How these two tech companies are empowering carpoolers

A UNIVERSAL problem which stretches across highways is the proliferation of automobiles. And what makes this problem even more prominent is that upon further observation, these cars often contain many empty seats. Waze Carpool is an example of a car-sharing app whose mission is to reduce the number of automobiles on the road. They seek to accomplish this by connecting riders and drivers with similar routes to commute together.

Waze Carpool aims to transform the commuting process into something much more greener, affordable, and social.

The app was especially valuable to those who were hit by Hurricane Harvey in the US states of Texas and Louisiana last year. Drivers with spare seats then had the chance to assist a fellow Waze Carpool users heading in the same direction.

What makes Waze Carpool unique compared to rivals Uber or Lyft is that the drivers are everyday Waze users who are heading in the same direction as others. Commuters can use the app to find a matching driver.

But in order to allow riders to pay the driver for things such as like gas and wear and tear, Waze have now announced a partnership with financial services company, Payoneer, to facilitate payments through the app.

Waze Carpool head Josh Fried told The Next Web that the partnership seeks to aid the drivers, “so they have one less thing to worry about, and they get reimbursed on time, every time”.

For Waze, ensuring that the payment experience is seamless and pain-free was an important factor. This included finding a payment provider capable of meeting their ambitious requirements of creating a smooth user experience, as well as the ability for quick withdrawals from a local bank account in the driver’s local currency.

But the biggest priority for the ride-sharing app was the protection of users’ data and compliance with all legal and fiscal regulations.

“When selecting a payment provider, we need to ensure that they are tightly regulated and that their data protection protocols meet Google’s strictest standards. At the same time, it’s crucial that the payment process is convenient, highly localized, and 100 percent mobile,” Fried said.

It seems that Payoneer is the perfect fit to accompany the Waze app. Waze’s mission to connect local communities through a global network coincides nicely with Payoneer’s aim of connecting the digital economy.

Waze Carpool is the latest expansion service from driving app Waze, which was acquired by Google in 2013. It’s now running in Texas, California, and Israel, and it has plans to expand soon.

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