What is the Raspberry Express?

The Raspberry Express is the modern answer to making it less stressful to get to work.  We took a lesson from San Francisco’s casual carpooling and adapted it so that you can save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

Think about Tom who lives north of San Francisco, who wants to get downtown but doesn’t want to drive every day.  Most mornings Tom drives to a Park and Ride, where a couple of hundred other people who also don’t want to drive so much are going.  He and the next person in line get picked up by someone (who wants to use the carpool lane) and dropped off in downtown San Francisco.  That’s it.  Some mornings Tom may be the driver and other mornings he may be the passenger. Days he doesn’t want to go, he doesn’t need to tell anyone.  Several thousand people do this each day across the region.

The Raspberry Express works exactly the same, with some additional benefits.  Because you’ve got to be a member, everyone’s vetted.  If you’re late from work, we’ll get you back to your car (conditions apply).  Drivers receive ride credits for taking passengers and passengers give ride credits for taking a ride.  It’s only fair.  And there’s no need to make a commitment to meet anyone at any time, just use the system when you need to.

It’s simple.

1. Put some ride credits into your account
2. Drive, cycle, scooter, or walk to the meeting point
3. At the meeting point, pick up some riders or be a rider
4. Riders send text message with driver ID to the system.  The system transfers ride credits.  Puts riders and driver in the draw to win great prizes.
5. Travel to the destination together
6. At night do it in reverse, from a meeting point at the morning destination.

It’s a route-based system.  We establish a route when enough people sign up. 

Watch the video for more information about how it works.

Raspberry Express Infographic from Ivan Cruz on Vimeo.

Click here to register so you can join in. Fill in the details on the sidebar (Stay in the loop) if you would like us to keep you updated about our progress.  Look under routes to find out if your route is already under development.