RideHERO

RideHERO is an all-in-one ride solution app designed to optimize your travel experience. It allows users to plan trips seamlessly, compare car rental options and ride-share services in one place. By providing a comprehensive view of available options, RideHERO helps you make informed decisions that save both time and money. Whether you’re booking a quick ride or planning a longer trip,
RideHERO streamlines the entire process for convenience and cost-efficiency.

In 2021, the global ride-share market was worth nearly $86 billion and is projected to reach $185.1 billion by 2026. ^{_{MarketsandMarkets™}}

The car rental industry is expected to accommodate 602.2 million users by 2026, the global car rental market size is expected to be worth $144.21 billion in 2027 and global car rental market earns $40.65 billion in revenue each year. ^_Zippia.com

Target users for this project have the following traits:

• Own a smartphone for digital access
• Driving proficiency or accompanied by a driver
• Use Ride-share, Cab, or Taxi to travel
• Prefer traveling by road
• Avoid public transport
• Enjoy exploring new destinations
• Enthusiastic about road trips
• Seek out the best deals and lowest prices

Ease of Finding Users

Identifying users who met this criteria was somewhat challenging. While smartphone ownership and road travel enthusiasm are common, combining all traits—especially avoiding public transport and relying on ride-shares or drivers—narrowed the pool significantly. However, focused targeting helped locate niche groups that fit most characteristics.

Identifying Tools

To gain insights into the tools travelers rely on, I conducted informal chats with individuals. The following tools were commonly mentioned:

• Waymo, Lyft, Uber – for ride-sharing and transportation.
• TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Priceline – for travel planning and accommodation.
• Google Search, Google Calendar – for information and scheduling.
• Costco, Avis – for securing travel deals and car rentals.
• GPS tracker – for navigation and safety.

These insights helped highlight the diverse digital tools that assist travelers in managing various aspects of their journey.

Competitive Analysis

Performed User Survey to gather insights into user preferences and needs within the transportation industry

I initiated primary research to hear firsthand from my target audience’s experiences, ensuring that the final product is tailored to their needs.

I analyzed the interviews and categorized the valuable insights. A key finding from the interviews and surveys revealed that 69% of users “surf multiple platforms” but are dissatisfied with the experience. They find trip planning tedious and often delegate it to someone else, as the process of switching between apps is frustrating and time-consuming, often leading to cancellations.

• The cost plays a pivotal role in decision-making.
• User-Friendliness: The ease of accessing and utilizing services is crucial.
• Selecting the right type of vehicle is an important consideration.

• Needs live tracking and responsive customer assistance are highly valued.
• Users seek features allowing quick estimation of costs for selected ride options.
• Driver ratings for ride-share and in case of rental the car ratings are crucial.
• Users show reluctance to switch between different apps and websites for ride-sharing and car rental services
• The desire for a comprehensive solution that meets multiple needs.

To derive the solution, I decided to build a basic prototype focusing on three core themes. First, Compare and Book, which lets users easily compare ride-share or car rental options and make bookings in one place. Second, Lowest Price, ensures users always find the most affordable option by comparing multiple platforms. Lastly, Planning a Trip helps users organize their itinerary, including transportation, accommodations, and points of interest, streamlining the entire travel process. These provide a seamless, cost-effective, and efficient solution for travelers.

RideHERO
Revolutionizing Transportation Solutions

• Centralized platform for all transportation needs.
• Best deals by comparing multiple services.
• Quick and easy booking process with all options in one place.

User Interviews and App Ideas testing

I tried out my prototype with 6 people and got a lot of feedback. The 3 themes Ride/Rental Booking, Best Price, and Trip Planning had a ton of small details. I knew just re-creating what’s already out there wouldn’t be good enough.
I realized it’s important to dig deeper and focus on the little things. I made notes during prototype testing to make a design that would serve well to the users.

Prototype Testing (round 2)

I implemented the changes from the last testing and proceeded with another round of prototype testing to ensure improved functionality and user confidence. This phase involved interviews with six participants, including four from our previous recruitment
and two new participants.

The final designs include Compare and Book for ride-share and rentals, Lowest Price for easy deal comparison, and an organized Trip Planner for streamlined itineraries. Simple, intuitive, and user-focused.

IIn the future, I plan to significantly expand the RideHERO app, with a broad scope to incorporate a range of new features centered on Ride/Rental Booking, Lowest Price Prediction, and Trip Planning. These additions are driven by feedback gathered from our first round of user interviews and testing, where we identified specific user needs and gaps in the current market.

One of the key features is the ability for users to create their own AI Travel Buddy, allowing them to personalize the AI’s appearance, traits, and communication style for tailored trip planning assistance. This feature responds directly to users’ desire for a more interactive and customized travel experience.

Additionally, the Price Prediction for Booking feature allows users to track hourly and weekly price trends for ride-shares and car rentals, empowering them to make cost-efficient decisions. During testing, users expressed the need for better price visibility, and this feature addresses that by helping users plan their trips around the most favorable pricing.

These steps aren’t just ideas—they are a response to unmet user needs revealed during testing.