Uber and Lyft. Thanks to ride sharing solutions like Spare, there is lots of fertile ground and opportunities for anyone to start their own service, regardless of existing infrastructure.

For more information about how Spare powers ride sharing companies of all sizes, check out our ride sharing page or drop us a line at hello@sparelabs.com.