Carpool app launches in Detroit

Communing is both stressful and expensive, especially if you’re traveling alone. In the tri-county area, the average commute time to work is around 26 minutes.

A new carpooling service should help reduce some of the cost and anxiety of commuting for Detroiters. San Francisco-based software company Scoop has partnered with Bedrock to roll out its platform in seven Detroit zip codes: 48201, 48226, 48202, 48207, 48208, 48216, and 48209.

Bedrock is the “enterprise customer” in the partnership, but anyone in the seven zip codes can use the app.

Commute times are set in advance through Scoop’s smartphone app anytime between 5 a.m. and 8:40 p.m. Users either select driver or rider, then get automatically paired based on “the most efficient trip based on route, nearby carpoolers, carpool lanes, and more,” according to the company.

Fees are distributed among passengers based on factors like length and duration of the trip, most of which are given to the driver. To qualify as a driver, users must undergo a one-time motor vehicle report.

Detroit is the sixth market, and first away from the West Coast, where Scoop is now available, following Seattle, Reno, Portland, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bedrock has been testing out innovative mobility technologies in recent years. In 2018, it partnered with May Mobility to launch an autonomous shuttle service for Bedrock employees.