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SureLifts - the Mobile Community LiftClub
Challenges:
Overview
SureLifts is a mobile Rideshare service, where a Commuter may place a request for a lift, stating the days, time and the locations. The service is created to benefit all 2.2 billion mobile device users globally, by using the unpresedented computing power of footsoldiers that are willing to share partnering information in real time, for a win-win solution of all comunities. If a Driver can reach you, you can be a partner sharing a transport Lift, negotiated by mobile phone! More than 200 million people, who are not in a position to travel with their own vehicle, can improve their quality of life, by making use of a mobile Liftclub portal service.
How does it work?
As validated registered members of the club, Commuters and Drivers will be matched, and after being served with quality information by SureLifts on their mobile phone, negotiate a Lift with an acceptable partner. Members would be matched with available partners as soon as qualified offers become available, which would be submitted as mobile messages in order to take swift action. A mobile SureLift portal was designed to provide comprehensive travel arrangements, helpful community and member account information in a very efficient style. After conclusion of the lift arrangement, the members are afforded the opportunity to rate their partners and once more negotiate a new lift deal.
Benefits:
SureLifts allows the public community to participate in private partnerships enabling themselves with a mobile online service, when and where they need to go effectively, whilst improving their lifestyle. At the same time the members, as civilians, participate in improving the community service and assist in protecting the environment and improve social relationships.
SureLifts records the carbon emission value that the partners achieve by sharing transport.
The differentiator of the SureLifts service to all other available Rideshare services, are the fact they all present offerings only allow the matching part of online website portal requests. No futher records or performance information is available to Users to evaluate and manage their arrangement deal.
SureLifts is the only mobile solution that will allow the participants to monitor the progress of the transaction, receive notices of the presence of their partner and be ABLE to reschedule the arrangement whilst in progress.
Open source coding will be used in order to make it feasible to provide the service cost-effectively in as many communities globally as possible.
Why operate as a mobile platform?
The service must be offered on a mobile platform; in order that any person can, online, negotiate a lift in an effective and safe manner. Use will be made of location based services to determine the shortest and most convenient options to both partners. The two parties will as members have sufficient information, to privately conclude their arrangements, track progress and keep record of the carbon emission offset value that they have effected over a period.
Security:
The details of registered members will be kept private and secure by SureLifts and will only be used to validate the acceptability of the member according to the rules set by the Board of Trustees of the particular Lift Club. As a premium service, members can be tracked by authorized friends and be served with location-based information relative to the route travelled.
This engineered service is unique in that it will be offered free to all participants on entry level mobile phones and that it protects the shared information of all participants, with a strict code of ethics.
More information
Blog: http://surelifts.wordpress.com
SlideShow: http://gcmcknight.webng.com/Surelift/Surelift/Surelift/SureLift/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkhbg1nsvUo
Mobile screen clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEM9Kf7cdw4
March Madness On Demand
It's good how mobile technology help passengers/passenger and drivers communicate for more easy ride services. Wherein this SureLifts projects is a mobile RideShare service that will enable a Commuter to be partnered with a Driver of a vehicle , sharing a transport lift , by utilizing the powerful matching service that will be offered to members of the Club who need an online service using the features of their basic Mobile device. But did you hear about the new trend in IPhones? March Madness On Demand is a software bundle that you can download onto your cell phone (only for smart phones) and with a broadband internet connection get the game broadcast to that phone. It may not take payday loans to download the app, but at the least you can get a news feed to see the scores. If you have a desire to see teams prevail from universities you never went to from states you have never seen compete, March Madness On Demand might be the thing for you. Good work guys!
Reply to MM on Demand
The SureLifts rideshare does not cost anything to connect and arrange transport shared between community social networking members, using any entry level mobile phone, with no need for an internet account connection.
What a pleasure to participate in helping other folks and reducing the carbon emmission footprint!
Great idea for virtually any
Great idea for virtually any developing country, and also in first world countries where traffic congestion is becoming a crisis.
to a Great idea.
With SureLifts lifts can be parcelled and due to the communications channel, higher occupancy rates of vehicles can be achieved.
Traffic congestion in first world countires not only cauce more pollution, but also more frustration and highjacking events. Pete
catching up to social networking
Excellent solution! I have seen "lift clubs" / car pool web sites like these in the Europe, United States and Australia. Glad to see that South Africa has finally caught up with this stunning solution to economical and coherent transport, seeing as we need it even more in SA, since our public transport system is frustratingly under developed and disorganised.
Furthermore, what is most impressing, this solution is even a step ahead, for the reason that it can be done from one's cell phone and not only the internet like the other sites I saw. This system is obviously very practical, because in SA more people have access to a cell phone with relatively cheap WAP and not so often to a computer with internet.
Surely, we can not deny the question about safety like with all these self-organised public projects. However, with a thorough screening process which includes references and comments from other members, this worry will be minimised.
Today, social networking is really the way to go, just think of Facebook and there are several others of these initiatives that work really well here in Europe. We just need the tools to do it.
I really wish to see this idea realise and take off, and it looks like that Surelifts can offer the system to achieve this. Mangefique!
Reply to the power of social networking:
Ride sharing as it is called in first world countries will be very welcome in Africa, due to the kind social nature of its people.
After the due diligence process followed in the membership application process, that can also be done with the SureLinks website, accessible on Internet and kiosk terminals; the WAP site process has been designed to only require 6 variables as inputs to setup a lift request and a maximum of three clicks to reach any page for any process on the portal keyboard.
The safety concerns are less than will any public transport, since qualified membership overseen by a Board of Trustees and the Unique rating evaluation system by members allows the member to negotiate transport with more confidence. Also the recording of Carbon emission values will ensure that discerning members participate in the scheme.
The latest mobile WEB 2.0 social networking services, are ideal to make an elected group an effective team of operators, that will have fun in what they do and share. Pete
SureLifts
Very good idea, especially in a country like South Africa where efficient public transport is not readily available.
Comment on South Africa's Public Transport
Due to the legacy of apartheid the public transport will be a tall order to improve to a very efficient level. The black population traditionally could either not afford the exclusive public bus services or choose to accept work opportunities where they prefered since the train services did not serve most areas.
The affluent had the luxury of being able to afford their own vehicles for their private use.
In the past 15 years when dicriminatory laws were overturned, a very dynamic but informal minibus taxi service evolved, albeit difficult to regulate and manage. Due to the lack of route permit and managerial systems , the service is unsafe and difficult to control; giving rise to violent taxi operator wars.
SureLifts will be able to verify the type of vehicle being used and the status of licensing.
Ridesharing should be rewarded
Ridesharing should be rewarded with the serious problems in the Auto industry. The US Congress had to refinance the auto makers, due to the high cost and slow sales of private vehicles. SureLinks Liftclub should be rewarded for reducing the cost of transport, road congestion and the carbon footprint. Since SureLifts keep records of the performance of drivers, they should be rewarded with a tax rebate as well.
Social groups can assist members well
Social networking by members of SureLifts will be a dynamic tool to share and report problems in the communit.
The online mobile community will be very effective in Southern Africa, where media coverage and internet access are lacking, but the citizens make extremely good use of mobile messaging to arrange things for themselves in an orderly manner.
The Board of Trustees of the Club will set acceptable rules to the members in order to maintain the integrity of the service.
People are in tight
People are in tight situations right now. With everything happening in the world.
With this system the people don't have to rely on government as much to support citizens to make it from point A to B.
With the Taxi's and Busses striking every second month, people can retain their jobs by making use of this service.
Other benefits that I have noticed are that this service allows people in the community to communicate with one another;
which is required to keep the healthy community.
Great idea team Surelifts!
Reply to: in Tight Situations:
SureLinks in fact also provides a social network matching service for its members.
The service may also help a Commuter to be assisted with a Lift to the nearest public transport Bus stop or Train station. In the event of strikes or in emergency situations, participating Taxis may also assist the Community with transport.
The SureLifts mobile portal will also allow members to report other problems in the neighbourhood that they notice; whereby drivers can assist in relieving the crisis.
Surelifts wider potential
The days of solo car use are rightly numbered, and I feel that this project as been created at a crucial time. There needs to be a seed change in the way we organise our day-to-day transport. Good public transport forms the lifeblood of community development but commonly we find, especially in developing countries, these vital arteries do not exist.I can also see huge scope for the development of this project in terms of communting to work. It would be interesting to survey how many drivers take identical journeys to work every day, each alone in their own environment-hating cars.
The fact we have to take on board is that every empty car seat has a significant waste factor that our environment can no longer bear. This project has a straightforward solution to this. It also has positive ramifications for women who have to rely on less than secure public transport.
If this project can ensure customer security and has good coverage in terms of available locations for lifts, I can see the idea engendering a new wave of public transport - or 'transport by the public'.
Reply to SureLifts wider potential:
Due to the global economic crisis, road congestion, safety issues and the environmental problems with carbon emissions; vehicles must be utilized to maximum effect.
Due to the comprehensive screening requirements for club membership, together with members using mobile inputs to run proper checks for the best practice matching; none of the current classified newspaper adverts, internet or telephone based lift offerings can match the SureLinks mobile ported service, for the quality and availability of transport offers; putting users in a position to negotiate a viable transport service for all age groups.
Even on long distance trips, lift club members can assist one another in case of breakdowns or security assistance; since with mobile communication a problem may be shared effectively and controlled. SureLink intends to introduce the issuing of Mobile (bar) codes that will improve the integrity of the service even more.
No transport facility guarantee a perfect service; but with good actual information members will be in the best position to make informed decisions and good changes to their lifestyles. Pete
Where Government do not
Where Government do not support free flow of information or telecommunication channels are not dependable, mobile communication is the effective tool for communities to share access of basic utilities.
If a community group portal can be made available to social groups, the dire situation of suffering in a country like Zimbabwe can be resolved, with health, transport and utility services not being upheld by unengageing political governance.
The effective and orderly service of SureLifts will in no way threaten the functions of government agencies. Venzen