When Tiara’s two daughters, aged 9 and 13, take Wilson’s on-demand RIDE service to get around town, they relish the sense of independence it grants them. “My 13-year-old gets to use it the most,” Tiara explains. “It makes her feel like a big girl when she gets on the van by herself.” And her 9-year-old? Tiara laughs: “She likes it and she doesn’t like it. She likes the van — but doesn’t like that she has to ride with her sister.”
For Tiara, an arts attendant and housekeeper who lives and works in Wilson, North Carolina, RIDE has helped her provide new opportunities for her children. Tiara has a car, and normally uses that to commute to work, but RIDE lets her send her children to activities and appointments without worrying about logistics.
All in all, she estimates that RIDE has saved her ~$10 on each trip. And she invests that money right back into her family: “With the extra money, RIDE has allowed me to save and allowed me to spend more money on extracurricular activities for my kids.” She’s now able to keep them involved with community building activities, like the YMCA and art classes in town.
Tiara notes that RIDE is also popular among her friends and the rest of her family, primarily because of cost and convenience. Her sister is a regular user, usually to get to the grocery store. RIDE gives them all the option to be a bit more flexible and spontaneous, and access everything their community has to offer.
