iPhone Carticipate Provides Mobile Social Network Ride Sharing

Carticipate is a cool mobile application for the iPhone that provides a location-based platform for ride sharing. As a driver, you first enter where you are going and when, the number of seats you have available and if you are a serial killer. Just kidding, although the safety and comfort factor of carpooling with strangers is a small hurdle that will have to be overcome. So, the information you provide is then broadcast and helps others in the same geographic area locate other travelers. Because this is a fledgling effort, like any social networking proposition, it's only truly successful once it reaches critical mass. So, for now, you may be limited to your close circle of friends and family if you can get everyone rounded up and on board. Let's walk through the screenshots below:

As a user, you can hit 'Search' which brings up a list of people in your area who are traveling. You can look at their original and final destinations and contact them. One caveat is that search results displayed are limited to the general proximity of where the driver is willing to go.

You can also see the route that they are planning on taking and if there are any suspicious detours to unpopulated areas in the backwoods.

In order to offer rides, you have to register. Once this is complete you can schedule rides by selecting the times you are planning to travel and the origin and final destinations.

Carticipate is a very promising tool for the iPhone that happens to be free. With the rising costs of gasoline and the new push to save the earth after years of waste, hopefully social transportation will finally catch on. And, yes, I know what you're thinking, this application is also available on Facebook.

Source: Carticipate | iTunes