[June 23, 2015]

Shuddle Launches First Ever App for Kids To Schedule Their Own Rides

Shuddle, the first rideshare service designed to transport busy families, today announced the launch of ShuddleMe, the first mobile app allowing tweens and teens to schedule their own rides. The app, which will allow kids to schedule their own rides up to one hour in advance of their chosen pick-up time, aims to encourage independence amongst Shuddle's growing community of kid passengers.

With summer break upon us, kids are out of school and parents are responsible for managing the entirety of their kid's day. Whether heading to summer camp, swimming lessons, basketball practice and everything else in between, ShuddleMe app provides a safe, on-demand ride service to get kids where they need to be, on time. ShuddleMe is the newest app from Shuddle, whose existing service has been the leading rideshare for busy families since launching in the Bay Area in October 2014.

With ShuddleMe, scheduling rides is a safe, reliable, and easy process for kids and caregivers. Once the app is downloaded, kid's profiles are linked to their caregiver's Shuddle account. From there, any rides that kids schedule through the ShuddleMe app are sent directly to their caregiver's Shuddle app for approval. All rides can be scheduled up to one hour in advance of the pick-up time, and once the ride is booked, both parents and kids receive driver information, including driver bio, photo, and car information through their respective mobile apps. Parents can also track the ride in-progress on their own mobile device using GPS technology. An estimated time of arrival will also be given to parents and kids so they can monitor the ride-progress via the app. Once the ride is complete, parents pay for the ride via their Shuddle app that is linked to their kid's account, so your kids never have to carry cash.

"Most families using Shuddle have tween and teen aged kids, which is the age at which parents are starting to give their kids more independence and responsibility over their own schedules," said Nick Allen, Shuddle CEO and former Head f Operations and co-founder of Sidecar. "We created ShuddleMe to give kids more autonomy by allowing them to control their own ride schedules, while putting their parent's minds at ease."

Shuddle undergoes an extensive safety and security process to ensure that they're the most trusted and reliable rideshare service for families and to elevate industry safety standards. All drivers are thoroughly vetted through the rigorous ShuddleScreen verification process, and Shuddle rides can be monitored in real-time using GPS technology from Shuddle HQ as well as through a third party validator, Zendrive. Parents can track rides in real-time within the Shuddle app. Parents receive notifications throughout the ride when passengers have been picked up and dropped off at their final destination. With ShuddleMe, kids can call their Shuddle driver directly through the app once the ride is booked and the driver is on their way. Additionally, Shuddle's in-app support allows both parents and drivers to contact Shuddle staff at any time during a ride.

"My husband and I both work full time and have two kids with packed schedules, and we just can't be in two places at once. Now that our kids are on summer break, I found myself constantly worrying that I wouldn't be able to juggle their schedules," said Paige Simmons, Shuddle user since 2014 and mother of Sacha, 16, and Jay, 15. "With the ShuddleMe app, it's a win-win for everyone. My kids can gain more independence by booking their own rides, and I get the security factor of being able to approve and monitor them in real time."

Shuddle charges a monthly $9 membership, which is waived for first-time users first month, to support Shuddle's best-in-industry insurance for kids. It also covers the driver ShuddleScreen verification process. Starting at a minimum of $12, all fares are based on distance, and an estimate is given when users schedule rides. Shuddle operates in 5 counties throughout Silicon Valley including Marin, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Alameda and Santa Clara counties. The Shuddle app is available for parents on Android (News - Alert), in the Google Play Store, and on iOS, in the App Store; ShuddleMe app is available on Android, in the Google Play Store and will be coming soon on iOS.

About Shuddle

Founded in 2013 by rideshare industry veteran Nick Allen (and former Head of Operations and co-founder of Sidecar), Shuddle is the leading rideshare service designed specifically to transport busy families. Shuddle provides a safe, convenient and reliable option that helps everyone from kids to grandparents get to where they need to be. From home to school to soccer practice, piano class, play dates and everything in between, all rides are scheduled in advance. Every driver has caregiver experience and undergoes the extensive ShuddleScreen verification process. A Shuddle ride is like having a nanny and extra helping hand available to get your family wherever they need to go. Learn more at shuddle.us.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150623005867/en/

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